Teacher self-efficacy and motivation-to-lead: driving contributions to school improvement in Türkiye’s public schools
Educational Studies, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1080/03055698.2026.2683075
- Journal Name: Educational Studies
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Philosopher's Index, Psycinfo, Philosopher's Index full-text, Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Keywords: distributed leadership, motivation-to-lead, school improvement, teacher agency, Teacher self-efficacy, Türkiye
- Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
This study examined the relationships between teacher self-efficacy (TSE), motivation-to-lead (MTL), and teachers’ contributions to school improvement (CtSI) in Türkiye’s public schools. Using a cross-sectional design, data from 1,023 public school teachers were analysed with structural equation modelling and bootstrapping. TSE was positively associated with CtSI both directly and indirectly through MTL. Affective-identity MTL and social-normative MTL were stronger mediators than non-calculative MTL, which suggests that teachers’ leadership identity and sense of duty matter more for their proactive engagement in school-wide initiatives than non-calculative willingness alone. The findings are interpreted within the structural, cultural, and policy context of Türkiye’s centralised school system rather than as an isolated psychological account. The cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report data limit causal inferences, and longitudinal and mixed-methods follow-up is needed. Despite these limits, the study contributes evidence on how teachers’ psychological and motivational resources relate to their participation in school improvement.