"I have no idea really what's going on": teachers' self-efficacy and executive function implementation during the COVID-19 recovery year
Date
2025
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
This thesis examines teacher perceptions of their self-efficacy in implementing executive function instruction during the 2020–2021 school year, described here as the COVID-19 recovery year. Executive function skills—including inhibitory control, emotional control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and organizational skills— are often supported through consistent classroom routines. The disruptions caused by the pandemic required teachers to rebuild these routines across in-person and virtual settings. These disruptions resulted in challenges that could potentially influence teacher self-efficacy. Using teacher self-rating and qualitative interviews, this study explored how learning environments influenced teacher perceptions of self-efficacy in supporting student executive function development. Findings suggest that the classroom setting and teacher perceptions of self-efficacy influenced executive function instruction, particularly in the domains of emotional and inhibitory control. Student-teacher relationships emerged in the qualitative data as a key support for teacher self-efficacy, aligning with existing literature (Boe et al., 2008; Sharpe & Strosnider, 2022). These results indicate that, beyond instructional mode, multiple factors shape teacher self-efficacy in executive function instruction, extending the relevance of these findings beyond the COVID-19 context.
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Keywords
Executive function, K-2 teacher, Teacher self-efficacy, COVID-19 recovery