THE ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN PAKISTAN

ABSTRACT
This dissertation is set in the context of a private university in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. It is
an exploration of the impact of the phenomenon of self-efficacy on teachers and learners and
how self-efficacy influences teaching and learning in the given setting. It investigates the sources
of self-efficacy for teachers and students through qualitative methodology using a case study
approach.
The data for this study were gathered over a period of 16 months by in-depth semi-structured
interviews with teachers, focus group discussion with students, and classroom observations. By
using methods and sample triangulation, the research investigates the perspectives of the teachers
and the learners.
The study portrays the interplay of the self-efficacy of teachers and students as having
encouraging influences on both groups. High self-efficacy beliefs of teachers make them more
focused, ambitious, resilient and competent. These beliefs can contribute towards making them
effective on the one hand and inculcate the same qualities in their students by raising their selfefficacy
beliefs on the other. Reciprocal effect of teachers' self-efficacy on learners' self-efficacy
and vice-versa emerged as a prominent element of the present HE teaching/learning setting.
Experiences quoted by the learners suggest that their high self-efficacy beliefs result in better
learning outcomes. The study shows that sources of self-efficacy are more positive than negative.
Teachers and students do get affected by negative sources but their resilience keeps them goaloriented
and determined. Self-efficacy, thus, turns out to be a productive factor in making teaching and learning effective in the given context.