Date of Award
6-12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Bronwyn MacFarlane
Second Advisor
Lori Sanchez
Committee Members
Jessie King
Call Number
ISBN 9798280759435
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine five elementary teachers’ perceptions of teaching mathematics within a departmentalized classroom organizational structure and its influence on their teacher efficacy in teaching mathematics at the elementary level, how teacher preparation programs have prepared elementary teachers to implement instruction in a departmentalized structure, and how they perceive their efficacy when teaching mathematics in a departmentalized classroom versus a self-contained classroom. This qualitative case study applied the theoretical framework of Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management Theory and Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory to assess the impact of departmentalization on teachers' self-efficacy in mathematics instruction. This qualitative case study addressed three research questions: 1) How does teacher efficacy in a departmentalized organizational classroom structure impact teaching practices in first-grade and second-grade elementary mathematics classrooms, 2) What are first-grade and second-grade elementary teacher perceptions of elementary preparation programs in preparing them to teach in a departmentalized classroom, and 3) What are first-grade and second-grade elementary teacher perceptions of their efficacy in teaching mathematics in a departmentalized classroom compared to a self-contained classroom. Participants for this qualitative case study were selected using purposive sampling. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were created and administered to answer these three research questions. Following data collection, thematic coding was conducted, revealing key themes for each research question. For Research Question 1, four themes emerged: specialization improves teacher efficacy, elevated instructional practices, student confidence and engagement increase, and collaboration enhances instructional quality. Research Question 2 yielded three themes: preparation programs influence teacher success, practical experiences build confidence, and improved areas in teacher preparation. Lastly, Research Question 3 identified three themes: time allocation influences teacher quality, variability in depth and rigor of instruction, and teacher roles impact confidence and satisfaction. The findings of this study suggest that departmentalization positively influences teachers’ self-efficacy.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Patterson, Juasita Sherelle, "Examining the Influence of Departmentalization on Elementary Teachers' Efficacy in Teaching Mathematics: A Qualitative Case Study of First Grade and Second-Grade Elementary Teachers" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1067.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1067
