An Exploratory Study: The Role of Social Networks and Self-Efficacy in the Retention of Noyce Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of our Noyce Track 4 research, funded in 2016, was to conduct an exploratory study investigating Noyce early career teachers’ retention in high-need schools. A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was used to investigate personal networks, teaching self-efficacy, and retention among a convenience sample of early career Noyce teachers from across the nation. The quantitative component of this study was guided by social network analysis (SNA). Based on network and graph theories, SNA is a method used to investigate and interpret patterns of social ties among network individuals. Additionally, a previously validated instrument and open-ended survey items were used to measure teaching self-efficacy. Following the survey, we conducted interviews with purposively selected teachers to follow-up on their experiences related to teaching self-efficacy, retention, and their Noyce programs. Our results showed that teachers who have more connected networks are more likely to remain in high-need schools. Additionally, our study identified a set of nine characteristics of Noyce programs that were positively correlated with retention. This indicates that when a teacher was exposed to these program characteristics, there was an overall increase in the likelihood that they would remain in a high-need school. Although self-efficacy was not significantly correlated with retention, we did find correlations between teaching self-efficacy and several Noyce program characteristics. The study carries implications for educational research spanning multiple areas including SNA, teacher education, and teacher self-efficacy. This study provides novel findings documenting the nuanced ways in which the social networks of Noyce program participants and various aspects of Noyce programs themselves may influence retention among early-career teachers in high-need schools. Additionally, our results show the importance of expanding teachers’ networks and the significance of receiving unique types of support from the various people within teachers’ networks.

An exploratory study of STEM teachers’ mentorship networks

“…Lastly, a very small percentage of Noyce programs attended by the teachers in this sample guide their scholars with assistance finding a teaching job, which is an important support need for early career teachers from their mentors. This infrequent assistance with finding a teaching job is particularly important since our other study findings indicate that when programs such as Noyce do help teachers find teaching jobs, it increases teachers' intentions to remain in the teaching field (Alemdar et al, 2022). Thus, teacher preparation programs' relationship with school districts and their knowledge and understanding of the community would be useful to place new teachers in a supportive environment.…”

“…This study is situated within a larger exploratory study that examines the relationships that may exist between Noyce teachers' support networks, self-efficacy, and retention (for more information on this study see, Alemdar et al, 2022;Gale et al, 2021). While the larger study focused more broadly on these topics, this paper will focus specifically on teachers' mentorship support networks, guided by the following two research questions:…”