Academic Optimism:
Its History and Nature
Professor Wayne K. Hoy
Seton Hall, NJ, April 16, 2011
© Hoy, 2011
Organizational Climate of Schools
Dimensions of Principal’s Behavior
Supportive—reflects a concern for teachers, is open to suggestions, respects teachers’ professional competence. Praise is
genuine and frequent and criticism is constructive.
 The principal uses constructive criticism.
Directive—maintains close and constant control over all teacher and school activities.
 The principal monitors everything teachers do.
Restrictive—Hinders rather than facilitates teacher work; burdens with busywork.
• Routine duties interfere with the job of teaching.
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Dimensions of Teacher Behavior
Collegial—supports open and professional interactions among teachers. Teachers are enthusiastic, accepting, and mutually
respectful of professional competence.
 Teachers respect the professional competence of their colleagues.
Intimate—reflects a cohesive and strong network of socials support among the faculty. Teachers know each other well, are close
personal friends, and socialize.
• Teachers socialize with each other.
Disengaged—refers to a lack of meaning and focus in professional activities. Teachers are simply putting in time and going
through the motions.
• Faculty meetings are useless.1
© Hoy, 2011
Organizational Climate of Schools
Supportive
Directive
Restrictive
Collegial
Intimate
Disengaged
© Hoy, 2011
Openness of Principal
Behavior
Openness of Teacher
Behavior
Types of Organizational Climate
Principal Behavior
Open
Open
Open
Climate
Engaged
Climate
Closed
Disengaged
Climate
Closed
Climate
Teacher
Behavior
© Hoy, 2011
Closed
Organizational Health
Organizational Health Inventory (OHI)
Institutional (Community) Level—Interactions with the
community
• Institutional Integrity
Managerial Level—Interactions with the principal
• Principal Influence
• Consideration
• Initiating Structure
• Resource Support
School Level—Interactions with colleagues and students
• Morale
•Academic Emphasis
© Hoy, 2011
Organizational Health
A Healthy School Climate is characterized by institutional integrity--teachers are
protected from disruptive outside forces. The principal has influence with
superiors, gets needed resources, and has a integrated leadership style that is
concern with both the task at hand and the social well being of teachers. Morale
is high and there is a general press for academic achievement by teachers,
parents, and students.
A Unhealthy School Climate is vulnerable to disruptive outside forces. The
principal has little influence with superiors, resources are scarce, and the
principal neither sets direction nor is supports teachers. Moral is poor and there
is limited attention to academic matters because the teacher have given up.
However, only Academic Emphasis was consistently related to student achievement,
controlling for SES.
First school property related to Student Achievement, controlling for SES.
© Hoy, 2011
Trust: The First Generation of Studies--Rutgers
Bill Kupersmith
TRUST: A generalized sense held by the work group that the word or promise
of another could be relied upon (Rotter).
Measures: Faculty trust…. In Colleagues
In Principal
In District
Trust related to many important attributes:
•
Authentic leadership of the principal
•
Morale of faculty
•
Openness of climate
•
Health of school
•
Subjective measure of effectiveness
BUT NOT to ACHIEVEMENT, controlling for SES.
© Hoy, 2011
Trust: The Second Generation—Ohio State
Megan Tschannen-Moran (OSU)—more refined definition of trust.
TRUST: Trust is a state in which individuals and groups are willing to
make themselves vulnerable to others and take risks with
confidence that others will respond to their actions in positive ways,
with benevolence, predictability, competence, honesty, and openness.
Faculty Trust in
1) Colleagues 2) Principal 3) Students 4)Parents
Faculty Trust in Students and Parents is the same thing.
Measured three referents of trust (Omnibus T-Scale)
Faculty Trust in Student and Parents was related to Student Achievement
controlling for SES.
Second organizational property to make a difference in achievement.
© Hoy, 2011
Collective Efficacy—Ohio State
Roger Goddard (OSU)—A study of Collective Efficacy
Grew out of the work of Albert Bandura, who claimed efficacy could be
framed as a collective as well as an individual construct.
COLLECTVE EFFICACY: teachers as a whole (as a collective) have a
sense that they can organize and execute decisions and influence
the activities that have positive effects on students.
Developed a reliable and valid measure of the collective efficacy of a school.
Collective Efficacy was the third property of schools that predicted student
achievement controlling for SES and other demographic characteristics of
schools.
Academic Emphasis, Trust in Clients, and Collective Efficacy were the three
characteristics that make a difference in schools beyond SES.
What about the three properties working together?
Three properties added together should explain more variance in achievement-But!
HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
© Hoy, 2011
Academic Optimism: A New Construct
The elements of academic optimism and
their reciprocal relation to each other.
Academic
Emphasis
Collective
Efficacy
Faculty
Trust
Academic Optimism is the uniting of these three concepts into an integrated whole.
Efficacy is the belief faculty can make a positive contribution to student learning: teachers believe in themselves.
Trust is the belief that students, parents, teachers can cooperate to improve student learning: teachers believe in their students
Academic Emphasis is the academic enactment of these beliefs: teachers act to improve academic success of students.
Academic Optimism is the collective belief that that:
The faculty can make a difference--cognitive facet.
Students can learn--affective and emotional side.
Academic performance can be achieved--behavioral enacted.
© Hoy, 2011
Academic Optimism and School Achievement: A Theoretical Model
Urbanicity
Socioeconomic
Status
Mathematics
Faculty Trust in
Students and Parents
Collective Efficacy Academic Emphasis
Academic Optimism
Student
Achievement
Science
Priori Student
Achievement
Mathematics
© Hoy, 2011
Science
A Test of the Academic Optimism and Student Achievement Model
(Hoy, Tarter, Hoy, 2007)
Mathematics
Faculty Trust in
Students & Parents
1.00
.75
.99
Collective Efficacy
.92
Academic Optimism
Student
Achievement
.90
Academic Emphasis
Science
© Hoy, 2011
A Test of the Academic Optimism and Student Achievement Model
(Hoy, Tarter, Hoy, 2007)
Urbanicity
Socioeconomic
Status
.02
.20
Mathematics
.19
Faculty Trust in
Students & Parents
1.00
.75
.99
Collective Efficacy
Academic Optimism
.21
Student
Achievement
.90
.92
Academic Emphasis
.60
Science
Priori Student
Achievement
.97
Mathematics
© Hoy, 2011
.96
Science
R2=.67**
A Second Test of the Academic Optimism and Student Achievement
(Hoy, Tarter, Woolfolk Hoy, 2007)
Urbanicity
Socioeconomic
Status
-.18
.23
Faculty Trust in
Students & Parents
Collective Efficacy
.23
.74
.99
Academic Optimism
.93
.27
Student
Achievement
.93
.98
.78
Academic Emphasis
.44
Reading
Writing
Social Studies
Priori Student
Achievement
.99
Reading
© Hoy, 2011
.96
Writing
.89
Social Studies
R2=.54**
Principals Creating A Culture of Academic Optimism and Student
Achievement :A Path Model (McGuigan & Hoy, 2006)
Faculty Trust in
Students and Parents
Enabling Structure
Collective Efficacy
Academic Optimism
Socioeconomic
Status
© Hoy, 2011
Academic Emphasis
Student Achievement
A Test of Enabling Structure, Academic Optimism, Achievement Model
(McGuigan & Hoy, 2006)
Faculty Trust in
Students and Parents
.98
Enabling Structure
.37**
Collective Efficacy
.96
Academic Optimism
Academic Emphasis
.95
.54**(Math)
Student Achievement
.21 (Math)
Socioeconomic
Status
Math R2=.48**
© Hoy, 2011
Academic Optimism and School Achievement:
Expanded Theoretical Model
Urbanicity
Socioeconomic
Status
Mathematics
Faculty Trust in
Students and Parents
Enabling
Structure
Collective Efficacy Academic Emphasis
Academic Optimism
Student
Achievement
Science
Priori Student
Achievement
Mathematics
© Hoy, 2011
Science
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
Bryk & Schneider (2002) Study of Trust in Chicago
School Conditions that Promote Learning and Achievement
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and Internalized Responsibility
2.Outreach to Parents
3.Professional Community--Collaborative Work Practices and
Commitment to Improve Teaching and Learning.
4. High Expectations and High Academic Standards
© Hoy, 2011
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
School Conditions that Promote Achievement
Bryk & Schneider (2002)
Study of Trust
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and
Internalized Responsibility
© Hoy, 2011
Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy (2006)
Study of Academic Optimism
Collective Efficacy
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
School Conditions that Promote Achievement
Bryk & Schneider (2002)
Study of Trust
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and
Internalized Responsibility
2.Outreach to Parents
© Hoy, 2011
Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy (2006)
Study of Academic Optimism
Collective Efficacy
Faculty Trust in
Parents and
Teachers
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
School Conditions that Promote Achievement
Bryk & Schneider (2002)
Study of Trust
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and
Internalized Responsibility
2.Outreach to Parents
3.Professional Community
Collaborative Work Practices and
Commitment to Improve Teaching
© Hoy, 2011
Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy (2006)
Study of Academic Optimism
Collective Efficacy
Faculty Trust in
Parents and
Teachers
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
School Conditions that Promote Achievement
Bryk & Schneider (2002)
Study of Trust
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and
Internalized Responsibility
2.Outreach to Parents
3.Professional Community
Collaborative Work Practices and
Commitment to Improve Teaching
4.High Expectations and
High Academic Standards
© Hoy, 2011
Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy (2006)
Study of Academic Optimism
Collective Efficacy
Faculty Trust in
Parents and
Teachers
Academic Emphasis
Why Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
School Conditions that Promote Achievement
Bryk & Schneider (2002)
Study of Trust
1.Teachers’ “can do” Attitude and
Internalized Responsibility
2.Outreach to Parents
3.Professional Community
Collaborative Work Practices and
Commitment to Improve Teaching
4.High Expectations and
High Academic Standards
© Hoy, 2011
Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy (2006)
Study of Academic Optimism
Collective Efficacy
Faculty Trust in
Parents and
Teachers
Academic Emphasis
A
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How Does Academic Optimism Lead to Higher Student Achievement?
Feedback
GOAL THEORY
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•
•
•
Challenging Goals
Effort
Persistence
Resilience
Collective
Efficacy
Academic
Emphasis
Culture of
Academic
Optimism
Motivation
•
•
•
•
Responsibility
Effort
Persistence
Resilience
Student
Achievement
Trust in
Parents &
Students
COOPERATION
• Students
• Teachers
• Parents
Relational
Trust
Feedback
Dynamics of School Properties to Promote Student Achievement
© Hoy, 2011
RESEARCH AGENDA FOR ACADEMIC OPTIMISM
A. School-Level Questions: Antecedent and Consequences
1. What are the characteristics that produce School Academic Optimism? [ANTECEDENTS]
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Leadership of the Principal?
The Structure of the School?
The Professionalism of Teachers?
Professional Learning Community?
Open Organizational Climate?
A Climate of Humanism?
Mindfulness of the Principal?
Self-efficacy of the Principal?
Participatory Decision Making?
2. What are the consequences of a Culture of Academic Optimism? [CONSEQUENCES]
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
© Hoy, 2011
Higher level of School Effectiveness?
Lower Drop-out Rate?
Lower level of Teacher Absenteeism?
Higher levels of Student Engagement?
High level of Student Self-Efficacy?
Higher level of Student Motivation?
Higher level of Organizational Citizenship?
Higher level of Teacher Morale?
Higher level of Teacher Motivation?
Individual Teacher Academic Optimism
Academic Emphasis
Self-Efficacy
Faculty Trust
Individual Academic Optimism is a set of beliefs held by a teacher that he or she can:
1) Teach all students effectively---------------------------—Self-efficacy.
2) Trust students to learn and parents to support them —Trust in students & parents.
3) Set the bar high and emphasize academics----------- —Academic Emphasis.
Measures: TAOS-E for Elementary Teachers
TAOS-S for Secondary Teachers
© Hoy, 2011
RESEARCH AGENDA FOR ACADEMIC OPTIMISM
B. Teacher- Level Questions? [Antecedents and Consequences]
1. What personal characteristics facilitate individual teacher optimism? [ANTECEDENTS]
• Open-mindedness of Teacher?
• General disposition to be Optimistic.
• Self-Efficacy of the Teacher?
• Humanistic Pupil-Control Orientation?
• Professional Orientation?
• Bureaucratic Orientation?
• Teacher Mindfulness?
2. What are the consequences of individual teacher optimism? [CONSEQUENCES]
• Higher level of Student Engagement?
• Higher level of Student Motivation?
• Higher level of Student Achievement?
• Higher level of Student Satisfaction?
• Higher level of Student Optimism?
• Higher level of Student Self-Efficacy?
• Healthier relationships with the principal?
• Higher level of Cooperation and Collaboration with parents?
• Higher level of Professional Behavior?
3. What about Student Academic Optimism—Brand new concept and measure!!!! What gives students a sense of
academic optimism.
SEE HOY’S PRIMER for other ideas on hypotheses.
Hoy, W. K. (2010). Quantitative Research in Education: A Primer. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
© Hoy, 2011
Suggested Readings
(El. Teach AO) 1. Beard,
K. S., Hoy, W. K. and Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2010). Academic Optimism of New Teachers: Confirming a Construct.
Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 1136-1144.
(School AO)
2. Hoy, W. K. & Miskel, C. (2007). Educational Administration: Theory, Research, and Practice(8th edition). New York:
McGraw Hill.
(School AO)
3. Smith, P. A. & Hoy, W. K. (2007). Academic optimism and student achievement in urban elementary schools. Journal of
Educational Administration, 45, 556-568.
(School AO)
4. Hoy, W. K., Tarter, C. J., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2006). Academic optimism of schools: A force for student achievement.
American Educational Research Journal, 43, 425-446.
(School AO)
5. McGuigan, L. & Hoy, W. K. (2006). Principal Leadership: Creating a Culture of Academic Optimism to Improve
Achievement for All Students. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 5, 203-229.
(Sec. Teach AO)
6. Fahy, P. F., Wu, H. C., and Hoy, W. K. (2010), “Individual academic optimism of teachers: A new concept and its measure,”
in Hoy, W. K. and DiPaola, M. (Eds.), Analyzing School Contexts: Influences of Principals and Teachers in the Service
of Students, Information Age, Greenwich, CT, pp. 209-227.
(Student AO)
7. Adams, C. A. and Forsyth, P. B. (2011). “Student academic optimism: Confirming a construct”, in DiPaola, M. & Forsyth,
P. B. (Eds.). Leading Research in Educational Administration: A Festschrift for Wayne K. Hoy, Information Age,
Greenwich, CT, pp. 73-88.
(School AO)
8. Forsyth, P. A., Adams, C. & Hoy, W. K. (2011). Collective Trust: Why Schools Cannot Improve Without It. New York:
Columbia TC Press—Chapter 6.
(El. Teach AO)
(School AO)
9. Beard, K. S. & Hoy, W. K. (2010). The nature, meaning, and measure of flow. A test of rival hypotheses. Educational
Administration Quarterly, 46, 426-458.
10. Hoy, W. K. (in press). School characteristics that make a difference for the achievement of all students: A 40-year academic
odyssey. Journal of Educational Administration.
(Hypotheses) 11. *Hoy, W. K. (2010). Quantitative Research in Education: A Primer. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
* A primer of Hypothesis Development and Testing.