Modeling the Relationship between Educational Beliefs and Collective Responsibility with Teachers’ Academic Optimism

Academic optimism is of the most promising achievements in educational psychology because it enables teachers (and schools) to establish effective communication with students and their parents according to their positive beliefs about their ability to teach all students; it helps them to engage them in the learning process with emphasis on performing tasks (Mac Guian & Hovei, 2006). The present study aims to investigate the effect of educational beliefs and collective responsibility in academic optimism of teachers using structural equation modeling. The sample consisted of 298 primary school teachers in Kerman who were randomly selected. In order to collect information of teachers’ optimism scale, Teacher Academic Optimism Scale (Wu, Hoy & Tartar, 2013), educational beliefs (Woolley et al, 2004), and collective responsibility (Logerfo & Goodardes, 2008) are used. The results showed that educational beliefs have a significant and positive impact on teachers’ academic optimism and collective responsibility. Direct effect of collective responsibility on teachers’ optimism is positive and significant. Educational beliefs have a significant and indirect influence on academic optimism through collective responsibility. Overall, findings emphasize on the impact of education beliefs and collective responsibility on academic optimism.