Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025)
Despite the rapid expansion of self-efficacy research in education, little is known about how thematic priorities and conceptual orientations have evolved in recent years—particularly in response to changing educational contexts and technological developments. Moreover, existing reviews often focus...
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West University of Timisoara
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Revista de Știinţe Educaţiei |
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| Online Access: | https://rse.uvt.ro/pdf/2025/Nr1_update/RSE_2025_1_4.pdf |
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| author | Ana-Maria MADINA Daniel MARA |
| author_facet | Ana-Maria MADINA Daniel MARA |
| author_sort | Ana-Maria MADINA |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the rapid expansion of self-efficacy research in education, little is known about how thematic priorities and conceptual orientations have evolved in recent years—particularly in response to changing educational contexts and technological developments. Moreover, existing reviews often focus on synthesizing outcomes rather than mapping structural shifts in the field. To address this gap, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of self-efficacy research in education, examining publication patterns, thematic trends, and temporal shifts. It does not synthesize effect sizes or outcomes as in a statistical meta-analysis. The analysis draws on 1,883 articles published between 2020 and 2025 in the Springer and ScienceDirect databases. Using a systematic coding protocol and correlational analysis, we identified significant shifts in research priorities and thematic orientations across this five-year period. Results revealed a marked decline in publications explicitly focused on teacher self-efficacy (r = –0.210, p < .01), concurrent with increasing emphasis on technology integration and systemic approaches. Context-specific self-efficacy dominated the thematic landscape (37.5%), followed by technology integration (22.2%). Significant database specialisation patterns emerged, with Springer publications substantially more likely to address teacher self-efficacy than ScienceDirect (47.7% versus 1.8%). Primary education settings received minimal attention (4%), despite showing a higher likelihood of focusing on teacher self-efficacy when addressed. Conceptual analysis of primary education studies revealed four distinct operational dimensions of teacher self-efficacy: general instructional efficacy, domain-specific efficacy,contextual/relational efficacy, and process-oriented efficacy. These findings document a field insignificant transition, moving from teacher-centered conceptualizations toward broader systemic frameworks. The research patterns raise important questions about theoretical coherence and highlight considerable gaps in primary education contexts, suggesting the need for more integrative theoretical frameworks and targeted investigation of underrepresented educational settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-95c824c35d7c4d6394b290184da1bc76 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2457-8673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | West University of Timisoara |
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| series | Revista de Știinţe Educaţiei |
| spelling | doaj-art-95c824c35d7c4d6394b290184da1bc762025-08-23T09:11:24ZengWest University of TimisoaraRevista de Știinţe Educaţiei2457-86732025-07-01511588410.35923/JES.2025.1.04Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025)Ana-Maria MADINA0Daniel MARA1West University of Timișoara”Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Socio-Human SciencesDespite the rapid expansion of self-efficacy research in education, little is known about how thematic priorities and conceptual orientations have evolved in recent years—particularly in response to changing educational contexts and technological developments. Moreover, existing reviews often focus on synthesizing outcomes rather than mapping structural shifts in the field. To address this gap, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of self-efficacy research in education, examining publication patterns, thematic trends, and temporal shifts. It does not synthesize effect sizes or outcomes as in a statistical meta-analysis. The analysis draws on 1,883 articles published between 2020 and 2025 in the Springer and ScienceDirect databases. Using a systematic coding protocol and correlational analysis, we identified significant shifts in research priorities and thematic orientations across this five-year period. Results revealed a marked decline in publications explicitly focused on teacher self-efficacy (r = –0.210, p < .01), concurrent with increasing emphasis on technology integration and systemic approaches. Context-specific self-efficacy dominated the thematic landscape (37.5%), followed by technology integration (22.2%). Significant database specialisation patterns emerged, with Springer publications substantially more likely to address teacher self-efficacy than ScienceDirect (47.7% versus 1.8%). Primary education settings received minimal attention (4%), despite showing a higher likelihood of focusing on teacher self-efficacy when addressed. Conceptual analysis of primary education studies revealed four distinct operational dimensions of teacher self-efficacy: general instructional efficacy, domain-specific efficacy,contextual/relational efficacy, and process-oriented efficacy. These findings document a field insignificant transition, moving from teacher-centered conceptualizations toward broader systemic frameworks. The research patterns raise important questions about theoretical coherence and highlight considerable gaps in primary education contexts, suggesting the need for more integrative theoretical frameworks and targeted investigation of underrepresented educational settings.https://rse.uvt.ro/pdf/2025/Nr1_update/RSE_2025_1_4.pdfteacher self-efficacybibliometric analysisresearch trendspreschool andprimary educationeducational psychology |
| spellingShingle | Ana-Maria MADINA Daniel MARA Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) Revista de Știinţe Educaţiei teacher self-efficacy bibliometric analysis research trends preschool andprimary education educational psychology |
| title | Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) |
| title_full | Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) |
| title_fullStr | Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) |
| title_short | Evolving Trends in Teacher Self-Efficacy Research: A BibliometricReview (2020–2025) |
| title_sort | evolving trends in teacher self efficacy research a bibliometricreview 2020 2025 |
| topic | teacher self-efficacy bibliometric analysis research trends preschool andprimary education educational psychology |
| url | https://rse.uvt.ro/pdf/2025/Nr1_update/RSE_2025_1_4.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anamariamadina evolvingtrendsinteacherselfefficacyresearchabibliometricreview20202025 AT danielmara evolvingtrendsinteacherselfefficacyresearchabibliometricreview20202025 |