Teacher Educators’ Authority Style and Student Teachers’ Classroom Management Efficacy

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between teacher educators’ authority style and student teachers’ classroom management efficacy. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 83 B.Ed. student teachers using validated research instruments. The study assessed the perceived level of teacher educators’ authority style, the level of classroom management efficacy among student teachers, and the extent to which authority style predicted classroom management efficacy. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression were used for data analysis. The findings indicated that both teacher educators’ authority style and student teachers’ classroom management efficacy were at moderate levels. A significant positive relationship was found between teacher educators’ authority style and student teachers’ classroom management efficacy. The results also showed that classroom management efficacy did not differ significantly with respect to gender, locality, or subject specialisation. Regression analysis further revealed that teacher educators’ authority style significantly predicted classroom management efficacy and accounted for 45.2% of its variance. The findings suggest that teacher educators’ authority practices are associated with student teachers’ confidence in managing classroom situations. The study highlights the relevance of balanced, supportive, and structured authority practices in teacher education for strengthening prospective teachers’ classroom management competence.