Examining demographic variables as predictors of self-efficacy among university teachers in Ghana

This study examined the influence of demographic variables on efficacious behaviour occurring in three domains of the work of university teachers – teaching, research, and service activities. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey with a sample of 567 teachers randomly selected from public and private universities across Ghana. Data were collected utilising a questionnaire developed by Hemmings and Kay (2009) and analysed using a one-way ANOVA to determine the association between demographic variables and self-efficacy, and linear regression to examine the influence of the demographic factors on self-efficacy. The study found significant relationships between self-efficacy and gender, age, marital status, academic qualification, the nature of a university, academic discipline, years of teaching, and rank of university teachers. The research also revealed that except for years of work and the kind of university that failed to predict research and service efficacies, the rest of the demographic variables significantly predicted all three self-efficacy domains. As suggested by the current research, ensuring self-efficacy in teaching, research, and service activities among university teachers is crucial because of its positive impact on those with lower qualifications, ranks, and experience. Given this, Ghanaian universities should grant study leave to university teachers with lower qualifications, especially those without terminal degrees, to encourage them to upgrade themselves. Such teachers would also benefit from effective mentoring from the professoriate to gain more teaching experience and be better scholars in writing and winning grants, conducting impactful research, and publishing.