This study used a mixed-method design to examine the relationship between open classrooms as a form of professional development and teacher efficacy in the arenas of instructional strategy, classroom management, and student engagement. This study was conducted with sixth to eighth grade teachers in a middle school, located in central New Jersey. Teachers were surveyed using the Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy's (2001) Teachers' Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) 24 question Likert scale. They were also given a basic demographic questionnaire. Ten of the 17 participants agreed to participate in an interview which was designed to get a deeper understanding of the impact that the job-embedded professional development had on their efficacy in terms of instructional strategy, student engagement, and classroom management.

Teacher efficacy can often decrease as a result of a teacher working in isolation and focusing on teaching to standards or preparing students for the next state assessment. There is a lack of personalized professional development and time for teachers to collaborate with one another. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to increase teacher efficacy through open classroom professional development. Hosting and attending open classrooms provided teachers time to reflect on their practices through job-embedded professional learning and gain knowledge from their colleagues. The pre and post surveys were used to determine if there were changes in teacher efficacy throughout the 12-week study. Quantitative and qualitative findings were statistically signficant and indicated that open classroom professional development has a positive impact on teacher efficacy in the areas of instructional strategy, student engagement, and classroom management.