Abstract:
The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to analyze the contributions of
school climate dimensions and teachers’ professional identity elements to building teachers’ overall
professional capital. For this purpose, correlational research and case study designs were employed in
quantitative and qualitative phase, respectively. Quantitative data was collected from randomly selected
379 teachers using close-ended questionnaire, while qualitative data was collected from eight
purposefully selected teachers using semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data was analyzed using
descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, EFA, CFA, SEM, and mediation analyses, whereas the
qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Relationships within school and professional learning and
teaching climate fully mediated the contribution of school leadership and institutional environment, and
partially mediated the contribution of institutional safety to teachers’ professional capital development.
Relationships within school and professional learning and teaching climate had strong direct
contribution to building teachers' professional capital that explained 74% variance. Self-efficacy partially
mediated the contribution of engagement in individual and collaborative professional learning, while job
satisfaction partially mediated the contribution of internal and external motivation to become a teacher to
teachers’ professional capital development. Self-efficacy and job satisfaction fully mediated the
contribution of perception of teaching. Self-efficacy, job satisfaction and engagement in collaborative
learning appeared to have a significant direct contribution, which explained 88% variance on
professional capital. In conclusion, relationships, professional learning and teaching climate and
institutional safety as well as self-efficacy, internal motivation to become a teacher, engagement in
collaborative professional learning and job satisfaction were found to be important predictors of
teachers’ professional capital development. To this end, future research needs to validate measurement
and structural models in different school contexts and by using multilevel and multi-group analyses
approaches.