How to Assess Job Satisfaction and Self-efficacy in Teachers’ Professional Training with “Best” Questionnaire: A Perspective Article

Teachers play a crucial role in students’ lives, influencing not only their education but also their interpersonal development. Positive teacher-student interactions are fundamental for the students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development, contributing to positive learning outcomes. Educational research has evolved from focusing on teacher characteristics and teaching methods to analyzing the broader impact of the teacher on the entire class. Teachers’ professional identity is a key factor in understanding their motivation, commitment, effectiveness, satisfaction, and students’ learning results. Maintaining high motivation is essential to improve teaching quality and receive positive feedback from students and the school community. While continuous teacher training is highly recommended, there are currently no statutory provisions for it in Italy. This contribution introduces tools to measure teacher satisfaction during training, assessing both acquired skills and their satisfaction and self-perception in the professional role. An example is the BEST questionnaire, which collects data on self-assessment by special education teachers and their perceived self-efficacy. The Learning Science Hub at the University of Foggia plans to administer the BEST questionnaire to special needs training teachers to enhance ongoing teacher training efforts.”