Mehdi Musa Fard - Department of Educational Management, Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Hormozgan, Iran
Hossein Zeinali Pour - Department of Educational Management, Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Hormozgan, Iran
Ali Akbar Sheikhifini - Department of Educational Management, Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Hormozgan, Iran

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between participation in professional development programs and self-efficacy and empowerment of teachers in Bandar Abbas primary schools in academic year of 2012-2013. The study was descriptive and correlational. Research required information were collected through questionnaires of professional development (researcher-made), Sharar general self -efficacy questionnaire and Empowerment Questionnaire (Spritzer). The study sample is comprised of 1181 male and female teachers in primary schools of district one and two of Bandar Abbas education system in academic year of 2012-2013. Size of the sample was 300 primary school teachers who were selected stratified randomly by Morgan table. Multiple regression was used to analyze the data. Data analysis revealed that there is a significant relationship between teacher s participation in professional development programs and their professional ability. Teacher s participation in professional development programs can predict their professional ability. Results also showed that there is a significant relationship between components of participation in professional development programs and empowering teachers. Among the components of participation in professional development programs, teachers’ teaching techniques of teaching and learning (teaching skills) has the most expectation to empower teachers. But on the other hand, the findings and results showed that there is no significant relationship between teacher s participation in professional development programs and teachers’ self-efficacy. That is to say, participation in professional development programs does not play a role on teachers self-efficacy explanation.

Professional Development, Self- Efficacy, Empowerment