Self-efficacy perception in academic teaching: between tech-control and work-family balance

This study investigates the self-efficacy perceptions of university lecturers in relation to digital teaching. Data were collected at the University of Milano Bicocca following the transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the analysis examines how technological proficiency and the management of work-family demands affects lecturers’ perception of self-efficacy in virtual teaching environments. Results suggest that greater tech-control significantly enhances teaching self-efficacy, but work-family conflict also unexpectedly correlates with higher self-efficacy. Gender differences emerged, with female lecturers reporting slightly higher self-efficacy levels.