Investigation of the Self-efficacy Beliefs in Teaching Science and Attitudes towards Teaching Profession of the Candidate Teachers

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of the primary school teacher candidates towards teaching profession and self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science. The research was conducted with a survey model. The sample of the study consisted of 182 teacher candidates who were studying at the 2015-2016 spring term from Kastamonu University, at Faculty of Education in Elementary Teacher Training program at the first and fourth years of university level. Scale of Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Science Teaching and Scale of Attitudes towards to Teaching Profession were used as data gathering tools. Independent t-testing and Pearson's Correlation Coefficients have been used in analyzing the data. According to findings, there was a significant difference between the freshman and senior students on the self-efficacy scaling related to teaching the science in favor of the senior students. In addition, it was also been discovered that there was also statistical difference in favor of the senior students compared to the freshman students on attitude scale towards to the teaching profession. It has also found that there was a statistical intermediate positive relationship between the self-efficacy of teaching the science and the attitudes towards teaching profession at the teacher candidates, who were studying at the first year of the university. However, it was discovered that there was a higher probability positive relationship between the self-efficacy beliefs and the attitudes to the teaching profession of teacher candidates, who were at the last year of the university.

The Impact of a Science Methods Course on Female Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs Within a Saudi-Arabian Context

“…A general self-efficacy score of 3.08 reflects this inexperience. These results are supported by earlier studies that reported first-level PSTs having lower self-efficacy than the more experienced fourth-level PSTs (Aslan, Tas, & Ogul, 2016;Uyanik, 2016).…”

“…Not being sure about whether these tasks will be difficult speaks to their immaturity as educators and their perceived skill sets. The more experienced the science teacher, the higher their self-efficacy (Aslan et al, 2014;Uyanik, 2016). Feeling inadequate in improving student motivation and performance (item 7) would lower self-efficacy because these two factors are powerful motivators for teacher behaviour and efficacy (Tschannen-Moran et al, 1998).…”

“…It might be naïve for PSTs to perceive classroom management and developing students' attitudes towards studying science as easy tasks. This might be an instance of misplaced self-efficacy given that first-level PSTS have been found to have lower self-efficacy than more experienced fourth-level PSTs (Aslan, Tas, & Ogul, 2016;Uyanik, 2016).…”

Pre-service Science and Mathematics Teachers’ Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Attitudes toward Teaching: A Partial Correlation Research

“…The shift in the focus of education worldwide has also affected the role of teachers and students in the 21st century (Uyanık, 2016). Teachers are expected to share knowledge with students and to guide them to construct new knowledge as well as students are expected to become effective problem solvers in daily lives using mathematical and scientific knowledge and language (Colwell & Enderson, 2016).…”

“…This encouragement leads to better self-regulation and better study habits (Bruce, Esmonde, Ross, Dookie, & Beatty, 2010). The higher efficacy of a mathematics or science teacher accepts and values students' suggestions, ideas, and judgements (Liu & Zhou, 2007), and as a result, students' achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy beliefs related to science and mathematics increase (Aydin & Woolfolk Hoy, 2005;Çaycı, 2011;Chang, 2015;Işıksal-Bostan, 2016;Liu & Zhou, 2007;Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001;Uyanık, 2016;Zamir, Arshad, & Nazir, 2017). Students with a high level of efficacy determine higher goals, work harder, and become more successful in science and mathematics than others with low selfefficacy (Chang, 2015;Pajares, 1992).…”