A Quantitative Investigation of Final Year Preservice Science Teachers’ Sources of Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to reveal final year preservice science teachers’ sources of science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Research on the sources of preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs is a promising field of research. However, the number of studies examining the sources of preservice teachers’ teaching self-efficacy in a special domain of teaching is limited. Two hundred thirty-eight final-year preservice science teachers constituted the sample of the current study. Data were gathered through two measures assessing final year preservice science teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs in classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies, and sources of these beliefs. Regression analyses showed that mastery experiences were the primary source of self-efficacy for classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies, followed by verbal persuasions. While emotional states were the only negative predictor of final year preservice science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching in three dimensions, vicarious experiences were not found as a significant predictor for any dimension of self-efficacy beliefs. Teacher preparation programs are advised to pay more attention to teaching practice and micro-teaching courses and provide experienced mentor teacher models to preservice science teachers. Findings are discussed.