A Study of Pre-service Teachers’ Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs During the Elementary Science Laboratory Course

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of the teaching science laboratory course on pre-service teachers’ self- efficacy beliefs about science teaching. Seventy-two pre-service teachers enrolled in two sections of the course from two different departments, elementary and gifted education at a large urban university in Turkey participated in the study. The Turkish version of Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (Hazir-Bikmaz, 2004) was administered twice to the participants at the beginning of the course and at the end of the course. Results indicated that overall pre-service teachers’ self- efficacy beliefs significantly increased during the course. Although pre-service teachers’ personal teaching efficacy beliefs significantly increased, their outcome expectancy beliefs did not change.