SELF-EFFICACY OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS: FACTORS THAT STRENGTHEN ITS COMPONENTS

Planning a lesson remains a challenging task for the teachers. The transition from a student into a pre-service teacher and turn out into an effective teacher is a challenging task in the teaching field. We all know the nexus between the significant roles of a lesson plan in an effective teaching-learning process. This study aims to analyze the pre-service trainee teachers' attitudes, ideas, and obstacles in designing lesson plans. The sample involved pre-service teachers who enrolled in a teaching practice course at the College of Education and Arts Northern Border University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Fifty pre-service trainee teachers participated in the research and the data collected through casual informal interviews, daily and weekly lesson plans. This study used a methodological triangulation research design that combined ways of quantitative and qualitative data collection. This method offers better and localized insights about pre-service teachers’ attitudes of the lesson plan designing. Also analyze the problems in organizing and arranging the information related to the lesson or topic. The finding of the research revealed that the pre-service trainee teachers were well aware of lesson planning and its importance but, they found some problems during their planning.

Teachers' professional identity, defined as the complex of teachers' self-concept based on experiences, beliefs, values, and motives towards their profession and internalized professional roles (Chen et al., 2023; Korthagen, 2004), is a central element of teachers’ career development and largely determines their professional commitment and performance (Day et al., 2005; Mahmoudi-Gahrouei et al., 2016). Studies have shown that external factors, such as educational policies, teacher support, and parental expectations, as well as internal factors like teaching motivation and academic self-efficacy, can predict pre-service teachers' professional identity (Zhang & Zhao, 2016; Zhang et al., 2017; Whiston & Keller, 2004; Schepens et al., 2009). However, there is a lack of systematic research on the impact of perceived parental expectations on pre-service teachers' professional identity and its mechanisms, especially for pre-service physical education (PE) teachers in China. This study aimed to explore the chain mediating relationship among perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, motivation to teach, and professional identity of pre-service PE teachers in China. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for future research to design interventions to enhance professional identity, thus increasing professional commitment and teaching performance. Method: Participants were 401 undergraduate and graduate students majoring in PE from six Chinese normal universities. Questionnaires were administered online to measure perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, teaching motivation, and professional identity, as well as demographic information. Internal consistency and Pearson correlation were conducted using SPSS 26.0. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test the conceptual model using Mplus8.3. There were significant correlations among perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, motivation to teach, and professional identity (p < .01). The model fit indices were CFI=0.954, TLI=0.945, and RMSEA=0.072. The mediating effect of academic self-efficacy on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was not significant (95% CI [-0.002, 0.046]), whilst the mediating role of motivation to teach on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was significant (95% CI [0.054, 0.224]). The chain mediating effect of academic self-efficacy and motivation to teach on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was found to be significant (95% CI [0.021, 0.099]). Perceived parental expectations could enhance pre-service PE teachers’ professional identity by increasing pre-service PE teachers’ academic self-efficacy and motivation to teach. The improvement of pre-service teacher education and training programs and the collaboration between families and educational institutions should be well considered to enhance pre-service PE teachers’ professional identity.

The research investigates and compares pedagogical content knowledge of pre-service and in-service elementary school teachers in mathematics. The study used a quantitative method design, and the participants were 96 pre-service teachers and 80 in-service elementary school teachers. The data collected by questionnaires using 5-point Likers scala consists of content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. The data is analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and MANOVA. The results showed that pre-service and in-service teachers showed higher levels of pedagogical content knowledge. Teachers in services scored higher in pedagogical content knowledge than pre-service teachers significantly. In-service teachers have higher scores in each of the components. Pre-service teachers have higher scores in pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge except for content knowledge. Teacher educators need to pay attention to increased pre-service content knowledge and activating pre￾service teachers in elementary school as co-teacher. In-service teachers can improve their skills through educational seminars and webinars online that do not interfere with teaching time.

Aim/Purpose: This study examines the impact of the Israeli National Program on pre-service teachers’ skills in the integration of ICT in teaching and discusses the influential factors of successful implementation of practices in the field. Background: In the current Information Age, many countries relate to education as an im-portant factor for national growth. Teacher education plays a significant role in coping with the challenge of educating a new generation of school students to compete in a technology-driven society. In 2011, the Israel Ministry of Education initiated the National Program for transforming teacher education colleges to meet the demands of the 21st century. Methodology: The study focuses on two research questions: (1) What was the impact of the National Program on pre-service teacher training concerning the integration of ICT in their teaching? (2) What are the predictors of the pre-service teachers’ practice of ICT integration in teaching? It is a quantitative study, based on data collected in two rounds two years apart that compares several indices of pre-service teachers’ preparation to teach with ICT. Contribution: The findings offer insights regarding influential factors of successful integration of ICT in education. Findings: Analyses showed a significant increase in most of the indices of teacher training according to the National Program, in particular in the number of ICT-based lessons that pre-service teachers taught in their teaching practice at schools. Predictors of ICT integration in teaching were modeling by faculty members and school mentor teachers, the number of ICT-based lessons taught by pre-service teachers, and pre-requisite conditions at schools and colleges. Recommendations for Practitioners: The current challenge is to promote innovative ICT-based teaching methods among teacher educators, school teacher mentors, and pre-service teachers. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings underscore the importance of modelling by the school mentors as well as pre-requisite conditions at schools. Impact on Society: Being acquainted with the most influential factors of successful integration of ICT in teaching by pre-service teachers can improve teacher education as well as the education system in educating future generations. Future Research: More research is needed to learn about the dissemination of innovative models of ICT integration in teaching by pre-service teachers and their educators.

This study describes the adaptation and validation of the Self-Efficacy and Metacognition Learning Inventory—Science (SEMLI-S) to examine pre-service elementary school teachers' metacognitive science learning orientations. In addition, pre-service teachers' metacognitive science learning orientations were ex amined in terms of gender. 193 pre-service elementary school teachers participated in the study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that there were 4 factors explaining the 54% of the total variance of the scores. In addition to the EFA, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm the factor structure of the adapted SEMLI-S. Results of the CFA showed that the four-factor model of the adapted SEMLI-S fit well to the data. It could be concluded that the Turkish version of the SEMLI-S instrument is a valid and reliable instrument serving as a useful tool to understand learners' metacognitive science learning orientations.

EFL teacher training for pre-service teachers plays a vital role in second language teacher education (SLTE). In Thailand, pre-service EFL teacher training benefits in helping student-teachers gain confidence before going to their practicum. This study investigates the effects of the pre-service EFL teacher training in a university in Thailand. The pre-service teachers’ perceptions towards the EFL training were also examined. Participants were 30 pre-service teachers currently studying in English Learning Management Program in the university at the research site. Research method applied training program evaluation (Owen & Rogers, 1999), and a 24-hour EFL training program was implemented. An experienced trainer in EFL was invited to provide the EFL training during the whole training course. Data collection gained was from: 1) an evaluation form, 2) a questionnaire, and 3) a student reflection sheet. Data analysis employed percentage, means, and S.D. for quantitative whereas grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1999) was applied for qualitative data. Three major findings revealed that: 1) the effects of the pre-service EFL teacher training was very high; 2) the participants showed changes in all areas of EFL knowledge and experience provided after the training; and 3) the participants viewed five factors which included training contents, knowledge and experience, training activities, training process, and the trainer that affected the training. However, the findings indicated that the critical problem of the study was time limitation of the training course. This study has shed light on the significant role of EFL training for pre-service EFL teachers before their practicum as the findings showed positive change in their motivation and attitude for their teaching practice.

The feedback received during teaching practice (TP) has a lasting impact on pre-service teachers’ teaching knowledge and practice among the learning experiences of the teacher education program. This study analyzed written feedbacks offered by supervisors to pre-service science teachers (PSTs) (biology, chemistry, physics, health education, and mathematics) during TP observation generally, but with particular attention to those addressing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The study adopted a phenomenological design of qualitative research and written feedback in 40 PSTs’ lesson notes were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Apart from the few written feedback related to PCK, some were not specifying the teaching knowledge or practice they intend to correct or affirm. Majority of the written feedback addressed general pedagogical knowledge. The written feedback related to PCK was more generic to the science discipline than topic-specific. Conceptual teaching strategies and representation were the components of PCK addressed in the feedback. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the college supervisor should avoid offering feedback that specifies no direction of improvement during the supervision of PSTs during practicum.

The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish adaptation of Pre-service Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Assessment Instrument developed by Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler and Shin (2010). This instrument was adapted to Turkish to assess preservice teachers Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge level. In this study, data gathered from 225 elementary pre-service teachers were used for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the structure of factor loading. The factor loading among the sub-scales showed some differences in comparison to the number of the factors in original instrument. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient for the overall instrument was found as 0.94. The adapted instrument includes 46 items placed on a 5-point Likert type scale. The instrument includes nine sub-scales: content knowledge (CKmathematics, CKsocial, CKscience, CKliteracy), Technological Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technology Related Teaching Knowledge (TRTK), Technology Related Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TRPCK). The instrument is valid and reliable and appropriate to use in Turkish culture.

The development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has started a conversation on its possible uses and inherent difficulties in the field of education. It becomes essential to understand the perceptions of pre-service teachers about the integration of this technology into teaching practices as AI models including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini acquire popularity. This investigation sought to create a valid and trustworthy instrument for evaluating pre-service science teachers’ opinions on the implementation of generative AI in educational settings related to science. This work was undertaken within the faculty of education at Kazan Federal University. The total number of participants is 401 undergraduate students. The process of scale development encompassed expert evaluation for content validity, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and assessments of reliability. The resultant scale consisted of four dimensions: optimism and utility of AI in science education, readiness and openness to AI integration, AI’s role in inclusivity and engagement, and concerns and skepticism about AI in science education. The scale demonstrated robust psychometric properties, evidenced by elevated reliability coefficients. Cluster analysis unveiled distinct profiles of pre-service teachers based on their responses, encompassing a spectrum from enthusiastic participants to skeptical disengaged individuals. This study provides a comprehensive instrument for evaluating pre-service teachers’ perceptions, thereby informing teacher education programs and professional development initiatives regarding the responsible integration of AI. Recommendations entail the validation of the scale across varied contexts, the exploration of longitudinal changes, and the investigation of subject-specific applications of generative AI in science education.

Despite the proliferation of research on teacher education, pre-service teachers’ pedagogical preparedness to teach their minor subjects has received little attention in the literature. Therefore, this study assessed Ghanaian pre-service geography teachers’ pedagogical competence in their minor subjects, including political science, economics, social studies, and history. Pedagogical competence was conceptualised using three constructs adapted from the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework: pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and technological pedagogical knowledge. Through a survey, a total of 182 pre-service geography teachers participated in the study. The empirical data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation. A one-way MANOVA test was conducted to explore the differences in the pre-service teachers’ pedagogical competencies based on minor subject classifications. The results showed that the pre-service geography teachers had relatively higher pedagogical knowledge in their minor subject than pedagogical content and technological pedagogical knowledge. Minor subject classifications significantly affected pedagogical knowledge, with higher scores reported among the economics minor group. The implications of the findings for teacher education curricula, in addition to the need for pre-service teachers to read pedagogy-related courses in their minor subjects, are discussed.

Reflective teaching practices are essential in art education, serving as a cornerstone that encourages pre-service teachers to engage in thoughtful analysis and adaptation of instructional methods. This crucial professional skill enables pre-service teachers to navigate the dynamic landscape of teaching, fostering a continuous cycle of self-reflection and improvement. The central challenge revolves around the imperative task of improving pre-service teachers professional skills, as they navigate the complex endeavor of transforming artistic expertise into effective pedagogy. The objective of this research is to explore the professional competencies of pre-service art teachers utilizing reflective teaching practices within the field of art education. The research design involved conducting a library research, encompassing the reading and analysis of literature from academic journals and books. The research findings reveal crucial insights into the professional abilities of pre-service art teachers and effective teaching reflection methods. In terms of professional abilities, the study identifies key areas, including teaching design ability, teaching efficacy, and teaching reflection, shedding light on the multifaceted skills required for effective art education. Additionally, the investigation delves into various teaching reflection methods, encompassing assessment tools, lesson planning integration, technology utilization, interactive strategies, and creative approaches. In summary, this research emphasizes the crucial role of reflective teaching practices in art education, enabling pre-service teachers to continually refine their instructional methods. The study findings contribute valuable knowledge to the ongoing discourse on enhancing art education practices, providing a comprehensive understanding of both the skills required by teachers and the diverse methods available for fostering reflective teaching practices in the field. To address the identified challenge, teacher training programs should prioritize teaching design, efficacy, and reflection modules. Encouraging pre-service teachers to engage in reflective practices and integrating diverse methods into training programs will better equip educators for the dynamic demands of art education.

This paper reports the development and validation process of a self-assessment survey that examines technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) among preservice teachers learning to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). The survey, called TPACK-EFL, aims to provide an assessment tool for preservice foreign language teachers that addresses subject-specific pedagogies and technologies. Using mixed methods approach, survey items were generated first using qualitative methods (e.g. expert interviews and document analysis). The content validity of the items was established through expert and preservice teacher reviews. The survey was then validated through two rounds of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the first with 174 preservice EFL teachers and the second with 204 preservice EFL teachers. The results of the first round indicated a five-factor structure: technological knowledge (TK), content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and a fifth factor that combined TCK, TPK, and TPACK items. After revising the survey, the second round of EFA results showed a seven-factor structure that was consistent with the TPACK framework. The final TPACK-EFL survey included a total of 39 items: 9 TK, 5 CK, 6 PK, 5 PCK, 3 TCK, 7 TPK, and 4 TPACK. The results offer survey developers and teacher educators insight into establishing clear boundaries between the TPACK constructs. In particular, subject-specific strategies were used to generate clear and distinct items within the TCK and TPK constructs. Implications for developing other subject-specific TPACK surveys and using the TPACK-EFL survey in other countries are discussed.

Language teacher educators train pre-service teachers in numerous theories and pedagogical practices of language learning and language teaching. They expect that their student teachers will translate this conceptual and practical knowledge into action during their practicum. However, in the process of determining pre-service teachers’ readiness for the field experience and the profession in general, methods classes measure only their conceptual knowledge and omit looking at their student teachers’ belief system about language teaching and learning. This belief system is a strong indicator of how the students organize their knowledge for application (Borg, 2003) and may help teacher educators gauge students’ read ness in the use of new pedagogies that these pre-service teachers may not have experienced before. Using two reflective essays and a piece of authentic assessment as instruments to gather data, as well as Jürgen Habermas’s theory on cognitive interests as a framework to explore the espoused beliefs of nine pre-service language teachers at the end of a methodscourse, this qualitative study addressed the following questions: What levels of cognitive interests do the nine pre-service world language and ESL teachers exhibit prior to student teaching? To what extent do the students’ levels of cognitive interests change during the methods course called Teaching a Second Language? What are the most common cognitive interests regarding such areas of teaching performance, such as methodology and assessment among the participants? The results show that the nine pre-service teachers held mostly technicaland some practical cognitive interests at the beginning of the semester. In the end, most of the participants held practical interests, and three out of the nine pre-service teachers held elementary emancipatory beliefs. One pedagogical recommendation is to include experiences in the training of pre-service teachers that promote emancipatory beliefs that could support teachers in their pursuit of transforming challenging social conditions while examining and adopting new pedagogies.

This thesis contributes to the understanding of an important ongoing issue in mathematics education and adds to the literature on ways to address this issue. The study is located against a social and historical background of issues of exclusion from participation in opportunities that are afforded by competence in mathematics. Mathematics anxiety (maths anxiety) in primary pre-service teachers has been reported in the research literature as an ongoing issue. This anxiety can lead to high levels of stress and poor performance and can impact on confidence and emotional and academic wellbeing. Often, proposed solutions have focussed on how pre-service teachers might better learn mathematics. However, research addressing affect has indicated the need for greater emphasis on understanding their emotional responses and anxieties. This thesis reports a descriptive and interpretive sequential mixed method study within the affective domain which investigated the effectiveness of bibliotherapy to better understand and address maths anxiety. The purpose was to understand the impacts of maths anxiety on the mathematical identity of primary pre-service teachers, and how these impacts might be ameliorated. The study investigated questions concerning the range and extent of maths anxiety in pre-service teachers at the start of their teacher education course, their perceptions of the influences that had stimulated this anxiety, and the effectiveness of bibliotherapy in better understanding and/or addressing maths anxiety in pre-service teachers. Data were collected through quantitative and qualitative methods, using the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (Alexander & Martray, 1989) to identify the range and extent of participants’ maths anxiety, and the narrative device of Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to investigate the experiences to which they attributed this anxiety. Participants’ views provided their perceptions of their mathematical identity. The study investigated the effectiveness of bibliotherapy in two different contexts, Cognitive bibliotherapy in existing classes and Interactive bibliotherapy in a small-group workshop developed in collaboration with the student counsellor. The study employed a multi-scope analysis which used a range of methods – descriptive and inferential statistics (t-tests, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses), and analysis of themes identified by the CIT and bibliotherapy in the two different contexts. The study found that pre-service teachers begin their teacher education course with existing levels of maths anxiety, which are largely associated with the negative effects of testing and evaluation. The findings also confirmed the major contribution of former teachers to the development of pre-service teachers’ maths anxiety, drawing attention to the consequences of blame and humiliation reported by participants and to the importance of the concept of pedagogical tact. The study emphasised the benefits of including in this research pre-service teachers who did not identify with maths anxiety in this research. The workshop provided a transformative experience, as participants showed increased understanding and revision of their maths anxiety and identified alternative conceptions of their previous mathematical experiences. Insight was identified as a major factor in the development of participants’ future mathematical identity. This led to evaluations of their future effectiveness as teachers of mathematics, thus illustrating the development of a more positive projective identity. Contributions of the study included the modification of the bibliotherapy stages, development of a key of ideal types for responses and development of a new concept of “biblioperception.” It provided a model for professional collaboration with the student counsellor in the form of the workshop protocol. This thesis argues for a paradigm shift in the way researchers, teacher educators and policy makers view maths anxiety in pre-service teachers. There is a need to identify and celebrate the positive influences that past experiences of maths anxiety can have on evolving more effective teachers in our classrooms, potentially enabling a wider range of students to develop more positive relationships with mathematics. In recognising the potential for pre-service primary teachers’ experiences and understanding of maths anxiety to increase their effectiveness teachers of mathematics, this thesis not only posits a new way of thinking about maths anxiety in pre-service teachers, but also provides insights into how it might be addressed, which would be of interest to both researchers and teacher educators. It also discusses implications and recommendations for future research, education practice and policy.

Self-efficacy is the belief people have about their capabilities to produce effective results related to the events and challenges that affect their lives (Bandura, Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman, 1997). Self-efficacy represents a powerful influence on the behaviors of teachers due to its impact on instructional choice, effort, and persistence. Purposeful technology integration in teaching is an example of how choice, effort, and persistence converge as teachers make decisions about the types of tools they use to support their teaching. Such technology integration brings together technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge—known as the TPACK framework. Few studies have been conducted examining preservice and in-service teachers’ self-efficacy for TPACK. This study uses a survey design to examine preservice and in-service teachers’ (n = 89) self-efficacy to integrate educational technology in their teaching practice. The study also describes and reports on ways that teacher educators support self-efficacy development of preservice and in-service teachers.