Science Teaching Self-efficacy Research Articles

예비유아교사가 지각하는 유아과학교육 필요성과 인공지능 지식, 과학교수태도 및 과학교수효능감 간의 구조적 관계

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationship between pre-service early childhood teachers' perceived need for early childhood science education and their knowledge of artificial intelligence, attitudes toward science instruction, and self-efficacy in science teaching. The subjects of this study were 224 pre-service early childhood teachers in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang provinces, and their data were analyzed for the research. The relationships among research variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis, and the structural relationships were explored through structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0. These results were as followed. First, when examining the tendencies of research variables, all scored above 3.0 points, indicating a high level, and normality was considered satisfactory in the analysis. Second, statistically significant positive correlations were observed among all variables, with a particular focus on endogenous variables such as science teaching self-efficacy and its sub-factors, as well as attitudes toward science instruction and its sub-factors. Third, the measurement model was found to be appropriate. Examining the path coefficients of the structural model revealed that the perceived need for early childhood science education had statistically significant effects on artificial intelligence knowledge, attitudes toward science instruction, and science teaching self-efficacy. Statistically significant effects of artificial intelligence knowledge were found on attitudes toward science instruction and science teaching self-efficacy. Mediation analysis revealed that knowledge of artificial intelligence partially mediated the influence of perceived need for early childhood science education on attitudes toward science instruction and science teaching self-efficacy. These research findings suggest the need to consider incorporating educational approaches related to artificial intelligence to enhance the foundation of early childhood science education.

Exploration of Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Sources from Multiple Narratives of Professional Development Experiences

Professional developments are effective interventions for exposing teachers to self-efficacy sources that align with innovative (e.g., inquiry-based) science pedagogies. However, in many situations, teachers are tasked with implementing innovative science practices without consistent and enduring professional development experiences. The study explored science teaching self-efficacy sources in situations where provision of professional developments is inconsistent and circumstantial. In this multi-case study, self-efficacy sources were explored through narratives of science teachers and key educational administrators. Participants’ real-life experiences with professional development (PD) were analysed to identify and understand the sources of self-efficacy they found most significant. It examined the nature, types, and relevance of these sources without imposing external control. The study context emphasized regular, mandatory PD experiences for teachers, but participants were not currently undergoing any PD experiences. The study used a mixed sampling method to select 18 science teachers, 12 head teachers, four circuit supervisors, 3 science coordinators, and four deputy directors and director of education in urban and rural Ghana. The findings indicated that nearly all PD experiences embedded and exposed instructors to various sources of science teaching self-efficacy, with the highest being traditional-oriented cognitive content mastery (63.4%) and cognitive pedagogical mastery (65.9%). The majority of PD experiences were brief, with most lasting no more than five days, and often involved multiple subjects rather than focusing specifically on science. Overall, the study highlights the complexity of self-efficacy sources and the need for tailored, ongoing professional development opportunities for science teachers. The study recommends that those components of professional development experiences be carefully selected and integrated to embed and expose instructors to relevant and sufficient self-efficacy sources that align with innovative pedagogies emphasized in curricula documents.

A Meta-Synthesis of the Literature on Science & Engineering Teaching Self-Efficacy: Current Gaps and Future Research Directions

ABSTRACT Self-efficacy is a topic of great interest in elementary preservice and inservice teacher education given that elementary teachers often have low self-efficacy for STEM teaching. In this article, we synthesize the existing literature on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy to (1) explore trends in science and engineering teaching self-efficacy research, (2) identify current gaps that exist in the literature, and (3) propose a visual model to provide future direction in research. Utilizing a qualitative meta-synthesis, we analyzed 88 articles focused on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. Of these articles, 66 studied preservice teachers, 21 studied inservice teachers, and one included both preservice and inservice teachers. Findings indicate that the diversity of teacher education programs, both across the United States and globally, offers a rich context for considering a range of programmatic features that impact elementary teachers’ science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. While efforts to increase self-efficacy span across preservice preparation courses and inservice professional development programs, details concerning the contexts in which science and engineering teaching self-efficacy develop are often limited, making it difficult to claim that gains in self-efficacy are lasting. Based on the meta-synthesis of the existing research findings and gaps in the literature, we offer recommendations to assist researchers and curriculum developers involved in preservice or inservice programs to address the persisting challenges related to science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. The implications for future research and practice in multiple contexts, such as educator preparation programs, teaching, and professional development that target increases in teacher self-efficacy, are discussed.

Improving Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy through Garden-Based Technology Integration

School gardens and outdoor learning spaces are increasingly available to support authentic, student-centered exploration in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Integrating technology tools into school garden spaces in alignment with modern agricultural practices can support inquiry-based learning in which students engage in science practices such as collecting and analyzing data. However, educators currently lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and instructional support to enact technology-rich, garden-based STEM learning experiences. The Garden TOOLS program was designed to support teachers in leveraging technology to support inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in outdoor learning spaces. In this paper, we examine the impact of combining Garden TOOLS professional development workshops with lesson plan implementation in a practicum setting on elementary pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) science teaching self-efficacy. We administered the STEBI-B pre- and post-intervention and assessed change in the STEBI-B subscales, personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE), and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). Participants included thirty-nine elementary PSTs enrolled in a 300-level science methods course in the rural Midwest. Garden TOOLS professional development workshop participants saw a statistically significant increase from pre- to post-workshop in their PSTE. Participants who also implemented the Garden TOOLS lesson showed both an increase in PSTE and STOE.

Examining The Relationship Between Science Teachers' Attitudes Towards Distance Education And Their Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Bu çalışmada, fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin uzaktan eğitime karşı tutumları ile fen öğretimi öz yeterlik inançları arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Bu amaca yönelik olarak nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden tarama desenin ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Çalışmaya, 2020-2021 eğitim-öğretim yılında Bursa il merkezi ve ilçelerinde resmi ve özel ortaokulda görev yapan 330 fen bilimleri öğretmeni katılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Uzaktan Eğitim Tutum Ölçeği” ve “Fen Bilimleri Öğretimi Öz Yeterlik Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır ve veri toplama araçlarından elde edilen nicel veriler SPSS-26 paket programı ile analiz edilmiştir. Analizler sonucunda elde edilen bulgular ışığında, fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin uzaktan eğitime yönelik tutum düzeyleri orta düzeyin üzerinde gözlemlenirken eğitim durumu ve mesleki kıdem değişkenlerine göre uzaktan eğitime karşı tutum puanları arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır. Fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin “Fen Öğretimi Öz Yeterlik Ölçeği” ne vermiş oldukları yanıtlar analiz edildiğinde ise fen öğretimi öz yeterlik düzeyleri orta düzeyin üstünde gözlemlenmiştir. Öğretmenlerin fen öğretimi öz yeterlik düzeyleri ile eğitim durumu ve mesleki kıdem değişkenleri arasında ise anlamlı farklar vardır. Yapılan analizler neticesinde fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin uzaktan eğitime karşı tutum düzeyleri ile fen öğretimi öz yeterlikleri arasında pozitif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmiştir.

Mentoring in the Development of Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Among Primary School Teachers in Thailand: A Mixed Methods Study

ABSTRACT This study employed a sequential mixed methods explanatory research design to explore the influence of mentoring in the self-efficacy-forming experiences of primary school teachers who participated in a variety of professional development projects on science teaching. In the quantitative phase, survey data drawn from primary school teachers (n = 834) showed that collaborative mentee-mentor activities and metaphorical descriptions of interpersonal relationship were the best predictors of personal science teaching self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and instructional change. In the qualitative phase, interviews with individual teachers identified their perceptions of how mentoring experiences influenced their development of science teaching self-efficacy and changes they made in their science classrooms. The findings are interpreted through the theoretical lens of the roles of culture and emotions in teacher learning.

Does Science Literacy Affect Self-Efficacy in Science Teaching? An Analysis with Structural Equation Modelling

It is well known that, for all civilizations’ good and successful future, science and people with scientific skills have a key role. So, at the center of scientific skills, teaching science is an important topic. Maybe two of important components of science teaching are scientific literacy and self-efficacy. So, it has to be known if there is a correlation between them. The main aim of the study is to research correlation between self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching and the level for science literacy of primary school teachers. For this aim data were collected with two instruments (basic science literacy test and the self-efficacy belief in science teaching scale) and gained data was analyzed with SEM (structural equation modelling). The sample of the study consist 506 primary school teachers. After data collection the theoretical model was tested that does science literacy affect or not the self-efficacy in science teaching with SEM. After data analysis it was found that the self-efficacy belief in science teaching affected positively and significantly by the science literacy levels. Considering that teachers with high self-efficacy in teaching science have more successful outcomes, it is believed that it would be beneficial to organize in-service training in which teachers can make a deep sense of their self-efficacy beliefs, literacy concepts and make self-evaluations.

The Relationship between Science Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes towards Teaching Profession and Their Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Teaching Science

This study was aimed to examine the relationship between pre-service science teachers' attitudes toward the teaching profession, their learning styles, and their self-efficacy beliefs toward teaching science. The sample of the research consisted of 127 teacher candidates studying in the Science Education Department of a state university in the 2020-2021 academic year. The data collection tool in the research was the Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief Scale; Kolb Learning Style Inventory III and Attitude towards Teaching Profession Scale were used. The research model is the relational survey model, which is under the general survey model. In the survey method, the aim is to uncover a statement in detail. The analysis of the data was carried out with the SPSS statistical program. In the study, it was determined that pre-service science teachers generally have an assimilating learning style, and their learning styles differ according to their grade levels but not according to their gender. In the study, it was determined that teacher candidates generally have a positive attitude toward the teaching profession and their attitudes differ according to their grade levels but not according to their gender. In the study, it was determined that teacher candidates generally have a positive attitude towards the teaching profession and their attitudes differ according to their grade levels but not according to their gender. In addition, the pre-service science teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching were at a "sufficient" level; significant differences were found in the sub-dimensions of science self-efficacy, belief in efficacy, and outcome expectation, according to gender and grade levels. In addition, a significant relationship was found between pre-service teachers' attitudes toward the teaching profession and their learning styles. There is a positive but low-level relationship between pre-service teachers' level of result expectation, which is the science self-efficacy sub-dimension, and their attitudes towards the teaching profession; No significant relationship was found between the level of efficacy belief, which is the sub-dimension of science self-efficacy, and the attitude towards the teaching profession.

SCIENCE TEACHING SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS: CONTEXT OF TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND VISUAL METAPHORS

It is of great importance to examine the level of science teaching self-efficacy (SE), which is related to technological developments in primary school teacher education. It is seen that this subject is not addressed in the context of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) and visual metaphors. The purpose of this research was to examine the pre-service primary school teachers' SE beliefs related to science teaching in terms of the TPCK levels and visual metaphors they created related to science teaching. For this purpose, qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the research. The research sample consisted of 75 pre-service primary school teachers. A metaphorical perception form, a science SE scale, and a TPCK scale were applied as data collection tools. It was found that the majority of pre-service teachers in science teaching had moderate and high SE and technological pedagogical content. It was also found that pre-service teachers' science teaching SE levels were related to the sub-dimension levels of the TPCK. When the visual metaphors created by the pre-service teachers were associated with quantitative data, it was seen that as the SE level of the pre-service teachers increased, visual metaphors gained a quality from general to specific. It was also concluded that the metaphors of the pre-service teachers with high SE levels were formed in more detail and accurately, and the conceptual errors were reduced. Keywords: pre-service teachers, primary school, science teaching, self-efficacy visual metaphors

Examining the Primary School Teacher Candidates’ Science Learning Skills in Terms of Their Attitudes Towards Science and Their Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs

<p style="text-align:justify">This study aims to investigate the relationship between the science learning skills of primary school teacher candidates and various variables. A correlational survey design was used in the study as a research methodology. With the correlational survey design, the relationships between the science learning skills of the primary school teacher candidates and some variables were examined and their effectiveness in predicting their science learning skills was determined. This study was conducted on 160 teacher candidates in the spring term of the 2019-2020 academic year. As a result of the study, a high level of correlation was found between the science learning skills of the primary school teacher candidates and their self-efficacy belief in science education. In addition, it was found that 38% of science learning skills were explained by attitudes and beliefs. In other words, it was seen that the affective characteristics of pre-service teachers about science significantly affected their science learning skills. In the light of these results, it is recommended to carry out studies in the education process to develop the necessary skills before considering the cognitive competencies of primary school teachers about science. They should also develop positive feelings towards science and gain the understanding that science is not a field of memorization, but a fun field necessary to make sense of the world. </p>

Self-Efficacy, School Culture, and Teaching Anxiety as Predictors of Science Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

In this research, we study the relationship of science teachers’ job satisfaction with the teacher self-efficacy, the teaching self-efficacy, the anxiety toward teaching and school culture. The sample of the study consists of 185 science teachers working in public schools. We obtain the data by using “The Teacher Self Efficacy Scale”, “The School Culture Scale”, “Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale”, “The Anxiety toward Science Teaching Scale” and “Job Satisfaction Scale”. The results of the current research showed that science teachers’ job satisfaction was directly positively correlated with their self-efficacy, science teaching self-efficacy and school culture. However, teachers’ science teaching anxiety no had a direct significant relationship with their job satisfaction. In addition, the results of the structural model indicated that school culture was a strong predictor of science teachers’ job satisfaction. The result of multiple regression analysis showed that these independent variables explain 40% of the variance of teachers’ job satisfaction. These results shown that a positive school culture, teacher self-efficacy and teaching self-efficacy play an important role in order to provide the affective support necessary for the science teachers’ job satisfaction.

Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of Palestinian Elementary Education Students

To assess elementary education students’ self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching, the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument developed by Enochs and Riggs was used. The instrument consisted of two scales, Personal Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Scale and the Outcome Expectancy Scale. It was administered to 90 undergraduate university students majoring in elementary education at a large public Palestinian university. Results indicated that students’ self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching were comparable to those reported in the original study by Enochs and Riggs. Overall, the participants presented moderate to high self-efficacy in science teaching.

Profiles of instructional quality in primary and secondary education: Patterns, predictors, and relations to student achievement and motivation in science

Teachers implement different types of instruction, and the quality of their instruction is crucial for enhancing student outcomes. However, studies examining various patterns of teachers’ instructional quality are scarce, particularly in science teaching. Even fewer studies have investigated the nature of instructional quality in primary and secondary education. This study analysed the Norwegian data from the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015, using Grades 5 and 9 from primary and secondary education. Using multi-level latent class analysis, we identified distinct profiles of instructional quality that focused on four aspects of instructional clarity: clarity of instruction and teacher support (i.e., engaging teaching, social and emotional support, and subject domain support) at the student and classroom levels. The findings showed that the patterns of these profiles varied across different aspects of instructional quality in both grades. Further analyses revealed that student characteristics, particularly language at home and socioeconomic status, predicted the profile memberships at the student level, whereas teacher competence (i.e., self-efficacy in science teaching) predicted the profile memberships at the classroom level. In addition, different profiles of instructional quality were significantly related to motivation and, to a certain extent, achievement in science. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on instructional quality and for the design of personalized professional development programmes that aim to improve teacher instruction in primary and secondary science classrooms.

Science teaching in kindergartens: factors associated with teachers’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations for integrating science into teaching

ABSTRACT Recently, much importance has been placed on early science education. This study examined the associations between kindergarten teachers' science teaching self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and their integration of science into teaching, and investigated how four potential factors (i.e. mastery experience, interpersonal support, previous science learning experience, and perceptions of the importance of science) predict kindergarten teachers' self-efficacy and outcome expectations for science teaching. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze questionnaire data collected from 813 teachers in public and private kindergartens (teaching children aged 4–6). The results confirmed the association between teachers' self-efficacy and their outcome expectations. When both self-efficacy and outcome expectations were taken into account to predict the degree of science integration into teaching, only science teaching self-efficacy was significantly influential. Moreover, this study revealed that all four factors were significantly associated with teachers' science teaching self-efficacy, of which mastery experience was the most potent. On the other hand, only teachers' perceptions of the importance of science and the interpersonal support they received played a significant role in directly predicting their science teaching outcome expectations. The results could shed light on how to better prepare and support early childhood teachers to integrate science into their classroom teaching.

DESCRIBING THE SELF-EFFICACY OF TANZANIA SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHERS IN TEACHING INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

This study intended to examine the self-efficacy levels of the current secondary school science teachers in Tanzania towards teaching of science process skills. Science process skills have been heavily emphasized in the newly introduced Competence Based Curriculum of 2005. Specifically, the study intended to; (i) determine the self-efficacy level of Morogoro Municipality Biology teachers with regard to the teaching of integrated science process skills, and (ii) determine the influence of teachers’ knowledge level of science process skills on their self-efficacy towards teaching these scientific skills to learners. Science process skills approach by Chiappetta & Koballa (2002), and Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy theory formed the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of the study respectively. Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-A) and a test of Integrated Process Skills developed by Mungandi (2005) were used to collect data among 63 sampled biology teachers. The results indicated that Morogoro Biology teachers have unsatisfactory knowledge of integrated science process skills and average self-efficacy level. The study recommends an urgent need to refocus on science teachers’ training and professional development programmes.

Field Experiences, Mentoring, and Preservice Early Childhood Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs

In this study relationships between preservice early childhood teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their mentor teachers’ mentoring were examined. Quantitative research method was used in the study by the using multivariate data collections. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) was administered to 96 pre-service teachers and mentor teachers. Time spent teaching and observing science was recorded also recorded by participants by the using time trackers. The Mentoring for Effective Science Teaching (MEST) instrument measured perceptions of the teachers’ mentoring activities, including modeling and feedback. Correlational analyses estimated the relationship between the preservice and mentor teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, beliefs and time spent teaching, and beliefs and modeling and feedback. The findings suggest that mentor teachers play an important role in the preparation of preservice teachers, and that this role is particularly true for those mentors with higher science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. It also showed that how teaching practices have significant roles while preparing future teachers. For teacher education program could be pay attention to teaching practices while giving a decision for choosing mentor teachers. For future researchers may also look at the different sections of mentoring practices and their impacts on preservice teacher’s teaching skills.

The Influences of Socioscientific Issues on General Science Teaching Self-Efficacy

Two common reasons elementary preservice teachers have low self-efficacy with science teaching is their lack of content knowledge and past negative experiences with science teaching or learning. Holding low self-efficacy beliefs has negative impacts on both the method of science instruction and amount of science instruction delivered in the elementary classroom. Many researchers have successfully explored methods for improving elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy by providing positive, inquiry-based learning experiences during a science methods course, but the present study explores how to improve elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs by engaging them in socioscientific issues (SSI) during their elementary methods course. Using a mixed methods approach, we collected quantitative with the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument part B (STEBI-B) and qualitative data through short answer responses focused on understanding their perceptions and confidence with science instruction. Our analysis of the qualitative data focused on identifying the influences for any change that resulted from the STEBI results. Our findings illustrate SSI as a commonly identified reason for positive changes in general science teaching self-efficacy. Implications for utilizing SSI as an approach to combat low science teaching self-efficacy are discussed.

Investigating the Correlation Between Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Science Teaching Practices

ABSTRACT A high self-efficacy in teaching is sometimes used as a kind of litmus test of science teaching practices. However, the connection between self-efficacy and teaching effectiveness is not well established. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the connections between self-efficacy and enacted science teaching of preservice elementary teachers. More specifically, we sought to answer the question: Is preservice elementary teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy correlated to their science teaching practices? To investigate this question, preservice elementary teachers (N = 48) were given the Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) and asked to submit a video of their science teaching which was analyzed using the Local Systemic Change Classroom Observation Protocol (LSC-COP). Because LSC-COP produces ordinal data, the relationship between the STEBI-B and LSC-COP was investigated using the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient. Analysis of these data indicate no significant correlation between self-efficacy and science teaching practices. This study highlights the potential risk of using self-efficacy as a litmus test for positive changes in instruction. Although self-efficacy may not be directly related to science teaching practices in the population of preservice elementary teachers, we discuss ways self-efficacy may indirectly impact teaching practice.

Determining the Relationship between Preschool Teachers’ Attitudes towards Science Teaching and Self-efficacy Beliefs in Terms of Various Variables

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between preschool teachers’ attitudes toward science teaching and self-efficacy beliefs and to examine them in terms of various variables. The research was conducted in the years 2018–2019 using a survey. The study included 113 female and eight male preschool teachers who worked in state or private schools in Turkey. All participated voluntarily. In this study, the “Scale of Attitudes toward Science Teaching” (AST) and “Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale” (SEB) were used. Both scales used five-point Likert type items. After the scales were applied, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 randomly selected teachers and five open-ended questions developed by the researchers were asked. In the light of the findings obtained from the study, it was observed that pre-school teachers’ attitudes toward science teaching and science self-efficacy beliefs did not differ according to gender and professional experience. In addition, there was a positive relationship between teachers’ scores obtained from the AST and SEB, that is, science attitudes and science self-efficacy beliefs were related positively. In other words, teachers who have positive attitude toward science had high self-efficacy beliefs. Learning environments should be prepared to conduct science activities effectively in accordance with different methods and techniques.

Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: an Analysis of Reflective Practices

The purpose of this mixed methods research was to investigate the development of 55 preservice elementary teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs through analysis of their reflective practices in a science method course. This year-long study was conducted at two public universities located in the USA and Canada. Within the theoretical frameworks of science teaching self-efficacy and reflective practice, we examined how and in what ways preservice teachers’ reflections on their past science experiences and current science teaching practices contributed to their self-efficacy beliefs. Data were collected from pre- and post-course administrations of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-B (STEBI-B), written science autobiographies, written reflection papers, classroom observations, and artifacts. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the significance of the differences between the pre- and post-course survey scores. The results indicated statistically significant gains in participants’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The qualitative analysis revealed that preservice teachers’ initial self-efficacy beliefs evolved through years of formal and informal interactions with science. New levels of self-efficacy were reached, as evident from participants’ self-reflection on their field teaching. The findings indicate the importance of field experiences and reflective practices for preservice elementary teachers’ preparation and science teaching self-efficacy. The study offers implications for preservice teacher education programs, science teacher education, and research.