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

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1430 Vine St, Lincoln, NE, 68508, USA

    Deepika Menon

  2. Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X8, Canada

    Saiqa Azam

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  1. Deepika Menon
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  2. Saiqa Azam
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Correspondence to Deepika Menon.

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Menon, D., Azam, S. Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: an Analysis of Reflective Practices. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 19, 1587–1607 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-020-10131-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-020-10131-4

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