Investigation of the Self-efficacy Beliefs of Pre-service Science Teachers in Terms of Following and Using the Innovations in the Field of Education

Abstract

One of the factors influencing teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs is the use of innovations and research in education (scientific articles, thesis, and new teaching materials). This study aims to examine to what extent pre-service science teachers follow the innovations in the field of education and use these innovations in their profession. Secondly, how the innovations in the field of education effect teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs is examined. Survey method which is one of the quantitative research approaches was used in this study. The sample group of the study consisted of 563 pre-service science teachers enrolled in the Department of Science Teacher Training in the Faculty of Education at six universities in different regions of Turkey. The data in the study were collected using the “Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI)” developed by Riggs and Enochs (1990) and “Scale of Following and Using the Innovations in the Field of Education” (SFUIFE) developed by the researchers of this study. The data were analyzed both descriptively and predictively using SPSS. The results of the study showed that the primary resources (search engines such as google, web pages for course materials etc.) have been used and followed less than the secondary resources (conferences, symposiums, panels, workshops, thesis, and scientific articles etc.) by pre-service science teachers. In addition, it was found that following and using social media tools, thesis and scientific articles increase pre-service science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs of science teaching.