Unveiling Teachers’ Instructional Self-efficacy in Science, Mathematics, and Technology: Personal and Contextual Influences

Abstract

Teachers’ self-efficacy, their ability to efficiently handle the tasks, responsibilities, and challenges related to their occupation, is a key determinant of students’ achievement and motivation in STEM subjects. Thus, this study seeks to investigate teachers’ instructional self-efficacy in science, mathematics, and technology in Qatar, using Bandura’s self-efficacy theory as a theoretical framework. A quantitative exploratory research methodology was adopted, involving 322 middle and high school teachers from both public and private schools. Data analysis included factor analysis, reliability tests, descriptive statistics, and non-parametric tests. Results indicate that, despite teachers’ high self-efficacy in STEM instruction, significant differences were observed across gender, school type, educational level taught, and academic degree achieved. The results further demonstrated significantly higher self-efficacy among male teachers (p < 0.05), high school teachers (p < 0.05), private school teachers (p < 0.05), and teachers with higher educational degrees (p < 0.001), compared to their counterparts. This study recommends enhancing teachers’ positive attitudes towards STEM-inclusive education through increased professional development opportunities. These findings provide valuable insights for educational stakeholders seeking to improve teacher performance and well-being in Qatar’s schools.