Session Information
10 SES 07 B, Research on Values, Beliefs and Understandings in Teacher Education
Paper Session
Contribution
Self Efficacy
Self efficacy has its roots from social cognitive theory and it affects ones choice of activities, effort and persistence for that activity (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002, pp. 161). Bandura (1997) introduced self efficacy through two concepts as self expectancy and outcome expectancies. Self expectancy is defined as the belief that the behavior could be implemented successfully and outcome expectancy is defined as the belief in the necessity of behavior for achieving desired outcome (Bandura, 1997). Bandura (1977) has defined four sources of knowledge affecting efficacy expectancies and outcome expectancies as mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, positive emotional tone. Through the theory of self efficacy, the relationships between beliefs and teaching practices have been examined by many researchers (Moseley& Utley, 2008). Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, and Hoy (1998) defined teacher self-efficacy as “teacher’s belief in his or her own capability to organize and execute courses of action required to successfully accomplish a specific teaching task in a particular context” (p. 233).In application of Bandura’s theory (1997) to the teaching, it could be stated that teachers with high teaching self efficacy are more likely to show a greater academic focus, persist longer and use different types of feedback, where as teachers with low self efficacy has less confidence for influencing students’ learning (Gibson & Dembo, 1984,).
Nature of Science
Understanding of nature of science (NOS) is stated to be an indispensable part of scientific literacy (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000). Although there is no agreement on the meaning of NOS, views held by people on NOS could be interpreted in terms of values and assumptions inherent to development of scientific knowledge (Lederman, 1992). Lederman, Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, and Schawartz (2002) described an adequate understanding of NOS as an appreciation of empirical evidence and subjectivity of the scientists in the development of scientific knowledge. Additionally it included recognition of tentativeness that is, it might change under the influence of new information, appreciation of creativity having a partial role on development of scientific knowledge and socially and culturally embeddness of scientific knowledge. Two more aspects included in adequate understanding of NOS have been the recognition of the difference between observation and difference and function of theories and laws
Although NOS is reported as an important educational outcome to achieve scientific literacy the research findings related with NOS revealed that teachers and students do not have adequate conceptions of NOS (Lederman, 2007). Teachers’ beliefs on NOS have implications on their attitudes toward science teaching (Abell & Smith, 1994). Based on Bandura’s theory (1997) pre-service teachers who believed student learning about NOS could be affected by effective teaching and have confidence in their own teaching ability on NOS would persist longer and provide greater focus for teaching NOS. Thus, studies that investigate pre-service teachers self-efficacy beliefs on teaching NOS is essential to provide solutions for pre-service teachers’ NOS teaching. In the light of literature research questions of the current study are:
1-What are the pre-service elementary science teachers self-efficacy beliefs regarding teaching of NOS?
2-What are the sources of knowledge affecting pre-service elementary science teachers self efficacy beliefs regarding NOS teaching?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Abd-El-Khalick, F. & Lederman, N. G. (2000). Improving science teachers’ conceptions of nature science:a critical review. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 665-701. Abell, K. S. & Smith, C. D. (1994). What is science: preservice elementary teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science. International Journal of Science Education, 16(4), 475-487. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. NY: W.H. Freeman and Co. Bandura, A. (1977). Self efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Phychology Review, 84, 191-215. Gibson, S., & Dembo, M. H. (1984). Teacher efficacy : A construct validation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 503-511 Lederman, G. N. (2007). Nature of science : Past , present, and future. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), The Handbook of Research on Science Education (pp. 831-879). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlabaum Associates. Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R., & Scharwartz, R. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners’ conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 497-521. Pintrich, P. R. & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in Education (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Tschannen-Moran, M., Woolfolk Hoy, A., & Hoy. W. (1998). Teacher efficacy: Its meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 202-248.
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