CHANGES IN PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ SELF- EFFICACY BELIEFS DURING PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the changes in prospective teachers' self-efficacy beliefs during a pre-service teacher education programme. The ultimate objective of this study was to measure the changes in self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers during pre-service teacher education programme. This study compared the changes in the self-efficacy beliefs of male and female prospective teachers enrolled in the M.A Education and the B.Ed programmes when they moved from one semester to another semester of a teacher education programme, The sample consisted of 186 prospective teachers enrolled in teacher education programmes from two public sector universities in Lahore. Prospective teachers from three programmes of two years of the M.A. Education: M.A. Elementary Education, M.A. Secondary Education and Masters’ in Science Education from University of ihe Punjab and one year B.Ed teacher education programme from University of Education were selected as a sample for the study. A composite scale five-point Likert-type based on the four factors (locus of control, persistent behaviour, classroom anxiety and professional mastery beliefs) that could be applicable in the context of Pakistan’s unique cultural and social norms, was designed to measure the changes in self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers during their pre-service teacher education programme, The teachers’ self-efficacy scale was constructed by using the procedure of principal component factor analysis followed by an oblique rotation of the factor axes. The composite scale comprised four subscales with 25 statements. Overall Cronbach Alpha for the composite scale was 0,72 in first semester, 0,83 in second semester, 0.65 in third semester and 0.77 in fourth semester, suggesting that scale had adequate reliabilities for the sample. viiiData on the Teacher Self- Efficacy scale were gathered from prospective teachers enrolled in the M.A. Elementary Education, Secondary Education ami Masters' in Science Education programmes at the end of their first, second, third and fourth semesters. Similarly data were taken from prospective leathers enrolled in the B.Ed programme at the end of their first, second and third semesters on (tie PTSE. As u general, results for the combined sample of the M.A, Education Programme (M,A, Elc, M.A, Sec and Masters' in Science Education) prospective teachers ind Scaled that teacher sel Efficacy beliefs on the compos he scale significantly decreased from first semester to fourth semester. Similar situation was found on the sample of three teacher education programmes (Elementary, Secondary and Masters* in Science Education), Although prospective teachers' self-efficacy beliefs enrolled in B.Ed programme remained stable (non-sign ift cant) on the composite scale. Results for the full sample of the M.A, Education Programme (M.A. 1 :1c. M.A. Sec and Masters' in Science Education) indicated that prospective teachers' locus of control, persistent behaviour and professional mastery significantly decreased throughout the semesters however, their classroom anxiety beliefs remained stable (non-significant) throughout the four semesters. When the sample was analysed on the prospective Teachers' self-offtcacy beliefs enrolled in ihe M.A. Elementary Education Programme reflected the full sample results precisely. The teacher self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers enrolled in the M.A, Secondary Education Programme on locus of control and persistent behaviour factors significantly loll from one semester to fourth semester, but their professional mastery beliefs remained stable (non -significant). Interestingly , their classroom anxiety beliefs significantly increased throughout the course. The teacher self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers' feenrolled in ihe Masters* in Science Education Programme on iocus of control factor were significantly lower by the end of the course, although their persistent behaviour, classroom anxiety and professional mastery beliefs remained the same. At B.Ed level, there were no significant changes on the four factors. At gender level, female prospective teachers enrolled in the M.A. Education programme held more teacher self-efficacy beliefs than male prospective teachers on the composite scale. In the same way females were most persistent compared to male prospective teachers at the end of first semester, Male prospective teachers enrolled in the M.A. Secondary Education Programme had significantly stronger persistent behaviour beliefs at the end of first and fourth semester in comparison of their female counterparts. Female prospective teachers enrolled in the Masters' in Science Education Programme held significantly more persistent beliefs at the end of first semester than male prospective teachers. Female prospective teachers enrolled in the B.Ed Programme were more anxious about classroom teaching compared to male prospective teachers at the end of second semester. There arc some reasons associated with the low teacher seif-cfficacy beliefs of prospective teachers across the four factors. These might be the hectic schedule of assignments and presentations, demanding criteria of coursework and un-organized schedule of assigning academic tasks. Recommendations have also been suggested to enhance the teacher self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers including getting mastery experiences from teacher educators, exposure to real classroom leaching, feedback or comments from experienced teachers and peers on prospective teachers’ performance, and vicarious experiences by observing the work of other peers as a motivational device for leaching as a career.