Self-Efficacy: Its Effects on Physical Education Teacher Candidates' Attitudes toward the Teaching Profession.

AbstractThis study's main aim was to determine physical education (PE) teacher candidates' self-efficacy levels and attitudes toward the PE teaching profession. Designed on a survey model, this study was conducted during the 2011-2012 academic year. A total of 601 PE teacher candidates studying in the PE and sports teaching programs of six different universities in Turkey participated in the study. Study data were collected using the "Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES)" and the "Attitude Scale for the Profession of Physical Education Teaching (ASPPET). " Descriptive analysis, t-test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient Technique, and Multiple Regression Analysis methods were used for data analyses. PE teacher candidates were observed to deem themselves as moderately self-efficient in terms of the points they scored on the TSES as a whole (M = 142.56, SS = 40.820) and on its subscales (MIS = 47.62, SS = 14.169; MCM = 47.97, SS = 13.885; MSE = 46.96, SS = 13.873). In addition, PE teacher candidates scored high points on the ASPPET as a whole (M = 83.49, SS = 16.584) and its subscales (MAP = 48.38, SS = 10.613; MCP = 35.10, SS = 8.731). The study found no gender-based statistically significant difference between the self-efficacy of PE candidate teachers (t(599) = 1.363, p . 05) and their attitudes toward the PE teaching profession (t(599) = 1.943, p . 05). Another result gleaned from this study was the positive and statistically significant relationship between the points scored on the TSES as a whole and its subscales and on the ASPPET as a whole and its subscales (r = .247, p .01). The study also showed that PE teacher candidates' self-efficacy levels did not constitute an important predictor for either the ASPPET as a whole (R2 = .062, F = 13.072, p .01) or for its subscales (AP = R2 = .081, F = 17.497; p .01; CP = R2 = .017, F = 3.410 p .01). Keywords: Physical education * Candidate teacher * Teacher self-efficacy * Teaching profession * Attitude * PredictionOne of the basic concepts of Social Learning Theory, "self-efficacy" is defined as "one's belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations" (Bandura, 1977, 1986). Gawith (1995) states that a person will not be able to carry out a certain task for which he has the ability unless he has the confidence to do so. Just as the self-efficacy, conceptually understood as a person's own judgment regarding her/his skills to achieve a specific thing (Zimmerman, 1995), is a factor effective on performance and making duty decisions, so is it important in setting motivation (Humphries, Hebert, Daigle, & Martin, 2012). Self-efficacy is a concept that has been studied for a long period of time within many different disciplines, varying from medicine (James et al., 2006) to economy (Latham & Brown, 2006) and from military (Britt, Davison, Bliese, & Castro, 2004) to education (Tschannen-Moran W Dembo & Gibson, 1985; Gibson & Dembo, 1984; Tschannen-Moran et al., 1998). In this context, teacher self-efficacy is defined as teachers' belief in their ability to learn and use the skills required to promote their students to learn (Armor et al., 1976; Woolfolk-Hoy & Burke-Spero, 2005). Teacher self-efficacy is a teacher's belief related to his/her abilities to affect the learning outcomes of students, including both poorly-motivated students and students with disabilities (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). Teachers who hold high levels of high teacher selfefficacy are suggested to be more skillful in using teaching strategies more effectively, in ensuring that student will remain engaged, and in implementing classroom management skills (Brouwers & Tomic, 2000; Caprara, Barbaranelli, Stece, & Malone, 2006). …