Omani science teachers’ perceived self-efficacy beliefs for teaching science as ınquiry: Influences of gender, teaching experience, and preparation programme
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36681/Keywords:
Gender, teacher preparation programme, science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, teaching experienceAbstract
This study aimed to explore Omani teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for teaching science as
inquiry and investigate the influence of demographic characteristics such as gender,
teaching experience, and preparation programme on their beliefs. The study was
conducted with a sample of science teachers for grades 5-8 (n=588). Data collected from
administering the standardized Teaching Science as Inquiry instrument (TSI) to the
sample were analysed using a cross-sectional design. The results showed that teachers
perceived themselves as highly successful in teaching science as inquiry. Female teachers
had higher perceptions of themselves as highly successful in teaching science regarding
Personal Self-efficacy beliefs (PE) and Outcome Expectations (OE) for science teaching as
inquiry than male teachers. Moreover, teachers with more teaching experience perceived
themselves as more highly successful in teaching science as inquiry than those with less
experience. Regarding the type of teacher preparation programme, there was no
statistically significant difference in teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. Omani teachers with
more experience teaching science by enquiry reported higher mean scores on teaching
science as inquiry. They had higher TSI scores than the teachers with low and moderate
experience. Accordingly, new graduate science teachers need to increase their knowledge
aspects and practices related to science as inquiry (SI). Therefore, the TSI could be used
for science teachers in their training to examine how they conducted teaching science by
enquiry in real classroom situations
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