Scheduled for Pedagogy I Posters, Thursday, April 3, 2003, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall A


Teacher Efficacy and Effective Teaching Behaviors in Physical Education

Melissa A. Chase1, Cathy D. Lirgg2 and Timothy J. Sakelos1, (1)Miami University, Oxford, OH, (2)University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Research suggests that teacher efficacy can positively influence the effectiveness of teachers (Rich, Lev, & Fischer, 1996). Teachers with high teacher efficacy are more successful in their teaching and demonstrate more effective teaching behaviors than are teachers with low teacher efficacy (Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, & Hoy, 1998). The purpose of this study was to examine differences in teaching behaviors among preservice teachers with high teacher efficacy and those with low teacher efficacy. According to the teacher efficacy model proposed by Chase and Lirgg (2002), teachers with high teacher efficacy will provide more instructional time and a higher quality of feedback to students than teachers with low teacher efficacy. Sixteen preservice physical education teachers provided informed consent and participated in this study during their student teaching experiences. The teachers were from two universities, teaching in elementary school placements. The teachers completed the Teacher Efficacy Scale for Physical Education (TESPE) (Chase & Lirgg, 2002) and were video-taped teaching one lesson in physical education. From the sixteen participants, the five teachers with the highest teacher efficacy scores (M=6.12, SD=.48) and the five teachers with the lowest teacher efficacy scores (M=4.75, SD=.55) formed the high and low efficacy groups. Results of a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the two groups were significantly different in their level of teacher efficacy, F (1,9)=17.87, p=.003. Results of the analysis of instructional time and quality of feedback also indicated there were differences between the teachers with high teacher efficacy and those teachers with low teacher efficacy. Teachers with high efficacy provided more Academic Learning Time (82%) than the teachers with low efficacy (76%). Teachers with high teacher efficacy also provided more specific reinforcement (M=15.20), general encouragement (M=3.20), specific informational feedback (M=15.20), general organization (M=22.40), and less general punishment (M=.40) feedback than teachers with low teacher efficacy (specific reinforcement, M=7.00, general encouragement, M=1.80, specific informational feedback, M=7.60, general organization, M=19.80, and less general punishment, M=2.00). Overall, teachers with high efficacy were more positive in their feedback to students than teachers with low teacher efficacy. Results were similar to previous research that found a positive relationship between teacher efficacy and teaching behaviors (Tschannen-Moran et al,1998). Discussion will focus on applying these results to physical education teacher education programs to enhance preservice teachers' teacher efficacy and effectiveness and to better prepare future teachers in physical education.

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