Teacher efficacy has been identified as among the most important teacher characteristics ever studied, given the high correlation with effective teaching and student learning. The development of teacher efficacy beliefs among prospective teachers has been understudied among PETE pre-service teachers’ (PST’s), particularly as they progress through a teacher education program. The purpose of this study was to examine PST’s self-efficacy toward teaching physical education and how that efficacy changed as a result of coursework in the planned sequence of pedagogy courses.
Method: Using the Physical Education Teaching Efficacy Scale (PETES) and semi-structured interviews, self-efficacy toward teaching physical education was examined among three different cohorts of PSTs at multiple time points within their PETE program. Data were collected from 34 participants enrolled in three different courses within one PETE program over one semester and were analyzed inductively by data source and deductively when comparing all data sources. Trustworthiness of the interview data was confirmed through peer audits, team debriefing, and member checking. Data from the PETES were analyzed as a summed score and was calculated by summing the values of each self-efficacy factor. Profiles were created for each class cohort in an attempt to identify PST’s self-efficacy and how that efficacy changed over time.
Analysis/Results:
Paired t-test results for overall summed self-efficacy scores showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between pre and post test for cohorts one (M = 284.33; SD = 24.88) and two (M = 283; SD = 25.05) but not for cohort three (M = 282.20; SD = 23.98). Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis of the PETES scale revealed significant differences over time for all cohorts but not between cohorts. Qualitative results revealed all three cohorts gained efficacy in teaching over the course of the semester.
Conclusions:
In this case-cohort study, teaching efficacy of pre-service PETE students as a whole significantly increased over one semester in all three classes. PST’s in cohorts one and two showed the greatest advance in efficacy, with cohort three (PSTs who were enrolled in the student teaching practicum), the least. Field experiences were identified as key to gaining efficacy and PETE programs should think carefully about the amount and type of field experiences offered for PSTs at all levels of the PETE program.
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