Efficacy and Experience: Perceptions of Efficacy among Preservice and Practicing Teachers.

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy beliefs of elementary and secondary preservice teachers and of practicing teachers with various levels of teaching experience (N = 626) using a cross-sectional design. Two aspects of teacher efficacy were explored: personal efficacy, the belief that one can affect change in students, and teaching efficacy, the belief that teaching can overcome the effects of outside influences. Analyses of variance indicated a significant interaction between experience level and school level on personal efficacy such that, among elementary teachers, personal efficacy was very high during the preservice period, fell dramatically in the first years of teaching, and then increased somewhat with greater years of teaching experience; no significant changes occurred among secondary teachers. As compared to elementary teachers, secondary teachers were more homogeneous in their personal efficacy beliefs and had less teaching efficacy. Implications of these finding concern the preparation of preservice teachers and the support needed by novice teachers.