The Development and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Regard to The Teaching of Science as Inquiry

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop, validate, and establish the reliability of an instrument that measures preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry. The instrument, Teaching Science as Inquiry (TSI), is based upon the work of Bandura (1977 BanduraA.Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral changePsychological Review19778419121510.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 1981 Bandura, A. (1981). Self-referent thought: A developmental analysis of self-efficacy. In J. H. Flavell & L. Ross (Eds.), Social cognitive development frontiers and possible futures (pp. 200–239). Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar], 1982 BanduraA.Self-efficacy mechanism in human agencyAmerican Psychologist19823712214710.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 1986 Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. [Google Scholar], 1989 BanduraA.Regulation of cognitive processes through perceived self-efficacyDevelopmental Psychology19892572973510.1037/0012-1649.25.5.729[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 1995 Bandura, A. (1995). Self-efficacy in changing societies. Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar], 1997 Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman. [Google Scholar]), Riggs (1988 Riggs, I. (1988). The development of an elementary teachers’ science teaching efficacy belief instrument. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University, Manhattan. [Google Scholar]), and Enochs and Riggs (1990 EnochsL.RiggsI.Further development of an elementary science teaching efficacy belief instrument: A preservice elementary scaleSchool Science and Mathematics199090694706[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). Self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry was measured through the use of a 69-item Likert-type scale instrument designed by the author of the study. Based on the standardized development processes used and the associated evidence, the TSI appears to be a content and construct valid instrument with high internal reliability for use with preservice elementary teachers to assess self-efficacy beliefs in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry.