Changes in Teacher Self-efficacy in the First Year of Primary School Teacher Education Study

Abstract

The beginning phase of teaching is a time of flux in the self-efficacy beliefs held by teachers. Little is known, however, about the exact peaks and troughs that beginning teachers experience. While it is theorized that teacher self-efficacy increases during teacher education and declines during the beginning months of teaching (Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy, 2007), little is known specifically about the changes during the period of engagement in teacher education programs. This paper reports on the first stages of a longitudinal study that sets out to explore pre-service teacher self-efficacy as students journey through their four-year program of study. It reports on initial levels of self-efficacy in the first week of entering a teacher education program and the changes after completion of one year of the degree. Findings are important as they provide insights for teacher educators and institutions to support the development of positive teacher self-efficacy beliefs.