Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Teaching Science as Inquiry and Their Classroom Practices

• In Event: Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: Exploring Science Education

Abstract

Inquiry-based learning has been accepted as a powerful method for science instruction. Students actively participate in learning and remain engaged throughout the learner-centered process. Teachers’ self-efficacy is a strong factor influencing their classroom teaching, and relates to students’ learning performance and motivation. To understand middle school science teachers’ science inquiry teaching confidence and their classroom practices, the study adopted a mixed-methodology approach to collect and analyze both quantitative (survey) and qualitative data (classroom observation). The results suggested that teachers had high confidence in teaching scientific inquiry skills, but low level of inquiry skills teaching were observed in their classrooms.

Authors

• Lisa Runco, New York Institute of Technology

• Shiang-Kwei Wang, New York Institute of Technology

• Hui-Yin Hsu, New York Institute of Technology