Issues in Measuring Preservice Teacher Commitment: Relationships Between Outcomes and Predictors

• In Event: 26.079 - Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: 26.079-5 - Emerging Perspectives on Teacher Certification and Evaluation: Relationships Between Outcomes and Predictors

Abstract

Data from 287 preservice teachers were used to examine the relationship between scores on a teacher self-efficacy measure and four commonly used commitment to teaching measures. While responses to each of the commitment measures did not exhibit significant differences in regards to group membership (e.g., gender, ethnicity, major, or intended teaching level), the size of the relationship that they shared with teacher self-efficacy did. Results from this study suggest that while self-efficacy is a fundamental social cognitive variable capable of theoretically and statistically predicting commitment to teaching, these relationships differ based upon certain group memberships (e.g., female preservice teachers). Suggestions for future research involving teacher commitment and self-efficacy, along with new validation and reporting techniques for measures are suggested.

Authors

• Steven Randall Chesnut, University of Southern Mississippi

• Kamau Oginga Siwatu, Texas Tech University