Comparing Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of Broad Field and Subject-Specific Certified Chemistry Teachers

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Five
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Beliefs, Agency, Identity, and Knowledge (Table 11)

Abstract

The US Department of Education allows science teachers to obtain teaching certificates in Broad Science Field (BF) and(or) particular science subject and teachers certified in either area teach Chemistry. The BF licensure examination contains very few chemistry contents, only 20 percent. The BF teachers may have lower teaching efficacy if they lack an undergraduate degree in the teaching field. Using adapted STEBI, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to compare Personal Efficacy (PE) and Outcome Expectancy (OE) of BF and subject-specific teachers controlling for undergraduate major and teaching experience. Teachers with undergraduate degrees in chemistry have higher PE than biology degree majors. BF teachers also have higher PE. Maybe the teachers with undergraduate degrees in chemistry also obtained BF licenses.

Author

• Philomena Ngozi Agu, University of Houston - Downtown
  Presenting Author