An investigation of elementary preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching mathematics

Abstract

Research has consistently shown that teacher efficacy is related to a variety of desirable student outcomes, thus, making teacher efficacy an important factor in high quality mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine elementary preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs related to teaching mathematics. Forty-one participants from a single university responded to the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) after completing a constructivist-based elementary mathematics methods course prior to student teaching. The MTEBI is 21-item survey using a 5-point, forced choice Likert-like scale to provide an individual's perceptions of mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs on two subscales—Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief (PMTE) and Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy (MTOE). Responses on the PMTE subscale (Mean = 51.08, SD=5.171) indicate that the respondents’ personal mathematics teach efficacy is positive. Participants’ responses (Mean = 29.32, SD = 3.29) on the MTOE subscale indicate positive expectations of students' mathematics learning. Attending to preservice teacher efficacy is worthy of examination. Teacher preparation programs must identify opportunities to positively impact mathematics teaching efficacy of preservice teachers.

Keywords

• teacher preparation
• self-efficacy
• mathematics
• elementary education
• preservice teacher