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The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between Turkish preservice early childhood teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their mentor teachers’ mentoring. The study also examined related factors including the mentor teachers’ modeling, the feedback provided by the mentor teachers, the amount of time mentor teachers devoted to teaching science, and the amount of time spent teaching science by the preservice teachers. Participating in the study was a sample of 96 Turkish preservice early childhood teachers and their mentor teachers (N=41). The data were collected at two Turkish universities during the time when the preservice teachers were completing their teaching practicum or field-experience. The Pre-Service Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) was administered to the preservice teachers to measure their self-efficacy beliefs. A related instrument (STEBI-A) was also administered to the mentor teachers to measure their self-efficacy beliefs. As the preservice teachers were participating in their practical teaching experiences in kindergarten classes in Turkish public schools they completed the Science Experiences Time Tracker Record. This instrument was designed to measure the amount of time spent on science teaching and observing activities by the preservice teachers and mentors. At the conclusion of the field experiences the preservice teachers were administered the Mentoring for Effective Science Teaching (MEST) instrument. This instrument was designed to measure the preservice teachers’ perceptions of their mentoring teachers’ mentoring activities, including modeling and feedback. Correlational analyses were used to measure the relationship between the preservice and mentor teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. Correlational analyses were also used to measure the relationships between the preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and the amount of time they spent teaching science, the amount of time they spent observing science teaching, and their mentor teachers’ modeling and feedback. There was a statistically significant correlation between the mentor and preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. There was also a statistically significant correlation between the time spent teaching science and the preservice teachers’ self-efficacy. Also, correlated with the preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs were the measures of mentor teachers’ modeling and feedback. The correlations uncovered in this study suggest that if preservice teachers have an opportunity to see the outcomes of their teaching, and receive constructive feedback from their mentor teachers, they will probably have more confidence in their teaching, and thereby increase their self-efficacy beliefs.
A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references.
Advisory Committee
Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ming Cui, University Representative; Diana Rice, Committee Member; Lindsey Dennis, Committee Member.
Publisher
Florida State University
Identifier
FSU_FA2016_SIMSAR_fsu_0071E_13558
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