Science Journal of Education

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Science Teacher Confidence

Received: 22 October 2015    Accepted: 23 January 2016    Published: 16 February 2016
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if in-service teachers had similar anxiety to that of pre-service teachers, if the anxiety they felt towards teaching science could be attributed to similar factors as those that can predict anxiety in pre-service teachers, and whether teachers felt as though they were given opportunities to become more confident teachers. A survey was given to 48 science teachers in Somerset County, where 65% of those teachers participated. After reviewing survey responses, it can be concluded that while the majority of in-service teachers in Somerset County feel confident in their ability to teach science, they were less prepared, in the way research suggests is necessary, to teach science confidently. The study discusses possible reasons for heightened confidence and suggestions to further increase teacher confidence.

DOI 10.11648/j.sjedu.20160401.12
Published in Science Journal of Education (Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016)
Page(s) 9-13
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Science, Anxiety, Confidence, in-service, Teaching

References
[1] Baxter, J. A., Ruzicka, A., Beghetto, R. A., and Livelybrooks, D. (2013) Professional development strategically connecting mathematics and science: The impact on teachers’ confidence and practice. School Science and Mathematics, 114 (3), 102-113.
[2] DeCoito, I. (2006). Innovations in science education: Challenging and changing teachers’ roles and beliefs. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 6 (4), 339-350.
[3] Greenwood, A. M. (2003). Factors influencing the development of career-change teachers’ science teaching orientation. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 14, 217-234.
[4] Kind, Vanessa (2009). A conflict in your head: An exploration of trainee science teachers’ subject matter knowledge development and its impact on teacher self-confidence. International Journal of Science Education, 31 (11), 1529-1562.
[5] Kenny, John (2010). Preparing pre-service primary teachers to teach primary science: A partnership-based approach. International Journal of Science Education, 32 (10), 1267-1288.
[6] Krajcik, J., Codere, S., Dahsah, C., Bayer, R., and Mun, K. (2014) Planning instruction to meet the intent of the next generation science standards. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25, 157–175.
[7] Luft, Julie A. (2009). Beginning secondary science teachers in different induction programmes: The first year of teaching. International Journal of Science Education, 31 (17), 2355-2384.
[8] Murphy, C., Neil, P., & Beggs, J. (2007). Primary science teacher confidence revisited: Ten years on. Educational Research, 49 (4), 415-430.
[9] Tanaquer, v., Novodvorsky, I., and Tomanek, D. (2010). Factors influencing entering teacher candidates’ preferences for instructional activities: A glimpse into their orientations towards teaching. International Journal of Science Education, 32 (10), 1389-1406.
[10] Taylor, N. and Corrigan, G. (2005). Empowerment and confidence: pre-service teachers learning to teach science through a program of self-regulated learning. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 5 (1), 43-60.
[11] Wenglinsky, H. and Silverstein, S. C. (2007). The Science Training. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 24-29.
[12] Yürük, N. (2011). The predictors of preservice elementary teachers’ anxiety about teaching science. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 10 (1), 17-26.
Author Information
  • Somerset County Public Schools, Princess Anne, US

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    Megan Kolby Noble. Science Teacher Confidence. Sci J Educ. 2016;4(1):9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20160401.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20160401.12,
      author = {Megan Kolby Noble},
      title = {Science Teacher Confidence},
      journal = {Science Journal of Education},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {9-13},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20160401.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20160401.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20160401.12},
      abstract = {The aim of this study was to determine if in-service teachers had similar anxiety to that of pre-service teachers, if the anxiety they felt towards teaching science could be attributed to similar factors as those that can predict anxiety in pre-service teachers, and whether teachers felt as though they were given opportunities to become more confident teachers. A survey was given to 48 science teachers in Somerset County, where 65% of those teachers participated. After reviewing survey responses, it can be concluded that while the majority of in-service teachers in Somerset County feel confident in their ability to teach science, they were less prepared, in the way research suggests is necessary, to teach science confidently. The study discusses possible reasons for heightened confidence and suggestions to further increase teacher confidence.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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