EXPLORING SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN TURKEY

Analyzing teacher self-efficacy has been a prominent issue in educational research since late 1970s. Teacher efficacy basically refers to teachers’ beliefs in their abilities to organize and execute courses of action necessary to bring about desired results (Tschannen-Moran et al., 1998). This study attempts to examine self-efficacy beliefs of teachers working at primary state schools in Turkey regarding dimensions such as instruction, adapting instruction to individual needs, motivating students, and maintaining discipline. It specifically aims to reveal whether gender and experience have a significant influence on the teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. Data obtained from the participants’ responses to the items in the Norwegian Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010) were analysed using SPSS Version 17.0. Findings of the study suggest that teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs are improved through gaining professional experience, and that female teachers seem to have lower self-efficacy beliefs than their male colleagues with respect to motivating students, keeping discipline in classroom, and coping with challenges. The study concludes with practical implications of the findings, and a few suggestions for further directions.