Metacognitive thinking skills, academic self-efficients and attitudes to the teaching profession of physical education teacher candidates

The study was carried out to determine the metacognitive thinking skills, academic self-efficacy and attitudes of physical education teacher candidates towards the teaching profession. The research sample consisted of 525 physical education teacher candidates studying at different universities in Turkey in the 2020-2021 academic year. In the study, metacognitive thinking skill scale, academic self-efficacy scale and attitude scale towards teaching profession were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data, besides descriptive statistics, T-Test for independent groups in pairwise comparisons, one-way analysis of variance (Anova) in multiple comparisons, and Tukey test to determine the source of the differences were used. In the study, Pearson correlation coefficient technique was used to determine the relationship between the variables, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of the variables. It was determined that the physical education teacher candidates had higher averages the general and sub-dimensions of the metacognitive thinking skill scale. Additionaly, it was determined that there was no significant difference in the levels of metacognitive thinking skills of the physical education teacher candidates in terms of gender and the class level. While no significant relationship was found between the age variable and metacognitive thinking skills, a positive significant relationship was found between the average grade of physical education teacher candidates and the decision-making dimension of the metacognitive thinking skills scale. In the study, it was also determined that the academic self-efficacy of the physical education teacher candidates was at a moderate level. It was observed that there was no significant difference in academic self-efficacy in terms of gender and grade level. While no significant relationship was found between age and academic self-efficacy of physical education teacher candidates, a significant relationship was found with average grade. Physical education teacher candidates had moderate level avarege in the general of the attitude scale for the profession of physical education teaching and the sub-dimension of the concern about the profession while they had high averages from the sub-dimension of the affection for the profession. Additionally, no significant difference was found in the attitudes of physical education teacher candidates towards the physical education teaching profession in terms of gender and the class level. However, with the ages and grade point averages of physical education teacher candidates, a significant relationship was determined in terms whole of the attitude scale towards the physical education teaching profession and the sub-dimension of affection to the profession. In the study, it was also determined that there was a positive and significant relationship between the metacognitive thinking skill levels of physical education teacher candidates and their academic self-efficacy and attitudes towards the teaching profession. Besides; it was seen that the metacognitive thinking skills of physical education teacher candidates were a significant predictor of their academic self-efficacy levels and their attitudes towards the physical education teaching profession.