A study on the examination of differences in terms of locus of control of self-efficacy beliefs in elementary school teachers science and technology

The aim of this study is to examine the self-efficacy beliefs of elementary school teachers in teaching science and technology in terms of gender, college or faculty graduated from, department, years of experience in teaching and locus of control. The sampling of the research consisted of 280 classroom teachers who were chosen by purposeful sampling in 41 primary schools in the central province of Afyonkarahisar. Two different surveys were used in the study as data collecting means. The first survey, `Rotter?s Internal - External Locus of Control Scale?, which aims at determining the `locus of control?, and the second one, which intends to indicate self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science and technology, is `A Scale of Self-efficacy Beliefs of Elementary School Teachers in Teaching Science?. The findings obtained from this study were analyzed by using descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency), independent samplings for t-tests and a one-way analysis of variance.The results obtained from this study have indicated that The Science and Technology Teaching Efficacy Beliefs in Elementary School Teachers do not show any significant differences by gender. While a considerable difference in self-efficacy belief of elementary school teachers regarding colleges or faculties they were graduated from was observed in general and in a sub factor of efficacy, the outcome expectancy factor of sub-factors showed no differences. When the differences of elementary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions were examined in terms of branches, in general self-efficacy beliefs and in the efficacy factor of sub-factors, as regards different branches, significant statistical variations were noted. As for years of teaching experiences of elementary school teachers? self-efficacy beliefs, significant differences in all factors were observed. When the differences of self-efficacy beliefs of elementary school teachers? in teaching science and technology was examined regarding locus of control, a meaningful statistical difference in the self-efficacy belief in general and in the efficacy factor in the sub-factors was identified; in the outcome expectancy factor of the sub-factors, no significant difference was determined.Key Words : Self-efficacy Belief, Locus of audit (control), Science and Technology Courses, Elementary School Teachers.