Examination of the relationship between teacher self-efficacy percepti̇ons and proffessional concerns of physical education teacher candidates and other teacher candi̇dates

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between teacher self-efficacy perceptions and professional concerns of teacher candidates studying in physical education teaching department and teacher candidates studying in different teaching departments. The study group, who voluntarily participated in the research, consists of Aksaray University Faculty of Education teacher candidates and Aksaray University Sports Sciences Faculty physical education teacher candidates who continue their education in the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 331 pre-service teachers from the Faculty of Education and 116 pre-service teachers from the Faculty of Sport Sciences participated in the study. The "Vocational Anxiety Scale for Teacher Candidates", the validity and reliability study of which was conducted by Cabı, Yalçınalp (2013) in order to determine the professional anxiety levels of teacher candidates, was adapted into Turkish by Çapa, Çakıroğlu, Sarıkaya (2005) in order to determine the self-efficacy levels of teacher candidates. The "Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale", for which validity and reliability studies were carried out, was applied as a data collection tool. In order to determine the current qualifications of the sample group, a "Personal Information Form" containing a total of eight items (age, gender, grade level, department, income status, place of education, whether they chose the department they studied voluntarily, grade point averages) was used. The analysis of the information obtained with the data collection tools in the research was carried out in the computer environment using the "SPSS (25) for Windows" package program. Descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA analyzes were used within the scope of the sub-objectives of the research.According to the findings obtained, it was determined that the scores of the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale did not show a statistically significant difference according to the department. Occupational Anxiety Scale Student/Communication-Centered Anxiety dimension scores differ significantly according to the department variable. It was observed that the Student/Communication-Centered Anxiety dimension scores of the participants studying in the physical education department were higher than the participants studying in other departments. According to the findings, there was a significant difference between pre-service teachers' self-efficacy scores and income level variable, while significant differences emerged between pre-service teachers' professional anxiety scores and income status, gender, and department variables. It was determined that the scores of the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale did not show a statistically significant difference according to the variables of gender, place of education, age, class, grade point average and department. Occupational Anxiety Scale Student/Communication Centered Anxiety dimension scores differ significantly according to the department variable. It was observed that the Student/Communication-Centered Anxiety dimension scores of the participants studying in the physical education department were higher than the participants studying in other departments. It was concluded that there is a positive correlation between the professional anxiety and teacher self-efficacy scores of physical education teacher candidates. In addition, it was observed that there was a positive correlation between pre-service teachers' self-efficacy scores and their professional anxiety scores.