The effect of pre-service science teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs, professional anxiety, and attitudes on their professional readiness levels

Teachers are among the most important elements that constitute the fundamental structure of education. Teacher education, teacher employment, and the future of the teaching profession hold great significance. In particular, science teachers play a critical role in raising scientifically literate individuals and in developing the scientific thinking skills of the new generation. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of pre-service science teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs, professional anxieties, and attitudes on their readiness for the teaching profession. In the study, a mixed-methods design combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted. The study group consisted of pre-service science teachers (n=29) who were senior students in the Department of Science Education at the Faculty of Education, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. As data collection instruments, the "Professional Anxiety Scale for Pre-Service Teachers," the "Attitude Scale Toward the Teaching Profession," the "Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale," and the "Readiness for the Teaching Profession Questionnaire for Pre-Service Teachers" were used. Descriptive analysis was conducted for the quantitative data, followed by an examination of the correlations among the scale scores. The qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. According to the quantitative findings, a moderate, negative, and significant relationship was found between pre-service teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs and their professional anxiety, as well as between their professional attitudes and professional anxiety. It was determined that the pre-service teachers experienced the highest level of anxiety regarding appointment (teacher employment), that all participants had high levels of professional self-efficacy beliefs, and that their professional attitudes were generally positive. According to the qualitative findings, pre-service teachers generally defined teaching through an innovative teacher model, stated that they chose the profession because they loved it, and wanted to contribute to society. The participants expressed that their strengths were in communication and social skills, and that they needed diction training and support from experienced teachers to achieve professional success. This study contributes to the literature by addressing the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of pre-service science teachers toward the teaching profession in an integrated manner. Furthermore, it provides important data that can guide the development of teacher education policies. In order to reduce the professional anxiety of pre-service teachers, it is recommended that long-term planning be carried out regarding teacher employment, and that teacher education programs allocate more emphasis to subject-matter knowledge and practical training courses. Keywords: Professional anxiety, professional attitude, teacher self-efficacy, professional readiness, science teacher candidates