Investigating the relationship between pre-service science teachers' social-emotional intelligence and science teaching self-efficacy beliefs

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the social emotional intelligence of science teacher candidates and the self-efficacy beliefs of science teaching. The study was conducted with a total of 223 teacher candidates, 174 women and 49 men, studying at 9 Eylül Üniversity. A survey model was used in the study. In accordance with the purpose of the research, Austin and other (1998) Emotional Intelligence Scale adapted to Turkish by Göçet and Abacı (2016), and Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale developed by Riggs and Enochs (1990) and adapted to Turkish by Bıkmaz (2002). The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS. As a result of the analysis, a significant difference was found between the scores they received from the emotional intelligence and science teaching self-efficacy beliefs scale in terms of grade level. As the class level increases, the scores they receive appear to be higher. In addition, no statistically significant difference was found between the scores obtained from the scales according to gender. A significant difference was found between the scores that teacher candidates received in relation to their family's income level in a sub-dimension of the Emotional Intelligence Scale and in a sub-dimension of the science teaching self-efficacy beliefs scale. Science teaching of teacher candidates with high income self-efficacy beliefs scale self-efficacy belief sub-dimension and Emotional Intelligence Scale taken from the sub-dimension of expressing emotions their scores are higher than those of teacher candidates with moderate income levels. According to the overall GPA, there was no significant difference between the scores that teacher candidates received from The Emotional Intelligence Scale. According to the overall grade point average, the teacher a significant difference was found between the scores that candidates received from the lower dimension of self-efficacy belief in science teaching self-efficacy beliefs scale. Self-efficacy beliefs scores increased as academic GPA increased. A positive correlation was found between the scores of teacher candidates from The Emotional Intelligence Scale and the science teaching self-efficacy beliefs scale. Findings, social emotional intelligence of teacher candidates and self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching the relationship between them was evaluated decisively. Keywords: Social emotional intelligence, Self-efficacy beliefs of science teaching, Science teacher candidates.