Science teachers and pre-service science teachers' science teaching efficacy belief levels in the support education room in terms of some variables

The aim of this study was to develop science teaching efficacy belief scale in the support education room to determine science teachers and pre-service science teachers' science teaching efficacy belief levels. This study was also investigated whether the science teaching efficacy belief levels of science teachers and pre-service science teachers in the support education room differ according to certain variables. Another purpose of the study is to reveal the predictive effect of certain variables on science teachers and pre-service science teachers' science teaching efficacy belief levels. Non-experimental quantitative research methods were used in this study. Data were collected from 336 science teachers and pre-service science teachers for scale development stage. Item analyses, explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed at the scale development stage. After analyses, the scale consisted of 35 items with five sub-dimensions. These dimensions were called awareness, preparation, teaching strategies, outcome expectancy and evaluation. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was found as .92. The scale developed in the study was applied to 287 science teachers and pre-service science teachers in order to determine the predictive effect of certain variables on the science teachers and pre-service science teachers' science teaching efficacy belief levels in the support education room. It was used for the independent sample t-test, Mann Whitney U test, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis test to determine whether participants' science teaching efficacy belief levels differed according to certain variables. In addition, multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the predictor effect of certain variables on participants' science teaching efficacy belief levels. The results of the study revealed significant differences in favor of fourth grade pre-service science teachers and participants who took special education courses. In addition, a negative relationship was found between science teachers' workload and science teaching efficacy belief levels for evaluation sub-dimension. On the other hand, it was determined that there is a positive relationship between professional experience and the responsibilities to teach science to special education students for outcome expectancy sub-dimension. Another result of the study revealed that collaboration with special education teachers, parents and school administration increased the science teaching efficacy belief levels of science teachers. In addition, there was no relationship between science teachers' support education room experience and their science teaching efficacy belief levels. According to the results of the study, it was determined that gender, affective tendencies, self-confidence and knowledge and skills related to mainstreaming/inclusion and evaluation were significant predictors of science teaching efficacy belief levels. In order to contribute to the educational literature in this study, a scale was developed that determined the science teachers and pre-service science teachers' science teaching efficacy belief levels in the support education room and with the developed scale, it was determined how the science teaching efficacy belief levels of the participants differed according to some variables. It was thought that the results of this study will be useful for science educators, policy makers in education, managers and researchers.