Examining the relationship between pre-service elementary mathematics teachers' self-efficacy beliefs towards mathematics teaching and their self-regulated learning skills

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between pre-service elementary mathematics teachers' self-efficacy beliefs towards mathematics teaching and self-regulated learning skills and to determine the differences, if any, with different variables.. The sample of the study consisted of 215 pre-service teachers studying in the Department of Elementary Mathematics Teaching at Akdeniz University. As a data collection tool, "Self-Efficacy Scale for Mathematics Teaching" developed by Demir (2011) was used to determine the self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers towards mathematics teaching and "Self-Regulatory Learning Scale" developed by Turan (2009) was used to determine their self-regulatory learning skills. In data analysis, descriptive statistics of scale scores were used to determine the level of self-efficacy towards mathematics teaching and self-regulated learning. NOVA test was applied to determine the differences of our variables in terms of gender, grade level, graduated high school, predominant region of pre-university education, reasons for choosing elementary mathematics teaching, and working in a job related to mathematics such as private tutoring / tutoring center / study center etc. and Pearson Correlation Analysis was used to examine the relationship between the variables. As a result of the study, a significant positive relationship was found between self-efficacy beliefs towards mathematics teaching and self-regulated learning skills. While there was no significant difference in self-efficacy towards mathematics teaching between gender, grade level, high school graduated from, and the predominant region of pre-university education, it was found that the scores of those who preferred elementary mathematics teaching because they liked it and those who worked in private tutoring / tutoring center / study center related to mathematics were statistically significantly higher. No significant difference was found between the variables of self-regulated learning and gender, grade level, graduated high school, predominant region of pre-university education, reasons for choosing elementary mathematics teaching, and working in a private course/course/ tutoring center/ study center etc. related to mathematics. Keywords: Self efficacy for mathematics teaching, self regulated learning