Primary school teachers self efficacy perceptions and attitudes about the constructivist approach

The aim of this research is to determine primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes about the constructivist approach and to reveal the relationship between primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes about constructivist approach. Additionally, in this research it is aimed to investigate whether primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward constructivist approach differ as a function of with respect to certain variables (genders, the location they are working at, education levels (undergraduate or master degree), years of experience in teaching, the subject area they are working, participating in in-service training program on constructivist approach. In the research, descriptive method was used and the research was conducted during the fall semester of 2011-2012 academic year. The participants of the research were 609 (379 females and 230 males) primary school teachers working in Kırklareli voluntarily. In the present research, the quantitative data were collected through ?Self Efficacy Beliefs Scale for the Implementation of the Constructivist Approach in Science and Technology Courses for Preservice Teachers? developed by Evrekli, Ören ve İnel (2010) and ?Attitude Towards Constructivist Approach Scale for Preservice Science Teachers? developed by Evrekli, İnel, Balım ve Kesercioğlu (2009). Meanwhile, the researcher performed the reliability and validity studies of the scales; besides, the scales were adopted to the present research, because of the fact that the aforementioned scales were developed for different groups of participants whose subject areas were also different. In order to analyse the data collected, SPSS 17 and AMOS 16 were used by the researcher. Through this program, mean and standard deviation were used. MANOVA, Tukey Tests, and Correlation were used. The findings of this research can be summarized as follows: Primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions about the implementation of the constructivist approach were found to be high in all dimensions of the ?Self Efficacy Perceptions of Teachers about the Implementation of the Constructivist Approach Scale?. When the sub-dimensions of Self Efficacy Perceptions of Teachers about the Implementation of the Constructivist Approach Scale? was taken into consideration, it was seen that while primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions was the highest in ?activating students? dimension and primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions was the lowest in ?alternative assessment? dimension of the scale. While no significant difference was found in primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions about constructivist approach in terms of their genders, the subject area they are working,and education levels (to have undergraduate or master degrees) were considered, significant differences were found in primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions about constructivist approach in terms of the location they are working at, years of experience in teaching, participating in in-service training program on constructivist approach. Primary school teachers? attitudes about the implementation of the constructivist approach were found to be close to high moderate level in all dimensions of the ?Attitudes of Teachers about the Implementation of the Constructivist Approach Scale?. When the sub-dimensions of ?Attitudes of Teachers about the Implementation of the Constructivist Approach Scale? was regarded, it was seen that primary school teachers? attitudes is the highest in ?getting information? dimension and primary school teachers? attitudes was the lowest in ?implementation? dimension of the scale. While no significant difference was found in primary school teachers? attitudes about constructivist approach when their genders, location they are working at, years of experience, the subject area they are working at and education levels (to have undergraduate or master degrees) were considered, significant differences were found in primary school teachers? attitudes about constructivist approach when their participating in in-service training program on constructivist approach are concerned. Furthermore positive, moderate and significant level relationships were found between primary school teachers? self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward constructivist approach by the end of the present research. Key Words: Constructivist Approach, Self-Efficacy Perceptions, Attitudes, Primary School Teachers