Analysis of variables that effect teaching learning approaches of primary school teachers by structural equation model

The changes in education system cause diversities in the role of teachers in practice. With these changes ensuring transition from traditional approach to constructivist approach, teachers are expected to prepare an atmosphere where the students construct information and participate actively in classroom. However it is observed that teachers do not apply the activities of the constructivist approach in the classroom. In this respect, it is very meaningful to be examined in primary school teachers' teaching learning approaches. In this study, it is aimed to be examined the variables affecting primary school teachers' teaching learning approaches on a statistical model. The sample of the study consists of 300 primary school teachers working in Kırkağaç and Soma districts of Manisa province in the 2018-2019 academic year. According to the literature, there are various direct or indirect effects on teaching learning approaches such as epistemological beliefs, self- efficacy perceptions, individual innovativeness positions, gender, branch and length of service. Considering these variables, a theoretical model was established, and it was tested with the path analysis method. However, the fit indexes of the first established model weren't in acceptable limits. Then, based on literature a new model was set up with some changes in the first model, and the results obtained from the second model indicate that the established model is compatible with the data. According to the model, the teachers who have sophisticated epistemological beliefs mostly prefer constructive approaches in their teaching-learning approaches. As general self-efficacy and individual innovativeness increase, epistemological beliefs and teaching learning approaches are affected positively. In this case, it can be said that as epistemological beliefs, individual innovativeness have direct effect; general self-efficacy, gender, branch, and length of service have indirect effects on the teachers' teaching learning approaches. This study has an original contribution to literature in terms of teaching learning approaches which were affected by variables including an examination of active working primary school teachers.