Preservice English language teachers? self-efficacy beliefs, goal orientations and participation in online learning environment: A study of a distance English language teacher education program

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships among preservice English language teachers? self-efficacy beliefs, goal orientations, and participation in online learning environment. Quantitative methodology was applied to obtain and analyze data on the relationships among the variables. The findings were collected through four questionnaires via an online survey during the spring semester of 2011-2012 academic year. Participants were 186 students enrolled at Anadolu University Open Education Faculty Distance English Language Teacher Education Program.The findings suggested that preservice English language teachers viewed themselves as highly efficacious. Moreover, they do not possess one goal orientation, but instead possess a combination of goal orientations. The results also indicated statistically no relationship between preservice teachers? self-efficacy beliefs and participating in online learning environment and between goal orientations and participating in online learning environment. The results also revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between preservice teachers? self-efficacy beliefs and mastery goal orientations. The results as well as their implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are presented.