Preschool educational environments and preschool teachers' self-efficacy beliefs: Situation assessment and relationship analysis

This study was conducted to reveal the current status of kindergartens and preschool classes affiliated with the Ministry of National Education and the self-efficacy beliefs of preschool teachers and to reveal the relationship between them. This research was examined in the screening model, which is a quantitative research method. In the study, the education status of the teachers, class size, tenure, type of institution, age, institution's education period, presence of auxiliary personnel, socioeconomic level, gender, marital status variables were examined. The sample of the study consists of kindergartens and preschool classes affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the 2024-2025 academic year and 306 teachers working in these institutions. In order to collect data in the study, demographic information form, Preschool Education Environment Evaluation Scale and Preschool Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale were used. Statistical Package Program for Social Sciences (SPSS.20) program was used for the analysis of the data obtained with the data collection tools. Data analysis was done with various techniques appropriate to the purpose of the study and the data. When the obtained results were examined, t-test was performed to understand whether there was a difference. Accordingly, it was concluded that there was mostly no significant difference in the ECERS scale and its sub-dimensions according to the variable. In addition, the significant differences between the (ECERS) scale sub-dimensions and the teachers' education status variable in the personal care routines, furniture and tools, large and small muscle development, creative activities, social development and adult needs sub-dimensions and the ECERS total score according to the teachers' education status variable were in favor of preschool teachers who received postgraduate education. There was a significant difference between the ECERS scale sub-dimensions according to the school type in the personal care routines, furniture and tools, language and concept experiences, large and small muscle development activities, creative activities, social development and adult needs sub-dimensions and the total score, and the difference was in favor of kindergartens. There was no significant difference between the ECERS scale and its sub-dimensions and the education time variable. There was a significant difference between the ECERS scale total score and the presence of auxiliary personnel variable and a significant difference between the personal care routines and large and small muscle development activities. Keywords: Preschool Period, Teacher, Educational Environment, Quality, Self-Efficacy Belief.