The investigation of the relationship between preschool teacher candidates' beliefs of self-efficacy and their attitudes about computer-assisted instruction

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of preschool teacher candidates' beliefs of self-efficacy and their attitudes about computer-assisted instruction and to what extent is it. The study was conducted with volunteer teacher candidates who studied at Firat, Cumhuriyet, Amasya, Ahi Evran and Dicle Universities in 2017-2018 academic year. Mixed model was used in this study. The study data were collected through "Preschool Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale", "Computer-Assisted Instruction Attitude Scale", and interview forms. The quantitative research part of study was conducted acoording to correlational survey model from the kinds of general survey models. Forqualitative research part, the chosen 10 students from each specified university were interviewed. Preshool Teachers' Self Efficacy Beliefs Scale which developed by Tepe and Demir (2011) consists of 37 items with five point likert. Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient was calculated as .97 for theoverall scale. In the current study, Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient was dedected as .96. Computer-Assisted Instruction Attitude Scale which developed by Arslan (2006) consists of 20 items 10 of them positive, and 10 negative with five point likert. Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient which calculated to reveal the reliability of scale, was found as .93. In the current study, Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient was dedected as .91. The analysis of quantitative data was analyzed with statistical package SPSS-21, and qualitative data was analyzed by two different researchers. Following the study, it was determined that female preschool teacher canditates who conducted the Preshool Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale had higher level of self-efficacy than male preschool teacher candidates. Following the conducted scale, a meaningful difference was not determined between 3rd grade and 4th grade preschool teacher candidates' self-efficacy levels. The attitudes of teacher candidates who conducted the Computer-Assisted Instruction Attitude did not differ in terms of gender, and variable of whether they had their own Internet connection or not. It was determined that 4th grade preschool teacher candidates' had a higher level of attitude for computer-assisted instruction than 3rd grade preschool teachers. It was determined that teachers who had their own computers had a higher level of attitude for computer-assisted instruction than the teachers who did not have their own computers. Teacher candidates who used the computer for 3-4 hours per day had a higher level of attitude for computer-assisted instruction than teacher candidates who used the computer for 1-2hours, and the ones never used it per day. Teacher candidates who used the computer for 5 hours and over per day had a higher level of attitude for computer-assisted instruction than teacher candidates who never used it per day. However, following the correlation calculations, a positive and meaningful relation at low level was determined between preschool teacher candidates' self-efficacy beliefs and their attitudes for computer-assisted instruction. In qualitative dimension of study, five themes were determined following the computer-assisted instruction. These themes are preschool teachers candidates'; situations they find adequated themselves at teaching profession in the future, importance of having skill of using computer at teaching profession in the future, competence of preparing and performing activities for their students by benefiting from computer, having a computer-assisted class-activity, the efforts to improve themselves. These determined themes and codes showed that quantitative and qualitative results of study were parallel. This is because of reaching the results which support each other. Teacher candidates' who had their own computers, attitudes for having a computer-assisted class were higher, and they also mentioned about many importances of having the skill of use computer. In this regard, sparing more time for computer-assisted instruction centered activities especially at classes was suggested. Thus, it can be benefited more from the positive impacts of computer-assisted instruction. The study was offered with a different participant groupand in a more long practise term.