The relationship between self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching and students' attitudes towards science

The purpose of this research is to examine the relations between the elementary school teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Science teaching and the attitudes of their students towards science classes. Relational model was used as a research method. Cluster sampling model was adapted as sampling model. Total of 55 elementary school teachers and 1041 students from their science classes were participants of this research. Two surveys were used as research gathering tools: a) self-efficacy beliefs towards science and technology classes survey (Bıkmaz, 2002) b) Attitudes Towards Science and technology classes survey (Yaşar ve Anagün, 2008). The data gathered from teachers were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, averages, t-test and ANOVA techniques and the data gathered from students were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, averages, Mann Whitney U ve Kruskal Wallis Tests. In addition, Pearson-Correlation coefficent was calculated in order to determine the relationship between the two tests. The results showed that the elementary school teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Science teaching is high. Additionally, their level of Self efficacy beliefs does not vary in relation to their gender, experience, the school type they work in, the faculties they graduated from and whether they like their occupation. Data suggest that elementary school students have positive attitudes towards science classes. Female students, students from urban schools, and students that want to work in science related jobs have significantly higher scores than their counter peers in attitudes survey. Moreover, the scores differentiate significantly as the students' families' income and their education level increases. No significant relation between the elementary school teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Science teaching and the attitudes of their students towards science classes was found. Keywords: Self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching, attitudes towards science, student attitudes, teachers self-efficacy