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“I Didn’T Always Perceive Myself As A Science Person”: Examining Efficacy For Primary Science Teaching, Caroline F. Mansfield, Amanda Woods-Mcconney

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher efficacy has become an important field of research especially in subjects teachers may find challenging, such as science. This study investigates the sources of teachers’ efficacy for teaching science in primary schools in the context of authentic teaching situations with a view to better understanding sources of teachers’ efficacy beliefs. Twenty-four teachers participated in focus group interviews to enable in-depth exploration of the sources of efficacy for teaching science. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach guided by a conceptual framework for efficacy in science teaching. Findings show efficacy to be influenced by mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, physiological …