Classroom Ready? Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Their First Professional Experience Placement

Oct 15, 2026

Investigates teacher self-efficacy (TSE) among 90 secondary pre-service teachers before their first teaching practice and identifies factors shaping their ratings. Adapts the Scale for Teacher Self-Efficacy (STSE) by adding open-ended questions and analyzes quantitative data with SPSS and qualitative responses with NVivo. Findings indicate a relatively lower TSE level than prior studies, with classroom management as the primary concern. Discusses implications, limitations, and recommendations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical Framework

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 43 | Issue 7 | Article 8 | | --- | --- | 2018 Classroom Ready? Pre-Service Teachers’ SelfEfficacy for Their First Professional Experience Placement Kang MA Macquarie University, [kang.ma1@students.mq.edu.au](kang.ma1@students.mq.edu.au) Michael S. Cavanagh Macquarie University, [michael.cavanagh@mq.edu.au](michael.cavanagh@mq.edu.au) Recommended Citation MA, K., & Cavanagh, M. S. (2018). Classroom Ready? Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Their First Professional Experience Placement. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43 (7). [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v43n7.8](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v43n7.8) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol43/iss7/8](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol43/iss7/8) Australian Journal of Teacher Education Classroom Ready? Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Their First Professional Experience Placement Kang Ma Michael Cavanagh Macquarie University Abstract: This study investigates the level of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) among 90 secondary preservice teachers (PSTs) before their first teaching practice and the factors which influenced their ratings. The Scale for Teacher Self-Efficacy (STSE) (Pfitzner-Eden, Thiel, & Horsley, 2014) was adapted by adding some open-ended questions. Data were analysed via SPSS and NVivo separately. Results show a relatively lower level of TSE compared with previous research and classroom management was of greatest concern. PSTs reported factors such as lacking teaching experience, previous informal teaching and other relevant experience, teacher education program, personal qualities and characteristics, and teacher-student relationship. Implications, limitations, and suggestions from the study are discussed. Introduction Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) is the extent to which teachers, including pre-service teachers (PSTs), believe they are capable of achieving certain specific teaching goals. This concept has been applied as a subjective indicator of how well prepared a teacher is to carryout actions in order to achieve future teaching goals. Investigations into TSE have identified its role in improving teachers’ commitment to the profession (Chesnut & Cullen, 2014), their willingness to implement innovative teaching practices (Kavanoz, Yüksel, & Özcan, 2015) , and the learning achievement of students (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Steca, & Malone, 2006) . TSE is most malleable when teachers are undertaking their initial teacher education studies (Winters, 2012) and its most dramatic changes have been found during PSTs’ professional placement (Tschannen-Moran, Hoy, & Hoy, 1998) when they integrate their theoretical coursework into“real” teaching. Furthermore, it is extremely challenging to modify TSE once it has been established (Wheatley, 2005) . Previous research on TSE has been predominantly quantitative (Klassen, Tze, Betts,& Gordon, 2011), mainly through the use of scales (Kazempour, 2014). To keep an open mind on any potential factor that could influence PSTs’ TSE, the present study also includes qualitative data through the use of open-ended survey questions where participants could provide information about the reasons for their ratings on the TSE scales. The study examined TSE for a group of secondary PSTs shortly before their first professional experience placement in order to identify their reported levels ofTSE and the factors which they believed had influenced these levels. Vol 43, 7, July 2018 134 Australian Journal of Teacher Education Theoretical Framework Initially, the locus of control (Rotter, 1966) inspired research on TSE. The lack of any discrepancy between the efficacy expectation and outcome expectation and their differing roles in human being’s behaviour was raised by Bandura (1977) . He clarified that, despite people believing that certain behaviours can produce d

FAQs

What does the study examine about pre-service teachers?

It examines the level of teacher self-efficacy among 90 secondary pre-service teachers before their first professional experience placement.

How is teacher self-efficacy measured in the study?

The study uses the Scale for Teacher Self-Efficacy (STSE), adapted with additional open-ended questions.

What key concerns and influencing factors are reported by participants?

Results show relatively lower TSE than earlier research, with classroom management as the greatest concern. Reported factors include lacking teaching experience, prior informal teaching and relevant experiences, teacher education program, personal qualities, and teacher-student relationships.

Oct 15, 2026

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