Pre-Service Student-Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs: An Insight Into the Making of Teachers

Oct 15, 2026

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Pre-service teacher education programs shape beginning teachers’ self-efficacy and identity, yet research remains limited on how beginning pre-service teachers construct these beliefs during training and how programs influence that development. This paper presents results from the first phase of a longitudinal study investigating what it means to be a teacher. In 2010, the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale was administered twice to beginning teachers in three programs, alongside collection of identity data.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Teacher self-efficacy

Sources of teacher self-efficacy

Influences on formation and judgments

Australian Journal of Teacher Education Pre-Service Student-Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs: An Insight Into the Making of Teachers Donna Pendergast Susanne Garvis Jayne Keogh Griffith University Abstract: Pre-service teacher education programs play an important role in the development of beginning teacher’ self-efficacy and identity. Research suggests that this development is influenced by the‘apprenticeship of learning’. However, there remains limited research about the self-efficacy beliefs and identity construction of beginning pre-service teachers entering teacher training, and the impact of the education programs on the development of these attributes. This paper reports on the first phase of a longitudinal study that investigates beginning pre-service teachers’ views of what it is to be a teacher. In 2010, the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) was administered twice (start and end of the year) to beginning pre-service teachers enrolled in three programs: the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education; the Graduate Diploma of Education-Primary; and the Graduate Diploma of Education – Secondary. Identity data in the form of text and visual representations of the teachers were also collected. This paper focuses on the results from the self-efficacy scale, highlighting the similarities and more notable contrasts in individual perceived ratings of teacher self-efficacy. Implications for further research are shared. Introduction Teacher self-efficacy is an important motivational construct that shapes teacher effectiveness in the classroom. Teachers with a high level of teacher self-efficacy have been shown to be more resilient in their teaching and likely to try harder to help all students to reach their potential. In contrast, teachers with a low level of teacher self-efficacy have been found to be less likely to try harder to reach the learning needs of all their students. It is for this reason that the investigation of the development of teacher self-efficacy in pre-service teacher education is important. During this time pre-service teachers undergo an‘apprenticeship of learning’. To date, few studies have examined Australian teacher self-efficacy beliefs. This paper works to partially address this gap in the research by reporting on the first phase of a longitudinal study that is investigating the development of teacher self-efficacy. In 2010, 175 pre-service teachers enrolled in various undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education programs at an Australian university completed a survey at the beginning of the academic year to provide a measurement of their teacher self-efficacy. All participants were in the first semester of their first year of their respective programs. During semester two (the end of the Vol 36, 12, December 2011 46 Australian Journal of Teacher Education academic year), 76 of these pre-service teachers completed the survey again. These participants included the majority of students who were enrolled in Graduate Diplomas of Early Childhood Education; of Education - Primary; and of Education – Secondary, but excluded any students enrolled in undergraduate programs. Findings in this paper discuss the similarities and more notable contrasts in the participants’ individual ratings of perceived teacher self-efficacy. Possible implications from these results are also shared. Teacher self-efficacy Self-efficacy beliefs operate as a key factor in a generative system of human competence (Bandura, 1997) . Teacher self-efficacy relates to the beliefs teachers hold about their own perceived capability in undertaking certain teaching tasks. Bandura (1997, p.3) defines self-efficacy as “beliefs in one’s capabilities to organise and execute the course of action required to produce given attainments”. Self-efficacy therefore influences thought patterns and emotions that enable classroom actions. In the context

FAQs

What is the focus of this paper?

The paper reports on the first phase of a longitudinal study examining beginning pre-service teachers’ views of what it is to be a teacher, emphasizing self-efficacy scale results.

How was teacher self-efficacy measured in 2010?

The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale was administered twice during the academic year (start and end) to beginning pre-service teachers enrolled in three teacher education programs.

Which programs were included in the 2010 study?

Participants were enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education, the Graduate Diploma of Education-Primary, and the Graduate Diploma of Education-Secondary, with undergraduate students excluded for the second survey.

Oct 15, 2026

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