ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Shirbagi   N. (1)
Rezaei   K. (2)
Zandi   K. (*)






(*) Education Department, Literature and Humanities Faculty, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
(1) Education Department, Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
(2) Education Department, Humanities Faculty, Shahr-e-rey Branch, Payam-e-Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Site of Phd Students, Literature and Humanities Faculty, Bu-Ali Sina University, Shahid Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Street, Hamedan, Iran. Postal Code: 6517838695
Phone: +988733787082
Fax: +988733787082
zandikhalil@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  May  23, 2015
Accepted:  August 1, 2015
ePublished:  August 10, 2015

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-6] In an attempt to prepare teachers 'self-efficacy inventory in regard to teaching science as inquiry, Dira-Smolleck [7] in his PHD dissertation with the title of "Invention and Validation of Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in regard to the Teaching of Sciences Course as Inquiry", has designed and validated a scale including 34 items which measures teachers 'self-efficacy in regard to teaching science in five dimensions (Table 1).

Non-declared

The aim of this study was to validate the teachers’ self-efficacy questionnaire in regard to the teaching of sciences course as inquiry.

This study is a cross-sectional survey.

Primary school teachers were studied in Sanandaj city (Iran) in 2014.

Using multistage cluster sampling, 303 teachers were selected as samples.

Data collection tool was the questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry. This questionnaire includes 34 items which measured teachers` self-efficacy in teaching sciences as inquiry in five dimensions of engaging learners with scientifically oriented issues, giving priority to scientific evidences, formulating of explanations, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and justifying of explanation [7]. The items to reply the questions in the questionnaire were based on the 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) and the method of grading was from "one" to "five". The inventory was translated by an English language teaching professional, a specialist in the field of educational management and a science teacher fluent in English. All three translations were compared and decision was made with respect to the modification and selection of the most appropriate translation. Content validity of the translated questionnaire was reviewed and approved by five experts in educational sciences. In order to evaluate the construct validity of the questionnaire, the First and Second Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis, to assess the internal consistency, Cronbach`s Alpha Coefficient and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient, and to evaluate teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to teaching science as a inquiry One-sample T-test were used. … [8-14]

Before examining the structure of the questionnaire of the teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of sciences as inquiry, the compliance with certain precondition parametric tests and especially preconditions of using factor analyses such as normality of data distribution, sample adequacy, and appropriateness of the data in factor analysis were assured. Then, construct validity of the questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to teaching of science as inquiry was examined through First Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Since t value corresponding to the load factor of all items in the questionnaire was higher than 1.96, it was found that the significant level 0.95 may be adequate description of the Self-efficacy Variable in teaching sciences as inquiry. After being sure that 34 considered parameters in the questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry can be adequate description of this variable, another issue was that whether these 34 parameters can be reduced to five main components of Dira-Smolleck or not. In order to evaluate this issue, the second order confirmatory factor analysis was used. The results showed that t-values for all factor loadings was higher than 1.96, and the confidence level of all the components was significantly less than 0.05. The findings, also, indicated that the dimension of engaging learners with scientifically oriented issues can be a descriptor of teachers` self-efficacy in teaching sciences as inquiry more than other dimensions. After this dimension, formulating of explanation, giving priority to scientific evidences, and connecting explanation to scientific knowledge had the important role in description of teachers` self-efficacy. The study of the goodness of fitness indicators, also, showed that most of the investigated parameters were indicators of good fitness of factor analysis model. Therefore, it can be said that the questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to teaching sciences inquiry is a good descriptor of this variable and factor structure of the questionnaire including 34 items and 5 dimensions of engaging learners with scientifically oriented issues, giving priority to scientific evidences, formulating of explanation, connecting explanation to scientific knowledge and communicating and justifying of explanation is confirmed. In examining the reliability of the questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to teaching science as inquiry, Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient was obtained as 0.844 and Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient of the dimensions were in the range of 0.709 to 0.744. Split-half Coefficient between two halves of the questionnaire was equal to 0.862, and Split-half Spearman Correlation Coefficient for the dimensions of the questionnaire was between 0.713 and 0.757. Since Internal Consistency Coefficient was higher than 0.7 in both Cronbach's Alpha and Split-half methods, the reliability of the questionnaire of teachers ‘self-efficacy in regard to teaching of science as inquiry was confirmed. After determining the validity and reliability of the questionnaire of teachers` self-efficacy in regard to teaching science as inquiry, in other part of study, the self-efficacy of Sanandaj primary school teachers was investigated using One-sample T-test. The results showed that the mean score of self-efficacy of teachers in teaching sciences as inquiry was equal to 3.05 ± 3.00. Since t-value was not significant in the error level less than 0.05, it can be said that the level of teachers` self-efficacy in regard to teaching sciences as inquiry was moderate. Also, the study of teachers` self-efficacy based on the dimensions of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to teaching sciences as inquiry showed that the means of three self-efficacy dimensions including formulating of explanation, connecting explanation to scientific knowledge and communicating and justifying the explanation were significantly higher than the moderate level. Mean efficacy of teachers in learners` engagement with scientifically oriented issues was less than moderate level, and finally, teachers` self-efficacy in regard to giving priority to scientific evidences was moderate.

The above 34-item questionnaire can be a good descriptor of self-efficacy of teachers teaching sciences as a research-based course that can be reduced to five self-efficacy variables of engaging students with scientific issues, giving priority to scientific evidences, formulating of explanation, connecting explanation to scientific knowledge and communicating and justifying of explanation. These results confirm the findings of Dira-Smolleck who developed a questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry. The results were, also, in line with the views of Bruner [3] and Dellinger et al [15] who implicitly mentioned to the importance of teachers’ attention in linking learners` experience to scientific knowledge. … [16-25]

Using the results of the study and its generalization should be carried out utilizing the results of other complementary studies.

The limitations of this study were the difficulty of achieving inclusive definition of inquiry in the course of science, the possibility of conservative attitudes of some teachers to respond to the questionnaire, loss of some too busy participants.

The questionnaire of teacher`s self-efficacy in regard to the teaching science as inquiry is usable in Iran.

The officials of Department of Education in Kurdetan province and districts one and two of Sanandaj city as well as participating teachers are appreciated.

The results of current study have no conflict with the interests of any organization.

The distribution of questionnaires and selection of samples were conducted taking into account ethical consideration such as obtaining permission from Department of Education in Kurdestan province, obligating of confidentiality of people`s opinions, respecting the people`s right to participate or not participate in the study and observing other conducted research ethics.

All costs of research have been funded by the authors.

TABLES and CHARTS

Show attach file


CITIATION LINKS

[1]Ranjdoost Sh. Studying the utilization of constructivism theory and problem solving method in the development of guidance school science text books. Res Curric Plan. 2011;8(3):11-27. [Persian]
[2]Strong RW, Silver HF, Perini MJ. Teaching what matters most: Standard and strategies for raising student's achievement. New York: ASCD Pub; 2004.
[3]De Koning E, Hamers JHM, Sijtsma K, Vermeer A. Teaching inductive reasoning in primary education. Dev Rev. 2002;(22):211-41.
[4]Amini D, Afrooz Gh, Ahadi H, Sharifi Daramadi P, Hooman HA. Compare the effect of strategic thinking, inductive and traditional education methods on student achievement mental retarded students in science class fifth grade in Hamedan. Psychol Except Individ. 2001;1(2):1-19. [Persian]
[5]Harlen W. Effective teaching of science: A review of research. Edinburgh: Scottish Council for Research in Education; 1999.
[6]Ostadhasanloo H, Faraji Khiyavi Z, Shokrollahi R. Analyze the content the fourth and fifth of sciences book based on educational goals of Merrill. Res Curric Plan. 2012;9(6):117-30. [Persian]
[7]Dra-Smolleck L. The development and validation of an instrument to measure preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry [Dissertation]. Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University; 2004.
[8]Abdullahi B. The role of self-efficacy in empowerment. Scientific J Train Management (Tadbir). 2006;17(168):35-40. [Persian]
[9]Zajacova A, Lynch SM, Espenshade TJ. Self-efficacy, stress, and academic success in college. J Res High Educ. 2005;46(6):677-706.
[10]Rajabi Gh, Shahny Yeylagh M, Shokrkon H, Haghighi G. The relationship between casual sex, previous math performance, perceived self-efficacy in mathematics resources, goal setting, self-efficacy in mathematics and further mathematics performance attribution style in the second year high school students in Ahwaz. J Educ Psychol. 2005;12(3):101-36. [Persian]
[11]Emamjomeh M. Relationship between emotional intelligence and academic self-efficacy and goal orientation in the humanities and engineering students at Tehran University [Dissertation]. Tehran University; 2007. [Persian]
[12]Kurt T, Duyar I, Calik T. Are we legitimate yet?: A closer look at the casual relationship mechanisms among principal leadership, teacher selfefficacy and collective efficacy. J Management Dev. 2011;31(1):71-86.
[13]Coutinho SA, Neuman G. A model of meta-cognition, achievement goal orientation, learning style and self-efficacy. J Learn Environ Res. 2008;11(2):131-51.
[14]Jaafari P, Ghourchian N, Behboodian J, Shahidi N. Developing a structural model for relationships among slf-efficacy, competencies and organizational commitment with teaching quality of faculty members. Q J Res Plan High Educ. 2012;18(2):61-82. [Persian]
[15]Dellinger AB, Bobbett JJ, Olivier DF, Ellett CD. Measuring teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs: Development and use of the TEBS-Self. Teach Teach Educ. 2008; 24(3):751-766.
[16]Friedman IA, Kass E. Teacher self-efficacy: A classroom-organization conceptualization. Teach Teach Educ. 2002;18(6):675-86.
[17]Ghalaei B, Kadivar P, Sarami Gh, Esfandiari M. Assessment of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs model as determinant of their job satisfaction and students’ academic achievement. Res Curric Plan. 2012;9(5):95-107. [Persian]
[18]Wolters CA, Daugherty SG. Goal structures and teacher s sense of efficacy: Their relation and association to teaching experience and academic level. J Educ Psychol. 2007;(99):181-93.
[19]Chen W. The structure of secondary school teacher job satisfaction and its relationship with attrition and work enthusiasm. Chine Educ Soc. 2007;40(5):17-31.
[20]Caprara GV, Barbaranelli C, Borgogni L, Petitta L, Rubinacci A. Teachers’, school staff’s and parents’ efficacy beliefs as determinants of attitudes toward school. Euro J Psychol Educ. 2003;18(1):15-31.
[21]Ross JA. Teacher efficacy and the effect of coaching on student motivation. Can J Educ. 1992;17(1):51-65.
[22]Pirkamali MA, Momeni Mahmuei H, Pakdaman M. Review of the relationship between self-efficacy of science teachers on motivation, attitude and academic achievement of fifth grade elementary school students. Res Curric Plan. 2013;2(10):123-35. [Persian]
[23]Chan D. Teacher self-efficacy and successful sntelligence among Chinese secondary school seachers in Hong Kong. Educa Psychol. 2008;28(7):735–46.
[24]Karimzadeh Shirazi M, Razavieh A, Kave MH. The relationship between quality of life (QOL) and self-efficacy (SE) of the teachers from Shahrekord. J Shahrekord Uni Med Sci. 2008;10(1):28-35. [Persian]
[25]Zahed A, Namvar Y, Nobakht Sh. The relationship between job satisfaction and self-city school teachers in the academic year 2009-10 Meshkinshahr. Learn Eval (Educ). 2009;2(8):107-28. [Persian]