What are the relationships among program delivery, classroom experience, content knowledge, and demographics on pre-service teachers' self-efficacy?

2012-11-21This study examines the relationship between self-efficacy development with program delivery, and prior experience. The student demographic categories of age, ethnicity, gender, content area, and first generation status was also examined against level of self-efficacy. Sixty six students from the online and on-campus cohorts of the Masters of Arts in Teaching program at the University of Southern California were questioned using a 24 point Likert type self efficacy survey for pre-service teachers. Overall self- efficacy was broken down into three subscales: classroom management, innovative teaching practice, and student engagement). Results showed no significant difference in overall self-efficacy or the subscales between the online and on-campus cohorts, or prior experience. Further, the demographics of age, ethnicity, gender, and content area did not account for any variance in self-efficacy development. However, it was found that first generation college status of participants did have a significant difference in self-efficacy development. Students who were first in their families to attend college had a higher level of self-efficacy than those whose parents already attended college