Modelo estadístico

The construction of the SETSIS aims to support the effective transformation of the new science primary curriculum. The SETSIS is designed to be able to identify levels of self-efficacy in teaching using science inquiry skills among PSTs. The result can provide an initial description of PSTs’ future capabilities in implementing the

curriculum in classrooms.

8.3.1 Implication for teacher educators

Firstly, the study was able to establish a valid and reliable TSE tool to measure self- efficacy in specific context of task. In working towards preparing PSTs to implement the reform-based strategies in the classroom, the SETSIS helps teacher educators to identify the level of self-efficacy in the subject knowledge (KE) in the individual PST, and in advance identify the perceived capability in teaching practice (PTE) of using science inquiry skills. The additional information of OBE can also be used to assess PSTs’ ground beliefs and perceptions about the teaching task given in the training duration. Teacher educators can easily get straight-forward information about the PSTs belief from the SETSIS throughout the training programme. Having the assessment information in the level of self-efficacy can create awareness about the PSTs’ personal beliefs in the reform strategies. It is important to acknowledge the PSTs’ beliefs (self-efficacy) as it brings about necessary reform-based pedagogy strategies (Lumpe et al., 2012). PSTs need to feel that they are capable of

implementing reform strategies successfully. With information at hand, and one way to make PSTs feel capable to implement the strategies is to promote adequate training in the reform strategies.

Secondly, the predictive models of the SETSIS suggests negative impact on the confidence of personal teaching practice to PSTs’ knowledge of science inquiry skills and PSTs’ teaching practice. The correlation models (section 7.1.1.3 and section 7.1.2.3) from the substantive findings reflect belief of PSTs in teacher knowledge of teaching science using science inquiry skills. It explains about contrary belief factors that may not be detected from the cognitive test (Hafizan, Halim and Meerah, 2012) or practice assessment (Hairiah and Keong 2011).

The direct-measure of the self-efficacy in teaching using science inquiry skills seems to provide an alternative measure for the constraint of contrary outcomes between PSTs’ belief position with their knowledge possession, and with their teaching

practice performance. The contrary direction of contributed self-efficacy factors in inferring ITE teaching practices in the findings of this study should be checked. It informs teacher educators of the lack of factors in belief for the unsuccessful implementation of PSTs knowledge in teaching practice of using science inquiry skills in the classroom. As Wheatley (2002, p.9) asserts ‘disequilibrium inherently

causes and involves uncertainty’, that means concern about reforms that require

teacher educators to make fundamental changes to practice that do not align with the curriculum will not make the implementation successful. Therefore, teacher educators should be concerned whether reform-teaching strategies learned during training match PSTs’ beliefs in their capability to implement the knowledge. Having the access to find out the level of the PSTs’ self-efficacy can help teacher educators to identify cases and provide support to challenge the existence beliefs and

strengthen the source of self-efficacy, which may result in positive development in implementing policy practice.

Information gathered from the three components of the measure can may be able to facilitate teacher educators to infer future potential implementation of the teaching knowledge learned in the science inquiry classroom. For instance, if the outcomes show high efficacy in OBE but not with KE and PTE, teacher educators may develop a strategy to help provide confidence in using science inquiry skills in their classroom teaching while strengthening the subject knowledge and the teaching practice

mastery. On the contrary outcomes, teacher educators may provide open

discussions to challenge their outcome expectancy belief and develop positive belief persuasion in using science inquiry skills rather than focusing solely on the cognitive development in the training provided. It is important to maintain positive levels of self-efficacy belief as it is essential to make PST less likely to give up when encountering difficulty to deliver science using science inquiry skills in their future teaching career (Pajares, 1992; Bandura, 1994; Zimmerman, 2000) and at once, give them the positive impact to their development in the teaching of science. Thus, it is recommended for the teacher educators to assess the affective component along with training assessment for personal evaluation, which is important for PSTs’ education development (Darling-Hammond, 2006).

Lastly, the study argues that the SETSIS promotes links to PSTs development in teacher’s knowledge. It shows general positive increment in self-efficacy during training; yet, it is also able to identify evidence of doubt caused by the “reality shock” of teaching experiences indicated by decreasing self-efficacy beliefs (Ruys, Van Keer Hilde and Aelterman Antonia, 2011). Teacher educators should be aware of the present efficacy doubts because it may lead to less effort and giving up more easily

in the reform-base strategies (Tschannen-Moran, Hoy and Hoy, 1998). Teacher educators could help with effort of activities that can encourage reflective thinking (Henson, 2001). Through reflection, PSTs can use various of self-efficacy sources (Bandura, 1986) to build experiences to succeed in the reform-task.

8.3.2 Implication for policy-makers in PST education

The findings from this study indicated that self-efficacy in teaching using science inquiry skills varies from not confident, slightly confident, and confident to definitely

confident. In addition, the evidence shows that the PSTs’ self-efficacy has increased

significantly by the end of their training. With regards to the context of PST education in Malaysia, PSTs are required to complete 24 weeks of in-site classroom teaching practice and a four-week internship towards the end of the BoTP programme. During this, the PSTs develop conscious awareness in their teaching decisions as they are expected to depend on the in-site school guidance and are accountable for their own learning process during the classroom practice. They therefore increase self-efficacy towards the end of the programme as a result of this awareness and the

requirements of the specific curriculum unit (Darling-Hammond, Newton and Wei, 2013). Through the self-efficacy information, the importance of teaching practice experiences among PSTs should be emphasised in the curriculum along with the subject knowledge learned.

Instead Despite of the setback after the experience with the classroom teaching practices, PSTs are able to strengthen their perceived ability in teacher knowledge. It shows the importance of classroom teaching experiences in creating awareness of their potential in using the teacher knowledge and the importance of a well-

supported training programme to strengthen their self-efficacy in teaching (van Driel, Beijaard and Verloop, 2001; Darling-Hammond, 2006). It was encouraging to see PSTs becoming aware of their self-efficacy doubt (Wheatley, 2002) as soon as they entered the programme. They can get the support needed from the training

programmes earlier and learn to handle their doubts during the training rather than when they becoming novices. Thus, it is important to expose teaching practice experiences in the teacher education curriculum at the early stage of training. Moreover, policy-makers may consider using a tool such as the SETSIS to measure the belief component of teacher knowledge in the BoTP assessment curriculum. The self-efficacy level can infer the teachers’ resilience towards implementing the

transformed curriculum in Malaysia. PSTs’ positive self-efficacy combines with doubt in their capability to often foster great effort, motivation and achievement (Wheatley, 2002); thus, introducing the assessment into the curriculum may help to create

awareness of self-efficacy and gain effort in getting the best help during the training programme. The information about the level of self-efficacy can contribute to

developing the future confidence in implementing science inquiry skills in the science classroom for PSTs’ future teaching careers, personally, and the reform of science learning, generally.