Increasing the self-efficacy beliefs of life orientation teachers: an evaluation

Abstract

Life Orientation has become a compulsory learning area for all Grade 10-12 learners in South Africa, and is aimed at developing effective, productive and responsible citizens who will meet both the economic and interpersonal requirements of society. However, the teaching of this subject is a daunting task for most educators, since they do not believe themselves equipped to be effective instructors and modelers of life-skills. Using a theory-generating research design, a model was consequently developed to facilitate an increase of self-efficacy beliefs in educators, to render them more confident in the teaching of this learning area. This article will describe the qualitative evaluation of the model to develop self-efficacy in teachers. The model was implemented via the inclusion of a module in the Advanced Certificate in Education (Life Orientation: FET). The evaluation revealed that the educators did experience an increase in their self-efficacy beliefs about the teaching of Life Orientation after having completed the module.

Keywords:

• life orientation
• self-efficacy
• intrinsic growth
• internal locus of control
• interaction with the environment
• reflective practice