Special education preservice teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy beliefs

ABSTRACT

Self-efficacy belief in mathematics teaching is important for special education teachers to manage classroom practices and ensure disabled students’ success. This study examines the level and predictors of mathematics teaching self-efficacy beliefs among 156 preservice teachers enrolled in the Special Education Department of a private university in Northern Cyprus. Using the Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficiency Scale (MTSE) as a data collection instrument, the study shows that preservice teachers possessed an adequate level of mathematics teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Multiple regression analysis indicates that taking a course on Mathematics Teaching in Special Education and having experience in mathematics teaching were significant predictors of the mathematics teaching self-efficacy beliefs.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-efficacy
• mathematics teaching self-efficacy
• teaching mathematics course
• experience in mathematics teaching
• special education

Ethical statement

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were under the ethical standards of the Eastern Mediterranean University Research and Publication Ethics Board.

Informed consent

Consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Aygil Takır

Aygil Takır is an education scholar with professional experience in some of the public, non-governmental and academic institutions. She earned her PhD in Middle East Technical University in Turkey. As a researcher, Dr Takır’s research mainly focuses on mathematics education, curriculum studies, contemporary issues in education and higher education.

Hasan Özder

Hasan Özder is an associate professor at Atatürk Teacher Training Academy and Eastern Mediterranean University, Northern Cyprus. He received BA from Atatürk Teacher Training Academy and MSc and a PhD from Hacettepe University, in the field of Curriculum Development and Instruction. His areas of academic interest are curriculum evaluation, critical pedagogy and educational measurement.