Changes in Self-efficacy of Prospective Special and General Education Teachers: Implication for inclusive education

Abstract

The impact of three variables on the self-efficacy of 992 general and special education preservice teachers was examined. These variables were years of preservice education, experience with children with special educational needs, and training in inclusion or exceptional education. All participants responded to a teacher self-efficacy scale that measured four factors. Findings revealed a main effect for years of preservice education and for major of the academic degree. The main effect for years of preservice education was found only for efficacy for social relations. The main effect for degree major revealed that special education majors had significantly higher scores than regular education majors, on all four factors. A significant main effect for experience and major was also found. Students with much and some experience had significantly higher scores than students with no experience on two factors. Intensity of training was associated with self-efficacy. Students with much and some training had significantly higher scores than students with no training on all four factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• experience with disabilities
• inclusion
• preservice education
• preservice teachers
• self-efficacy
• special education

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by MOFET Institute, Ministry of Education, Israel. The authors would like to thank MOFET for their funding and also thank the Evaluation and Research Centre at Beit Berl College for their assistance in the statistical analysis. The authors would like to thank the Editor for assistance with editing this article.

Professor Yona Leyser passed away before the publication of this article. We dedicate it to his memory with deep sadness and with great appreciation of his groundbreaking work in educational research.

Notes

1. In Israel colleges and universities require students in a general education programme to enrol in a course presenting information on students with SEN and inclusion. Different course titles are used such as “Mainstreaming students with SEN”, “Inclusion” or “Exceptional education”. One college in Israel infuses information about students with SEN into a required course entitled “Diversity in Schools”. Similar titles are also used in short modules or workshops.