Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 8, Issue 1, Article 13 (June, 2007) Meral HAKVERDI, Berna GÜCÜM & Hünkar KORKMAZ Factors Influencing Pre-service Science Teachers’ Perception of Computer Self-efficacy Previous Contents Next

Educational significance of the study

 With the support of educational funding from the European Union, most of the high schools provide computers for their students. This study revealed that younger students have higher computer self-efficacy. This difference could be the result of their experience during high school study.

In an effort to inform teachers’ education practice in Turkey, this study provides insight into pre-service elementary science teachers’ efficacy beliefs. Research findings can help researchers, teacher educators and education programs in assisting pre-service teachers to build their personal efficacy and their outcome expectancies. Programs in education faculties should be restructured to give enough opportunities to their pre-service teachers to improve their personal efficacy and outcome expectation in the use of technology. Education programs should provide a learning environment for pre-service science teachers in how to use new technologies as part of their instruction. It is obvious that some of the pre-service science teachers are frightened to use technology for their own purposes. If they have problems in using technology for themselves, how can we expect them to use new technologies in the classroom? Learning new technologies with other pre-service science teachers might create a learning environment in which they can support and encourage each other. With the encouragement of other new learners, they may feel comfortable in using technologies in their teaching practice in the future.

 

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