Describing the self-efficacy of Tanzania secondary school biology teachers in teaching integrated science process skills

Abstract

This study intended to examine the self-efficacy levels of the current secondary school science teachers in Tanzania towards teaching of science process skills. Science process skills have been heavily emphasized in the newly introduced Competence Based Curriculum of 2005. Specifically, the study intended to; (i) determine the self-efficacy level of Morogoro Municipality Biology teachers with regard to the teaching of integrated science process skills, and (ii) determine the influence of teachers’ knowledge level of science process skills on their self-efficacy towards teaching these scientific skills to learners. Science process skills approach by Chiappetta & Koballa (2002), and Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy theory formed the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of the study respectively. Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-A) and a test of Integrated Process Skills developed by Mungandi (2005) were used to collect data among 63 sampled biology teachers. The results indicated that Morogoro Biology teachers have unsatisfactory knowledge of integrated science process skills and average self-efficacy level. The study recommends an urgent need to refocus on science teachers’ training and professional development programmes.