Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers And Secondary Education Teachers Self Efficacy And Professional Identity

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Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers and Secondary Education Teachers' Self-efficacy and Professional Identity

Author : Hailey Rae Gates
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 184 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers and Secondary Education Teachers' Self-efficacy and Professional Identity by : Hailey Rae Gates

Download or read book Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers and Secondary Education Teachers' Self-efficacy and Professional Identity written by Hailey Rae Gates and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the nineteenth century, a decision was made to separate the preparation of agricultural education teachers from their elementary and secondary counterparts (Hearings, 1908; Heren & Hillison, 1996; Hillison, 1986). The majority of land-grant universities and colleges have continued to prepare agricultural education preservice teachers within the college of agriculture, separate from other secondary education preservice teachers in the college of education (Myers & Dyer, 2004). Despite the differences among content disciplines, teachers who possess a strong sense of self-efficacy and professional identity have higher success rates in the classroom when it comes to collaboration, involvement, and student achievement (Ashton & Webb, 1986; Bandura, 1997; Dembo & Gibson, 1985; O'Bryant, 1992; Putman, 2012; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2008; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001White, 2009; Woolfolk, Rosoff, & Hoy, 1990). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the self-efficacy and professional identity of preservice agricultural education teachers and other secondary education preservice teachers. Data were collected from land-grant universities and colleges through either electronic or paper surveys. Respondents (N = 85) from 13 institutions included both agricultural education preservice teachers (n = 68) and other secondary education preservice teachers (n = 17). The instrument used in this study was a modified questionnaire that combined two previously established scales, Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy's (2001) Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale and Woo's (2013) Professional Identity Scale in Counseling. Descriptive statistics revealed that agricultural education preservice teachers' possessed a slightly higher level of self-efficacy than other secondary education preservice teachers. Conversely, secondary education preservice teachers' possessed a slightly higher level of professional identity than agricultural education preservice teachers. The Pearson's Correlation method was used to reveal a negligible relationship between self-efficacy and professional identity among agricultural education preservice teachers. However, there was a small relationship between self-efficacy and professional identity among secondary education preservice teachers. Further research should be conducted to establish the development of self-efficacy and professional identity throughout the teacher career cycle through longitudinal studies. Additionally, the literature suggest a relationship between self-efficacy and professional identity but more research is recommended to empirically prove and generalize this to all preservice teachers.

The Relationship Between the 2004 Ohio State University Agricultural Education Student Teachers' Learning Style, Teacher Heart, and Teacher Sense of Efficacy

Download The Relationship Between the 2004 Ohio State University Agricultural Education Student Teachers' Learning Style, Teacher Heart, and Teacher Sense of Efficacy PDF Online Free

Author : Benjamin Grant Swan
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (64 download)

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Book Synopsis The Relationship Between the 2004 Ohio State University Agricultural Education Student Teachers' Learning Style, Teacher Heart, and Teacher Sense of Efficacy by : Benjamin Grant Swan

Download or read book The Relationship Between the 2004 Ohio State University Agricultural Education Student Teachers' Learning Style, Teacher Heart, and Teacher Sense of Efficacy written by Benjamin Grant Swan and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Students enter a preservice teaching program planning to teach in public schools. However, career intent appears to change during the preservice education program for many students. There is no research that examines the relationships of learning style, teacher heart, and teacher sense of efficacy to career intent. Further, Palmer (1998) stated that teacher heart cannot be developed only diminished. However, Peterson and Seligman (2004) stated that the virtues of care, enthusiasm, hope, faith, and purpose can be developed. No research exists to discern the heart of a teacher, its development or lack thereof, and its change during the preservice preparation program. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the level of a preservice teacher's heart and sense of efficacy and how these levels changed through the preservice preparation program in relation to the preservice teacher's learning style. The study also investigated whether the level of the preservice teacher's heart and level of sense of efficacy explained the Ohio State University's 2004 preservice agricultural education student's choice to pursue a career in education. The study found that at the conclusion of the student teaching experience learning style made no difference on the development of teacher heart or teacher efficacy. The study also found that 26% of the variance in career intent was due to teacher heart and 17% of the variance in career intent was due to teacher sense of efficacy. Over the period of the student teaching experience, the student teachers heart's significantly increased while the teacher sense of efficacy significantly decreased indicating that they found their purpose in the classroom while they simultaneously lost confidence in their abilities to teach.

The Influence of Social Support on Teacher Self-efficacy in Novice Agricultural Education Teachers

Author : Debra S. Korte
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 222 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (12 download)

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Book Synopsis The Influence of Social Support on Teacher Self-efficacy in Novice Agricultural Education Teachers by : Debra S. Korte

Download or read book The Influence of Social Support on Teacher Self-efficacy in Novice Agricultural Education Teachers written by Debra S. Korte and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teacher self-efficacy affects student achievement, job satisfaction, and teacher retention. Although the benefits of social support have been extensively studied in medicine and psychology, limited research has been completed in education to evaluate the ways in which social support influences teacher self-efficacy. The purpose of this descriptive-relational study was to determine the influence of sources and types of support on teacher self-efficacy in novice agricultural education teachers. The target population was novice teachers of agriculture from Illinois (n = 192) and Indiana (n = 104). Teachers' perceptions of support from three non-school sources (e.g., spouse or partner, family, friends) and six school sources (e.g., administrators, teachers at school, teachers in FFA section or district, students, parents, community) of support within three support constructs were used to predict the contribution of social support on teacher self-efficacy. Novice agricultural education teachers' perceptions of support from school sources -- predominantly students and community -- explained 25.3% of the variance in teacher self-efficacy. Whereas mastery experiences are widely recognized as the primary source of self-efficacy, the results from this study imply the support (i.e., verbal or social persuasion) novice agricultural education teachers perceive from students and community are the most significant predictors of teacher self-efficacy. These findings advocate the need for novice teachers of agriculture to develop quality relationships with students and community members to increase teacher self-efficacy and potentially improve teacher retention.

Teacher's Personality and Professionalism

Author : Jaan Mikk
Publisher : Peter Lang
ISBN 13 : 9783631610534
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (15 download)

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Book Synopsis Teacher's Personality and Professionalism by : Jaan Mikk

Download or read book Teacher's Personality and Professionalism written by Jaan Mikk and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2010 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The papers in this collection analyse the professionalism of teachers in Estonia and neighbouring countries from several perspectives. Data from the OECD TALIS survey have been used to study the transformation of the teaching profession in recent years. As Estonia is bicultural, one paper deals with the transition to Estonian as the language of instruction in Russian-medium schools. Teacher professionalism is related to communication skills and this is also explored. It is generally accepted that teachers' beliefs guide them in their daily work, and so three papers deal with the professional self and self-efficacy beliefs among teachers. In addition, an adaptation of the Teacher Efficacy Scale to the Estonian context is presented. The professional experience of young teachers is analysed and a comparison of the school practicum in teacher training in the Netherlands, Estonia and Finland is explored. Finally, the stress that teachers experience has been studied along with the preferred strategies for coping.

Teachers’ Goals, Beliefs, Emotions, and Identity Development

Author : Paul A. Schutz
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429850425
Total Pages : 159 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (298 download)

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Book Synopsis Teachers’ Goals, Beliefs, Emotions, and Identity Development by : Paul A. Schutz

Download or read book Teachers’ Goals, Beliefs, Emotions, and Identity Development written by Paul A. Schutz and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-04-21 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teachers’ Goals, Beliefs, Emotions, and Identity Development discusses the nonlinear, multifaceted processes of teacher development by foregrounding constructs related to well-being and professional standards. Teachers lead full, complex lives that are set in both immediate and social-historical realities that significantly shape their ongoing successes and challenges. Informed by a range of psychological and educational theories and perspectives and meaningfully situated in contemporary perspectives of teacher well-being, this book offers comprehensive and holistic approaches to the processes and contexts of teacher development. The authors’ research and implications for practice will be useful for prospective and practising teachers, teacher educators, classroom researchers, school administrators, and policymakers.

Teacher Professional Development in Changing Conditions

Author : Douwe Beijaard
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 140203699X
Total Pages : 353 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Teacher Professional Development in Changing Conditions by : Douwe Beijaard

Download or read book Teacher Professional Development in Changing Conditions written by Douwe Beijaard and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-12-12 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents some highlights from the deliberations of the 2003 conference of the International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT). Part 1 presents the five keynote addresses of the conference, while Parts 2 through 4 present selected papers related to each of three sub-themes: knowledge construction and learning to teach, perspectives on teachers’ personal and professional lives, and teachers’ workplace as context for learning. The chapters in this book provide an array of approaches to understanding the process of teacher learning within the current context of the changing workplace environment. They also provide an important international perspective on the complex issues revolving around the international educational reform movement. Basically, they show how teachers’ workplace (inside and outside schools) are more than ever subject to continuous change and that, subsequently, standards for teaching must be flexible to these changing conditions. This asks for a redefinition of teacher professionalism in which the role of context in teacher learning is emphasized as well as the improvement of the quality of teacher thinking and learning. Related to the ever-changing context of teaching, a dynamic approach to teaching and teacher learning is required, in which identity development is crucial. Researchers have an important role to play in revealing and explaining how teachers can build their professional identity, through self-awareness and reflection, in the ever-changing educational contexts throughout the world.

The Role of Self in Teacher Development

Author : Richard P. Lipka
Publisher : SUNY Press
ISBN 13 : 9780791440155
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (41 download)

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Book Synopsis The Role of Self in Teacher Development by : Richard P. Lipka

Download or read book The Role of Self in Teacher Development written by Richard P. Lipka and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflects some of the major transition points in becoming a teacher and focuses explicitly on how issues of self and identity bear on these different points.

Agricultural Mechanics and Technology Systems

Author : J. P. Hancock
Publisher : Goodheart-Wilcox Publisher
ISBN 13 : 9781685845032
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (45 download)

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Book Synopsis Agricultural Mechanics and Technology Systems by : J. P. Hancock

Download or read book Agricultural Mechanics and Technology Systems written by J. P. Hancock and published by Goodheart-Wilcox Publisher. This book was released on 2022-09-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural Mechanics and Technology Systems presents focused, technically accurate coverage of all major skilled trade disciplines in agricultural contexts, including construction, electricity, welding, and power systems. In addition, the text provides a wealth of information and resources on careers in agricultural mechanics and promotes a deep understanding of supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs) and career development events (CDEs). The second edition has been updated with over 500 new images and 35 new Career Connection features to portray up-to-date tools, technologies, and career opportunities. A chapter on Precision Agriculture and Emerging Technologies introduces students to the many high-tech applications, including geographic information systems (GIS), telematics, sustainable energy sources, precision agriculture, wireless sensor networks, and the use of drones.

Reconceptualising Teacher Self-efficacy in Relation to Teacher Identity

Author : Gosia Marschall
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789179115906
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (159 download)

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Book Synopsis Reconceptualising Teacher Self-efficacy in Relation to Teacher Identity by : Gosia Marschall

Download or read book Reconceptualising Teacher Self-efficacy in Relation to Teacher Identity written by Gosia Marschall and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Promoting Professional Growth

Author : Tracy L. Durksen
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 158 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (959 download)

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Book Synopsis Promoting Professional Growth by : Tracy L. Durksen

Download or read book Promoting Professional Growth written by Tracy L. Durksen and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teachers, with an inherent commitment to life-long learning, sow the seeds for their students to become life-long learners. Using motivational theories, I conducted a three-study dissertation that provides a developmental description of the connections between teachers' efficacy beliefs, engagement, and professional learning across two major professional life phases: pre-service teachers and practicing teachers. The overarching research question that guided my dissertation was: What patterns exist within and across professional life phases, in relation to the influences of efficacy and engagement on teachers' professional learning? I argue that university coursework during initial teacher education is the first and foundational professional learning experience for teachers. To enhance understanding of motivation and emerging beliefs about professional learning, I examined 153 second-year education students' questionnaire responses in Study 1 to answer the question: How do personal characteristics, teachers' self-efficacy, and current course engagement influence the professional learning beliefs of students at the beginning of their teacher education program? Participants responded to questionnaire items on professional learning, career choice satisfaction, teachers' self-efficacy, and engagement as a teacher education student. Program level and motivation to pursue an education degree contributed to a hypothesized structural equation model for motivation and professional learning. Study 1 concludes with implications for teacher educators. The final practicum placement is considered the most intensive professional learning experience for pre-service teachers. Therefore, Study 2 was set in the context of pre-service teachers' final practicum placements and aimed to answer the research question: How does a 9-week professional learning experience influence pre-service teachers' motivation, and in particular, commitment and engagement to the profession? Quantitative analyses of weekly questionnaire data collected from 150 participants during a final 9-week practicum revealed significant and non-linear patterns for commitment and engagement, while a multiple-case qualitative design with two contrasting cases highlighted the variability of pre-service teachers' experiences in the practicum. Results revealed themes akin to three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and underscored the critical influence of a mentor teacher on a pre-service teachers' professional commitment and engagement. Study 2 concludes with practical implications for educational psychologists. Practicing teachers' professional learning beliefs and associated experiences not only impact their practice and influence their students but also play a key role in the professional lives of their colleagues. For Study 3, data were collected from 296 practicing teachers in order to answer the research question: How do practicing teachers' self- and collective efficacy beliefs and teacher engagement influence reasons and preferences for professional learning? Results include a model of practicing teachers' self-reported efficacy beliefs and teacher engagement in relation to professional learning. Teaching level and professional life phase predicted efficacy beliefs with teachers revealing collaboration as the most influential type of professional learning on efficacy beliefs. Conclusions highlight the role of collaboration in professional learning and outline practical implications and future research. Taken together, the three studies provide a descriptive and developmental (cohort-based) perspective of motivation and professional learning across two general professional life phases. In the concluding chapter, I synthesize the three studies by providing comparative results. For example, Chapter Five includes a comparison of the importance ratings provided by teacher education students (Study 1) and practicing teachers (Study 3) on reasons for professional learning. An integrative and theoretical model for teachers' motivation and professional learning is presented, along with overall recommendations for professional learning practices and future research.

The Impact of Student Teaching on Preservice Teachers' Teaching Self-efficacy Beliefs

Author : Heather Lynn Carter
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (854 download)

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Book Synopsis The Impact of Student Teaching on Preservice Teachers' Teaching Self-efficacy Beliefs by : Heather Lynn Carter

Download or read book The Impact of Student Teaching on Preservice Teachers' Teaching Self-efficacy Beliefs written by Heather Lynn Carter and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

From Pre-service to Practice

Author : Anita J. Williams
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis From Pre-service to Practice by : Anita J. Williams

Download or read book From Pre-service to Practice written by Anita J. Williams and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This qualitative research study examined three teachers' self-efficacy development through lived experiences from pre-service through their first year teaching. Utilizing a multi-subject case study approach (Yin, 2003), the study explored what and how various experiences influenced three teachers' efficacy. Building upon the work of Bandura (1977, 1993) and Guskey (1988), Johnson (2010) described efficacious teachers as "resourceful, cause-and-effect thinkers who persist when things do not go smoothly and persevere in the face of setbacks" (p. 23). Previous research reports that teacher efficacy has powerful effects on teacher behaviors, and that the years during training may offer valuable exposure to efficacy-forming experiences (Johnson, 2010). Findings of this study indicate participants' past experiences and training in their preparation played a critical role in self-efficacy development. Secondly, an important objective of teacher education training is grounded in its program's mission and instructors' curriculum implementation. As such, both areas must be accomplished with fidelity to support beginning teachers' capacity to bridge the gap in understanding how theoretical ideas may be manipulated for practical use during instructional delivery. Additional research findings underscore the critical need for PK-16 educators and other stakeholders to acknowledge and address how beliefs and attitudes about diverse groups influence the quality of their education. With regard to these findings, the study discusses implications for teacher education programs, acknowledging the responsibilities stakeholders assume in training teacher candidates. As such, future research should utilize longitudinal studies and qualitative approaches to explore how teacher candidates' experiences in training influence self-efficacy development and teaching sustainability. Additionally, further research into gaining a deeper understanding of how different motivations to teach relate to teacher success will add beneficial insights to current literature in the field.

InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards

Author : The Council of Chief State School Officers
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781461133575
Total Pages : 26 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (335 download)

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Book Synopsis InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards by : The Council of Chief State School Officers

Download or read book InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards written by The Council of Chief State School Officers and published by . This book was released on 2011-05-31 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These new model core teaching standards outline what all teachers across all content and grade levels should know and be able to do to be effective in today's learning contexts. They are a revision of the 1992 model standards, in response to the need for a new vision of teaching to meet the needs of next generation learners. This document incorporates changes from a public feedback period in July 2010.

A Comparative Analysis of Elementary Education Teacher Self-Efficacy

Author : Sarah Clark
Publisher : LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9783838399133
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (991 download)

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Book Synopsis A Comparative Analysis of Elementary Education Teacher Self-Efficacy by : Sarah Clark

Download or read book A Comparative Analysis of Elementary Education Teacher Self-Efficacy written by Sarah Clark and published by LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2010-09 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the RAND corporation study of more than three decades ago, researchers have continued to demonstrate that a teacher s sense of efficacy is one of few teacher characteristics related to student achievement. So what helps to build teacher self-efficacy? In recent years, researchers have established that experiences such as student teaching are highly influential in the development of teacher self-efficacy as well as the degree and type of support that student teachers receive. Furthermore, establishing a strong belief in one s abilities to perform teaching tasks during the preservice teacher stage seems to have more of an impact than waiting until after a teacher is already in the classroom. These findings stress the important role and responsibility that teacher preparation programs play in developing and securing high teacher efficacy at a most influential time. Yet there are still many unanswered questions regarding how teacher preparation programs influence teacher self-efficacy. This book presents a timely study which looks at teacher self-efficacy at the conclusion of teacher training and tracks teachers into the classroom and to the end of their first year of teaching.

Dissertation Abstracts International

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 522 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Dissertation Abstracts International by :

Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Teacher Efficacy of Novice Teachers in Agricultural Education in Ohio at the End of the School Year

Author : Elaine A. McConnell
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 238 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (546 download)

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Book Synopsis Teacher Efficacy of Novice Teachers in Agricultural Education in Ohio at the End of the School Year by : Elaine A. McConnell

Download or read book Teacher Efficacy of Novice Teachers in Agricultural Education in Ohio at the End of the School Year written by Elaine A. McConnell and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Because so many teachers leave the teaching profession early in their careers, the research investigated the differences in teachers' efficacy at the end of their first, second, or third year of teaching and the relation these differences had to teacher characteristics. The purpose of the study was to describe teacher efficacy at the end of the school year in novice (first- through third-year teachers) in agricultural education in Ohio related to stage of development, summer activities, classroom variables, and their future plans in teaching. This was a multiple one-shot case study investigation. Demographics were collected as part of a previous study, at the beginning of the school year, and a questionnaire was sent out at the end of April in 2002. Seventy-four percent (N = 73) of the teachers participated in the study. First-year teachers, second-year teachers, and third-year teachers were similarly efficacious at the end of the school year. Although stage of development is theoretically important (Richardson & Placier, 2001), there was not enough variability in teacher efficacy across the three stages of development to find a significant relationship. Forty-two teacher characteristic variables were correlated with the summed efficacy score and six were found to have significance. Out of these six variables, only two - the teachers' agreement with the statement that their student teaching experience was excellent and the number of class preparations for which the teacher is responsible - were found to have significant effects on the teaching efficacy score. When the teacher characteristics and demographics were reviewed, it was found that novice teachers in agricultural education were efficacious at the end of the school year. It was also found that teachers in the study who had mentors felt that their mentors were competent and supportive, that teachers had generally chosen teaching as a long- term career goal, felt that their job matched their personal and family needs, and felt confident about teaching in agricultural education, supporting Knobloch's (2002) findings.

Influences on the Science Teaching Self Efficacy Beliefs of Australian Primary School Teachers

Author : Merryn McKinnon
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 522 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (953 download)

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Book Synopsis Influences on the Science Teaching Self Efficacy Beliefs of Australian Primary School Teachers by : Merryn McKinnon

Download or read book Influences on the Science Teaching Self Efficacy Beliefs of Australian Primary School Teachers written by Merryn McKinnon and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of primary school teachers are influential on teaching practice. The purpose of this research was to determine if informal education institutions, such as science centres, could provide professional development that influenced the self-efficacy of pre-service and in-service primary school teachers, and to what extent this was influenced by their science background, years of teaching experience and external, environmental factors. Participants were also asked if places such as science centres had a role to play with, and for, teachers. A cohort of eight final year pre-service teachers and 13 in-service teachers (six from one New South Wales (NSW) school and seven from one Australian Capital Territory (ACT) school) completed a series of four one-hour workshops and were surveyed immediately before, immediately after, four months after and 11 months after the workshops. Surveys and semi-structured interviews were used in the data collection. The results of this research showed that four hours of science centre produced, professional development workshops were capable of increasing the science teaching self-efficacy of all but three participants, with observable results for at least 11 months after the completion of the workshops. The ACT in-service cohort showed the greatest overall gains in self-efficacy. The pre-service cohort showed greatest gains in confidence in, and enjoyment of, science teaching. The school environment of the in- service participant cohorts was a major determining factor of how their increased self- efficacy influenced their teaching practice, with positive and negative consequences. This thesis clearly demonstrated that the science education experienced by teachers in this study was highly influential in their own development of perceptions and beliefs about science that they, in turn, take to the classroom. This was just as applicable to newly graduated teachers as it was to those who have been teaching for over 20 years. Participants identified a role for science centres as a source of inspiration, support and training for teachers in order to help them teach science more effectively. This project showed that the informal education sector could enact positive reforms within science education, but only if the context in which teachers must operate is taken into account and reform efforts adapted accordingly. The informal science education sector could be the key to achieving long lasting reform in science education where other, formal measures have failed.