Self-efficacy and alternative conceptions of science of preservice elementary teachers

The purpose of this study was to discover to what extent certain common alternative conceptions are held by preservice elementary teachers, to determine the relationship between science teaching efficacy and the number of alternative conceptions held, and to determine the relationship between science teaching efficacy and the holding of specific alternative conceptions. A survey that measured both science teaching efficacy and alternative conceptions of science was administered to 619 preservice elementary teachers. The study found that participants with the greatest number of correct answers had significantly higher self-efficacy measures than those with the fewest correct answers; however, there was no relationship between the number of alternative conceptions held and science teaching efficacy. This study also found that the holding of certain alternative conceptions was associated with persons of low self-efficacy. These alternative conceptions were: that planets can be seen only with a telescope; that dinosaurs lived at the same time as cave-men; that a rusty nail weighs less than the iron that it came from; that electricity is used up in appliances; and that north is toward the top of a map of Antarctica. Why these alternative conceptions are related to lower self-efficacy, and not the others may lie in the fact that these five alternative conceptions are each fundamental barriers to a full understanding of their respective sciences. Recognizing that there may be many causes of a low self-efficacy among preservice elementary teachers with regard to teaching science, the data presented in this study may suggest that one of those causes might be the holding of certain alternative conceptions of science. This study may also show that not all alternative conceptions are of equal importance to the science educator. Some alternative conceptions may represent greater barriers to learning than others. If so, then teachers and teacher educators need to place a greater emphasis on the understanding of these basic but critical conceptions of science. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 82:553–568, 1998.