Relationships Between Personality Type And Teaching Efficacy Of Student Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships exist between teaching efficacy and personality type of student teachers. The population of interest was all agricultural science student teachers at TexasA&MUniversity. The sampling frame included all student teachers during the spring and fall semesters of 2005 (n= 72). Teaching efficacy was measured using the long form of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) Form M was used to assess personality type. The typical student teacher was a 22 year old white female who had enrolled in agricultural science courses in high school and who was currently completing an undergraduate degree. Student teachers exhibited "Quite a Bit" of teaching efficacy throughout the student teaching semester. Student teachers were more extroverted (E), sensing (S), feeling (F), and judging (J). The two most commonly observed personality types were ESFJ and ENFP. Personality type of student teachers is negligibly related to teaching efficacy. Efficacy in instructional strategies is negatively related with sensing (S) and efficacy in classroom management is positively related to judging (J).