Pre-Service Teachers' Knowledge And Teaching Comfort Levels For Agricultural Science And Technology Objectives

Abstract

Self-efficacy beliefs are defined as context-specific assessments of one's competence to perform specific tasks, influence one's efforts, persistence, and resilience to succeed in a given task. Such beliefs are important determinants when considering agricultural science teachers' subject matter knowledge, teaching comfort levels, and their likelihood for success in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to assess selectedTexas pre-service agricultural science teachers' knowledge and comfort for teaching state-mandated general agricultural science and technology objectives. Selected pre-service agricultural science teachers representing fourTexas teacher education programs responded. Respondents' summed knowledge and teaching comfort scores revealed perceptions of "adequacy" in seven of the eight general agricultural science and technology areas. However, they had low levels of knowledge and teaching comfort for the soils and soil formation objectives. A moderate positive association existed between overall knowledge and teaching comfort, supporting previous self-efficacy research. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers need additional preparation in the eight areas essential to every agricultural education classroom. Additional research in pre-service teacher self-efficacy, confidence, and competence is needed to identify causal factors affecting the less-than-desired levels of knowledge and teaching comfort for state-mandated general agricultural science and technology objectives.