Understanding teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in inclusive education: implications for pre-service and in-service teacher education

Although there are clear differences in national policies regarding inclusive education, the international debate has not fully considered their impact on implementation within different countries, for example on teacher education. This paper reports on results from a comparative study of in-service teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in implementing inclusive practices in South Africa and Finland and its implications for teacher education in these countries. A sample of 319 South African and 822 Finnish primary and secondary education teachers completed a questionnaire containing a scale measuring sentiments, attitudes and concerns on inclusive education as well as a scale measuring teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing inclusive practices. A comparative analysis indicated that whereas the overall sentiments towards disabilities were positive in both countries, teachers had many concerns about the consequences of including children with disabilities in their classrooms. While the most positive aspect of self-efficacy among the South African teachers was their self-efficacy in managing behaviour, the Finnish teachers saw this as their weakest point. Self-efficacy, in particular efficacy in collaboration, was clearly related to overall attitudes towards inclusion. The implications of these findings for pre-service and in-service teacher education are discussed.     

Predicting pre-service teachers’ preparedness for inclusive education: Bangladeshi pre-service teachers’ attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education

This study reports on the second phase of a larger study, which investigated the preparedness of pre-service teachers to teach in inclusive classrooms in Bangladesh. Phase 1 employed two standardised scales that were used with 1623 pre-service teachers from 16 teacher education institutions to measure their attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education. The findings of Phase 1 indicated that the level and length of training, along with gender, influenced both teacher attitudes and teaching-efficacy. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews with six administrative heads of the pre-service teacher education institutions were conducted in order to better understand these findings. Outcomes of Phase 2 indicated that curriculum, teacher-related and a number of contextual variables may explain the differences in the findings of this study that were in sharp contrast to those from previous international research. Recommendations for policy and curriculum reform for pre-service teacher education are also made.     

Japanese in-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education and self-efficacy for inclusive practices

Using a sample of 359 in-service teachers, this study examines Japanese teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education and their self-efficacy for inclusive practices. The results indicate that although teachers’ sentiments toward disabilities were generally positive, the teachers had some concerns about implementing inclusive education in their classroom. The overall level of self-efficacy was relatively low in the Japanese sample compared to that of other countries, particularly in relation to managing problematic student behavior. Self-efficacy regarding managing behavior and collaboration was related to overall attitudes toward inclusive education. The findings can enable useful insights in developing pre-service and in-service teacher education.     

Student teachers’ attitudes towards cooperative learning in inclusive education

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Past research points to cooperative learning as a potentially effective means of fostering the academic and social development of students in inclusive...     

A strategy to improve pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy towards inclusive physical education for students with intellectual disability and autism

This study sought to investigate the effect of adapted physical education (APE) courses and practica on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy (SE) towards inclusive physical education (PE) for students with intellectual disability (ID) and autism. Three hundred and fifty-six students (male?=?254, female?=?102) enrolled in adapted physical education teacher education (APETE) programmes in Korea participated in a specially developed survey which was analysed using multilevel modeling. The results of a multilevel modeling analysis revealed that APE courses and practica do indeed have a significant effect on the pre-service teachers’ SE towards teaching students with ID and autism in general PE classes. Study participants reported that taking more than 15 APE credits significantly improved their level of SE.     

Parents’ and teachers’ attitudes,objections and expectations towards sexuality education in primary schools in Austria

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO EURO) and the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) published the Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe in 2010. The standards were developed to provide an overview of those sexuality education issues that should be addressed in school at various specific age levels. They were intended to guarantee that sexuality education teaching is age-appropriate and of uniformly good quality throughout Europe. In the context of the present survey, Austrian teachers and parents or guardians were asked about the importance of the topics covered by the WHO standards and about any aspects they would like to see for such sexuality education to be successful. The paper concludes that parents and teachers agree on the sexuality education topics they find important for coverage in Austrian primary schools, although teachers find sexuality education in general to be of greater importance than do parents. Teacher’ wishes for sexuality education in practice correlate highly with parents’ ideas of quality. Overall, qualifications and support for work in this field are viewed as essential, with survey respondents perceiving the need for high-quality initial training and continuing education and appropriate frameworks for implementation in school.     

Microteaching and pre-service teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in teaching

This study examined the effect of microteaching on pre-service teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in teaching using a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. The sample of the study consisted of 70 pre-service teachers on a special education teacher preparation programme. The pre-service teachers in the experimental group were exposed to microteaching training for one semester. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale was administered to all pre-service teachers as a pre-test at the beginning and as a post-test at the end of the semester. The results revealed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group showed statistically significant greater progress in terms of sense of self-efficacy in teaching than those in the control group. In addition, the results highlighted that microteaching had a positive impact on developing pre-service teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in teaching.     

'My attitude,my responsibility‘ Investigating the attitudes and intentions of pre-service teachers toward inclusive education between teacher preparation cohorts in Melbourne and Pretoria

This study explored the attitudes and intentions of pre-service teachers towards inclusive education, across two teacher preparation institutions in Australia and South Africa. There were multiple aims to the study: among these was a need to explore the impact of contextual factors on pre-service teacher attitudes towards inclusive education, and to investigate factors that may impact on their intention to include students with additional learning needs into regular classrooms. The study utilised a published survey as a measuring instrument. One-way analyses of variance were used to establish whether statistically significant relationships existed between specific demographic variables and respondent attitudes towards inclusive education. This paper presents the findings of this investigation.     

A mixed-methods approach to developing an understanding of teachers’ attitudes and their enactment of inclusive education

This research sought to develop an understanding of teachers’ attitudes, sense of self-efficacy and approach to enacting inclusive education in their classrooms in two diverse countries. A mixed-methods research design guided the data collection and analysis. This article focuses on how quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used sequentially and how the findings were finally merged to provide more comprehensive insight into different aspects of teachers’ sometimes contradictory attitudes and approaches to implementing inclusive education. The meta-inferences presented here indicate that merging measurements and meanings can shed light on how teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy within the implementation of inclusive education are multi-faceted, non-linear and connected to their cultural–historical contexts.     

In-service teachers’ attitudes,concerns, efficacy and intentions to teach in inclusive classrooms: an international comparison of Australian and Italian teachers

The paper examined whether in-service teachers from Australia to Italy differ in terms of their attitudes, concerns, efficacy beliefs and intentions to include learners with disabilities in their classrooms. An attempt was also made to determine predictors of the participants’ intentions to include learners with disabilities in their classrooms. Participants for the study consisted of 153 Australian and 156 Italian in-service teachers. Results revealed that Italian teachers had significantly more positive attitudes, lower degree of concerns and higher level of intentions to implement inclusion in their classrooms. In both countries, attitudes and efficacy emerged as significant predictors of participants’ intentions to include learners with disabilities in regular classrooms. Reasons that could explain differences in the teachers’ beliefs from the two countries are explained using historical-cultural and legal frameworks prevalent in Australia and Italy. Implications of the findings for policy-makers, university teachers and researchers are presented that may have relevance in guiding the implementation of inclusive education in Australia, Italy and beyond.     

Accounting for discrepancies in teachers’ attitudes towards evidence use and actual instances of evidence use in schools

While beneficial, the consistent and regular use of evidence to improve teaching and learning is proving difficult to achieve in practice. This paper attempts to shed new light on this issue by examining the question: ‘If using evidence to inform teaching practice is rational behaviour, why aren’t all teachers engaged in it?’ It first explores whether the evidence-informed practice (EIP) beliefs and perspectives of teachers align with their evidence-use behaviours; second it assesses what factors prevent teachers/schools that wish to engage in EIP from doing so. Using a Gradient Boosted Tree predictive model to analyse data from a survey of 696 practitioners in 79 schools, the findings suggest that, to increase EIP, school leaders need to: (1) promote the vision for evidence use; (2) illustrate how research enhances aspects of teaching and learning; and (3) establish effective learning environments. School leaders’ broader commitment to EIP, and the interplay between EIP and accountability are also explored.     

Demographic differences in changing pre‐service teachers’ attitudes,sentiments and concerns about inclusive education

The preparation of teachers for regular schools has clearly needed to undergo quite significant change in recent years. One major adjustment has been the necessity to prepare teachers for progressively more diverse student populations as they will increasingly be required to teach in inclusive classrooms. Many teacher education institutions are, therefore, offering units of work that aim to tackle this. Utilizing an international data set of 603 pre‐service teachers, consideration is given to the effect of a range of demographic differences on changing pre‐service teacher attitudes toward inclusion; sentiments towards people with a disability and in reducing their concerns about inclusion when involved in a focused unit of work. Pre‐ and post‐training comparisons are made which identify a range of variables that impact on changing pre‐service teacher perceptions about inclusion. The discussion focuses on the importance of differentiating teacher preparation courses to address these different needs of pre‐service teachers.     

Teachers’ perceptions of and attitudes towards performance appraisal in Zimbabwean schools

Abstract

This article reports on an empirical investigation of Zimbabwean teachers’ attitudes towards Performance Appraisal (PA) as a model of staff supervision and the resultant impact on their motivation and performance. A survey design was used to gather data by means of a questionnaire containing ninety one precoded response items on the concepts of supervision and PA, induction programmes, PA interviews and teachers’ attitudes to PA. The responses of fifty two teachers out of a sample of sixty revealed that on the whole teachers are positively motivated by staff supervision models which seek to develop their pedagogical skills and therefore tend to enhance their performance with a view to improving education and attaining educational goals. The research revealed that PA should be collaborative, transparent, dialogical and accountable. Models which are judgmental and call for close and constant supervision are unpopular.     

Iranian university students’ experiences of and attitudes towards alternatives in assessment

This study investigated the effect of assessment type (self vs. peer vs. teacher) on university students’ academic achievement and students’ attitudes toward them. In the main study, 82 undergraduate English-as-a-Foreign-Language students in four classes at three universities in Iran were randomly assigned into one of self-, peer- and teacher-assessment or control groups. A pre-test was designed to measure students’ initial knowledge in the subject Teaching Methods. Then experimental groups were subjected to one of the assessment types; however, the control group received no intervention. Thirty-eight students from experimental groups completed an attitude questionnaire. A similarly designed follow-up study was conducted with two classes of BA Chemistry students taking a General English course at Urmia University. The application of one-way analysis of covariance on the main study post-test data indicated differences in performances of all groups, with peer-assessment group performing the best. Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that both self- and peer-assessment, as well as the teacher-assessment group, had positive attitudes toward their assessment experiences. The application of one-way analysis of variance on replication study data showed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group on the post-test and that students in the former group had positive attitudes toward self-assessment.     

Teacher preparation for vocational education and training in Germany: a potential model for Canada?

Germany's vocational education and training (VET) and corresponding teacher-education programmes are known worldwide for their integrated framework. Government legislation unifies companies, unions and vocational schools, and specifies the education and training required for students as well as vocational teachers. Changing from the Diplom programme model to the Anglophone Bachelor and Masters degree model has raised concerns for VET teacher preparation. It is within this context that we explore Germany's VET teacher-education system and current academic debates. We further investigate challenges in the development of Canada's VET teacher-education programmes and suggest some policy borrowing from the German model.     

Inclusive cultures,policies and practices in Spanish compulsory secondary education schools: teachers’ perceptions in ordinary and specific teaching contexts

This article presents a study that attempts to inquire into the indicators related with inclusive education by taking into account teachers’ responses in the ordinary and specific teaching contexts (experts in special education needs, specialists in therapeutic pedagogy and compensatory education or specific programmes organised to accommodate diversity). We used a Spanish translation of the Index for Inclusion, which has been adapted and divided into three Likert‐type scales about inclusive cultures, organisation in the teaching–learning context and inclusive practices. We did a t‐test to detect any significant differences in teachers’ responses in terms of the ordinary or specific teaching contexts in which they work. No significant differences were seen in the items related to cultures and organisation, but we found significant differences in 12 of the 36 items of the inclusive practices scale. Finally, we discuss the role of the processes for innovation and transformation in secondary schools and provide key factors to build an intercultural inclusive school.     

Individual and cultural factors in teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion: A meta-analysis

The success of inclusive education is dependent upon classroom teachers implementing adaptations for children with disabilities. Given that willingness to make such adaptations is influenced by teacher attitudes, the current study examined teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education through a meta-analysis of 64 samples that were found via a systematic literature search. The results indicated that teachers hold a positive attitude towards inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools and that these attitudes are moderated by an interplay of cultural and demographical factors. The findings offer a renewed basis for intervention research into improving educational opportunities for children around the world.     

A comparative examination of Canadian and American pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for literacy instruction

This study explored Canadian and American pre-service elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for literacy instruction, as well as the contextual factors (i.e., course and field experiences) that contribute to these self-efficacy beliefs. Survey data were collected over a two-year period at the beginning and end of a required elementary literacy methods course that assessed pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy for literacy instruction. A content analysis of the American and Canadian literacy methods course syllabi was also conducted. Paired t test results showed no significant difference in pre-service teachers’ literacy teaching self-efficacy scores from pre-test to post-test; however, there was a significant difference in the pre-service teachers’ literacy efficacy beliefs related to oral reading from the beginning to the end of the course. A weak negative correlation was found between the Canadian pre-service teachers’ total Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy for Literacy Instruction (TSELI; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2011) scores and their teaching experience specific to literacy instruction, r = ? .1, p = .04. There was a positive correlation between Canadian pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy scores related to engagement and differentiated instruction and their volunteer and work experiences. A positive correlation existed between Canadian and American pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy for reading/writing connections and university coursework related to literacy instruction. Implications for literacy teacher educators and recommendations for literacy instruction are discussed.     

Reflections on policy and practice of inclusive education in pre‐primary schools in Cyprus

In July 1999 the House of Parliament in Cyprus passed the Education Act for Children with Special Needs, according to which all children have the right to be educated in their neighbouring regular school together with their age‐mates. An important component of this law is that it introduces, for the first time, inclusive education into pre‐primary education. A child can be considered as having special needs only when he/she has attained the age of 3 years or older. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the policy of inclusive education is implemented in pre‐primary schools in ­Cyprus, to investigate whether some children are still marginalized (after the implementation of the new law) and, if they are, to identify factors influencing marginalization or acting as a barrier to inclusion. We also briefly present the results from a study we conducted that supports the discussion of the issues raised in this paper.     

Instructors’ teaching styles: relation with competences,self-efficacy,and commitment in pre-service teachers

Instructors’ teaching styles in higher education are an issue of major importance because these interactions affect students’ self-perceptions, involvement, and achievement. This study aimed to test a theoretical model of relations between perceived teaching styles (autonomy support, structure, and control) and competences, self-efficacy, and commitment in pre-service teachers; to assess the invariance of the model in two samples; and to analyze the mediated relations between these variables. Measures were collected from 842 Spanish pre-service teachers. As main research implications, teaching styles predicted acquired competences, competences predicted teaching self-efficacy, and self-efficacy predicted commitment to the profession. This model was equivalent in two samples of childhood and primary education pre-service teachers. Competences and self-efficacy mediated the relationships between variables. As practical implications, this study clearly shows the need for different interventions to enhance adequate instructors’ teaching styles and to foster among novice pre-service teachers the acquisition of professional competences, initial self-efficacy, and a good level of commitment to their profession.