An Investigation of Science Teachers' Self-Efficacy of Inquiry-Based Teaching Method

With the impact of developing and changing science and technology, it is important to raise science literate individuals. It is important for teachers who will employ inquiry-based learning to feel sufficiently competent to cultivate individuals who investigate, question, and reach knowledge on their own. The aim of this study is to investigate science teachers' inquiry-based teaching self-efficacy in terms of gender variable. The study also examined the level of inquiry-based science teaching self-efficacy of science teachers and the relationship between inquiry-based science teaching self-efficacy and age variable. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 105 science teachers (79 female and 26 male). "Research-Based Science Teaching Scale" was used as a data collection tool. The data were analyzed using SPSS-22 program. As a result of the analysis, there was no significant difference between the gender variable and inquiry-based self-efficacy. No significant relationship was found between the age factor and the scale. When the distributions of each statement were analyzed, it was seen that disagreement or indecision was mostly in the statements of 'asking questions and making explanations'.