Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Sources of Personal Teacher Efficacy and Influence on Teaching Methods among Teachers in Primary Schools in Coast Province, Kenya &

Tabitha Wang'eri (Phd) Habil Otanga

This study explored demographic and contextual predictors of Personal Teacher Efficacy and the extent to which they determine teachers' choice of either traditional or innovative teaching techniques. The study was conducted among a convenient sample of 80 primary school teachers (70.9% female and 29.1% male) attending a degree program at Kenyatta University in Mombasa campus, Coast Province, Kenya. Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire adapted from the Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001) and the Mentor Support Scale (Capa & Loadman, 2004). A series of multiple regression analyses was done on data collected. Teacher efficacy was found to vary by gender, length of teaching and subject taught. Demographic characteristics did not influence the choice of teaching techniques. Verbal persuasion and mastery predicted personal teacher efficacy. Mastery significantly predicted use of innovative techniques in teaching. Personal teacher efficacy mediated the relationship between verbal persuasion and mastery in the use of traditional methods but not for innovative methods. Recommendations for staffing and training were given.