Abstract

Self-efficacy is one of several factors that affect prospective and professional teachers’ ability to be effective. Teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, which is based on the social cognitive theory of Albert Bandura, is crucial to their ability to complete tasks and solve problems in the classroom. Using a predictive research design, the present study aimed to find the personal and academic profile (age, general weighted average, awards, co-curricular and academic competitions participated in, pre-professional learning activities, class size, degree program preference, social role models), student-organization involvements, and institutional policies on mentoring practices as predictors of ninety-eight early childhood practice teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching (SET) in state colleges and universities (SUCs) in Region III, Philippines. The adapted twelve-item version of Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy’s Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale was used in the study. Results of the multiple regression analysis showed that the estimated regression model for SET is given by ŷ = 45.834 + .114*(Class Size). There was a weak relationship between the two variables, r = .30. The Adjusted R2 of .082 indicates that class size accounted for 8.2 percent of the variation in SET. Finally, the overall model was statistically significant; F(1, 96) = 9.633, p = .003. While this is a relatively low variance, it highlights the importance of considering factors such as class size in understanding and promoting teaching self-efficacy. Cross-validation provides reasonable evidence for the external validity of the generalizability of the regression model to the target population as specified in the research problem.