Establishing the Theoretical Construct of Pre-Service Teacher Self-Efficacy for Arts Education.

Significant research has been conducted into the positive effects of arts education on social and intellectual development of students across the ages of 10-15 years. Teacher competence for teaching the arts however does not appear to be as positive. A worldwide trend suggests pre-service teachers exhibit low confidence and content knowledge for the teaching of the arts (Hennessy, Rolfe and Chedzoy, 2001; Russell Bowie, 2004). Teacher self-efficacy is still forming within the beginning years of teaching and once developed, is resistant to change (Bandura, 1997). During this beginning phase, teachers create their own self-knowledge through efficacy beliefs as they reflect on teaching. Subsequently, efficacy beliefs determine how environmental opportunities and impediments are perceived (Bandura, 2006). From this assumption, the self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers are important for investigation for recognition of confirming and disconfirming experiences that shape this motivational construct. Research suggests that an understanding of teacher self-efficacy beliefs for arts education holds the key to improving the current problem of instigation (Oreck, 2004).