Does Self-Efficacy Affect Elementary School Teachers' Teaching of Health Education?

Self-efficacy is a concept used to describe a person's beliefs about his/her ability to perform tasks at a desired level of expertise. Studies have shown that a person's self-efficacy influences their cognitions, motivations, and behaviors. Based upon these findings this study tested three hypotheses about elementary school teacher's self-efficacy and their health education teaching behaviors: 1) Elementary school teachers' self-efficacy in teaching health education is significantly positively correlated with their engagement in teaching health education; 2) Elementary school teachers' self-efficacy in using computerized educational technology (CET) is significantly positively correlated with their engagement in using CET in general; and 3) Elementary school teachers' self-efficacy in teaching health education and their self-efficacy in using CET are both significant predictors of teachers' use of CET to teach health education topics.

A national sample of 204 credentialed/licensed elementary school teachers completed a confidential online survey that asked participants to rate their self-efficacy in the above mentioned areas. Each teacher also responded to several items that were used to rate his/her engagement teaching health education; his/her engagement in using CET in their teaching; and his/her CET and Health Education teaching behaviors. Correlation analyses supported the first two hypotheses; multiple regression techniques were used to test the third hypothesis. The results supported all three hypotheses (p<.01; Effect Size >.25). These findings are discussed in terms of factors, such as pre-service and in-service education, that might enhance elementary school teacher's self-efficacy and thereby increase the likelihood of their teaching health education both with and without CET.