Pre-service teacher self-efficacy in Poland and Slovakia

The level of preparation of teachers before they enter the profession is an important factor affecting the level of culture of future generations and, consequently, the society as a whole. This preparation requires not only the proper implementation of the curriculum, but also the acquisition of self-efficacy skills. So far, the self-efficacy of pre-service teachers has been studied with respect to different variables. However, there is a lack of satisfactory comparative research among students from Poland and Slovakia, the countries of slightly different approach to preparation of pre-service teachers. To fill this gap, a comparative study of 355 Polish and 198 Slovakian university students was conducted using Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale. The purpose of the research was to determine which variables, including the country (Poland, Slovakia), course, form, year of study and participation in the field experience correlate significantly with the sense of efficacy of pre-service teachers. The obtained results indicate a satisfactory consistency between the Polish and the Slovakian version of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale. The research revealed a significantly higher self-evaluation among Polish university students and students of early childhood education. Part-time students with field experience evaluated themselves higher than full time students. The results emphasize that it is important to place high demands on future teachers and create appropriate conditions to improve their teaching and self-evaluative abilities.