Exploring the relationship between physical preservice teacher education’s self-efficacy and observed teaching behaviours in China

The current study investigates the relationship between preservice physical education (PE) teachers’ self-efficacy and observed teaching behaviours in China. A mixed-methods approach was used to examine how self-efficacy in classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement affect actual teaching behaviours, based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The study recruited 176 preservice PE teachers, using quantitative measures such as the teachers’ sense of efficacy scale and systematic observation of teaching behaviours, along with qualitative interviews with 25 participants. Results showed a significant association between self-efficacy beliefs and teaching behaviours. Classroom management self-efficacy explained 17.64% of the variance in observed classroom management behaviours, and student engagement self-efficacy explained 1.7% of the variance in observed student engagement behaviours. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting the theoretical link between self-efficacy beliefs and teaching performance, offering important implications for PE programs in China amid ongoing educational reforms.

Keywords: Bandura’s theory; physical education; preservice teacher behaviour; preservice teacher education; teachers’ self-efficacy