SCIENCE LITERACY AND SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS AS DETERMINANTS OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ EFFICACY BELIEFS

The behaviour of teachers in the achievement of educational goals has invisible complement known as teacher beliefs. In science education, the teachers’ beliefs are not left out in leading the students to have a strong belief of succeeding in scientific processes which include; observing qualities, measuring quantities, sorting/classifying, inferring, predicting, experimenting and communicating. These skills involve a system known as science literacy which is now a well-recognized global educational slogan and contemporary educational goal. The study employs the descriptive survey research design to investigate science literacy and science process skills as determinants of pre-service science teachers’ efficacy beliefs. The study sample involved an intact class of pre-service science teachers in a college of education, in south-western, Nigeria. The study answered two research questions in which science literacy and science process skills determined the efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers. The data analyzed revealed significant relationship among the three variables. The study was concluded on the need for pre-service teachers’ access to sources of positive experiences in teacher education. Intervention programmes in teacher training were also suggested for further studies to alleviate teacher efficacy beliefs.