Self-Efficacy Perceptions on Teacher Competency of the Religious Teacher Candidates: The Case of Marmara University Theology Faculty

The aim of this research is to measure the self-efficacy perceptions on teacher competency of religion teacher candidates in Marmara University Faculty of Theology. In this direction, teacher competency scale was applied to 245 religious teacher candidates. Survey technique was used to collect data. The scale consists of ten parts are “learning-teaching environment and process”, “professional and personal development”, “legislation information”, “measurement and evaluation”, “universal values”, “knowledge of theology education”, “knowledge of theology”, “planning education and training” , “national-spiritual values” and “communication and cooperation”. The total variance explained by the scale is % 68,42. In the analysis of the data SPSS Statistic Programme was used. Independent Samples T-test, Anova, Welch, Dunnett C and LSD was used to test research problems. The analysis that is done for construct validity and reliability shows the value of KMO is 0.935 and Cronbach Alpha are “0.91”, “0.89”, “0.87”, “0.89”, “0.81”, “0.83”, “0.76”, “0.85”, “0.83” and “0.70” for ten factors. According to this, religion teacher candidates’s “learning-teaching environment and process” dimension arithmetic mean is 3,90 (good level); “professional and personal development” dimension arithmetic mean is 4,10 (good level); “legislation information” dimension arithmetic mean is 2,83 (medium level); “measurement and evaluation” dimension arithmetic mean is 3,85 (good level); “universal values” dimension arithmetic mean is 4,38 (full level); “knowledge of theology education” dimension arithmetic mean is 3,95 (good level); “knowledge of theology” dimension arithmetic mean is 3,52 (good level); “planning education and training” dimension arithmetic mean is 3,77 (good level); “national-spiritual values” dimension arithmetic mean is 4,10 (good level) and “communication and cooperation” dimension arithmetic mean is 4,15 (good level). These results show that are self-efficacy perceptions on teacher competency of the religious teacher candidates is at “good level” meanly. But it should not be forgotten that this perception is the teacher candidates themselves. In order to determine the professional competencies of teacher candidates more objectively, the opinions of academicians and internship teachers should also be consulted