Exploring Science Teacher's Concerns and Self-Efficacy Toward Implementing Engineering Practices in Science Education

Abstract

Exploring Science Teacher's Concerns and Self-Efficacy Toward Implementing Engineering Practices in Science Education Angela Sanders Morris Scholarly Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of concern and self-efficacy held by Virginia secondary science teachers regarding the implementation of engineering practices as an instructional strategy to teach science. With the 2018 Virginia Science Standards of Learning requiring engineering integration, understanding teacher readiness for this shift is essential. Participants were high school science teachers from counties across Virginia's eight regions. Of the 1,536 teachers invited, 75 completed the STR4UEP survey. Using the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and the Teaching Engineering Self-Efficacy Scale (TESS), this study measured teachers' concerns, confidence, and perceived readiness. Findings revealed high internal concerns across all demographic groups, particularly regarding awareness, information needs, personal ability, and classroom management related to engineering implementation. TESS results showed low-to-moderate confidence, with consistently modest scores for Engineering Pedagogical Content Knowledge (KS) and Outcome Expectancy (OE). An inverse relationship emerged between concerns and self-efficacy: teachers with higher concerns reported lower confidence in their ability to implement engineering practices effectively. Overall, the results indicate that Virginia secondary science teachers possess a relatively low level of readiness to integrate engineering practices into science instruction, underscoring the need for targeted professional development and sustained instructional support.