| The purpose of this study was to investigate the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of elementary preservice teachers. Participants were 28 elementary preservice teachers enrolled in two sections of a mathematics methods course at a mid-sized university in the Southeastern United States. Quantitative data sources included the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument, and the qualitative data sources were interviews. The study examined the relationship between mathematics teacher efficacy and mathematics anxiety, which had a significant, moderate negative relationship (r = -.440, p < .05). Additionally, the study analyzed the perceptions of preservice teachers with differing levels of mathematics teacher efficacy toward their ability to teach mathematics effectively, which resulted in three themes including past experiences with mathematics, confidence in teaching mathematics, and mathematics instructional strategies. Furthermore, the study investigated the perceptions of preservice teachers with differing levels of mathematics anxiety toward their ability to teach mathematics effectively, which resulted in three themes including disposition towards mathematics, confidence in teaching mathematics, and mathematics teaching practices. Conclusions included that preservice teachers need to have positive experiences within mathematics methods courses that cause a reduction in mathematics anxiety which may result in an increase in mathematics teacher efficacy. |
