The relationship between epistemological beliefs and teaching self efficacy in teachers of students with special needs

Teacher beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing, play an important role in his behavior and consequently in beliefs and learning of his students. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between epistemological beliefs and teaching self-efficacy of teachers of students with special needs. 84 teachers working in special and learning disabilities schools were tested. Because of the small size, the entire statistical population were selected as sample. To measure the research variables, was used Bayless’s Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire and Bandura’s teacher self efficacy. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation, multiple regression (enter method) and one-way analysis of variance. The findings showed that in level of 99 percent a reverse and significant relation was found between the scores of belief in innate ability (r=-0.356), simple Knowledge (r=-0.34) and certain knowledge (r=-0.29) with the score of teaching self-efficacy. Overall, dimensions of epistemological beliefs can explain 18% of the variance in teacher's teaching efficacy. Also, the results showed that the group of teachers of mentally retarded and blind-deaf, compared with groups of learning disabilities’ teachers, have more immature epistemological beliefs; and teachers of mentally retarded group compared with groups of teachers of learning disabilities, have lower teaching self-efficacy. Findings from this study make emphasize on the development of epistemological beliefs and the use of appropriate strategies for promotion of teachers’ teaching self-efficacy –particular– in group of teachers of mentally retarded students.