Learning environment, self-efficacy for teaching mathematics, and beliefs about mathematics

Abstract

Learning environment research has a long history of significant relationships between the learning environment and student outcomes. This study investigated relationships between the learning environments of mathematics courses in a teacher education program and two outcomes, mathematics teaching self-efficacy and beliefs about mathematics. These two outcomes have been repeatedly shown to influence the future teaching practices of preservice teachers but, to date, their relationships with learning environment have been investigated neither with preservice teachers nor at all in the United Arab Emirates or wider Gulf region. The learning environment was found to be significantly related to preservice teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy and beliefs about mathematics. Learning environments perceived more favourably by preservice teachers were associated with higher self-efficacy for teaching mathematics, but also with more-traditional beliefs, making these findings important for higher education institutes and teacher educators.