Philippine preservice teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy: a mixed-method inquiry

The complexity and the subjectivity of self-efficacy as applied in various teaching contexts necessitated this inquiry. An embedded mixed-method study was employed to explore the predictors of Philippine preservice teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) and the CRTSE-forming experiences during their 3-month teaching internship in teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. The results of the quantitative-descriptive study indicated that the preservice teachers have higher levels of CRTSE after their 3-month teaching internship than before their 3-month teaching internship. The preservice teachers were more efficacious on the general teaching principles and practices involving pedagogical skills, professional competence, and personal attributes and consistently demonstrated low self-efficacy on the cultural dimensions of CRTSE before and after their 3-month teaching internship. Hierarchical-sequential regression analysis revealed that the preservice teachers’ CQ metacognition and CQ motivation are predictors of their higher CRTSE. Qualitative analysis revealed that the preservice teachers’ experiences during their 3-month teaching internship which included embracing diversity, empathic collaboration and mentorship, enriched contextualized instruction, enhanced positive attitude and commitment, effective support and feedback, and participating in religious activities reinforced their metacognition and motivation, which significantly influence the remarkable improvement of their CRTSE. Implications of this study include reengineering teacher education curricula, seeking the incorporation of CRT self-efficacy-building activities in teaching training programs and the inclusion of multicultural education focusing on the fundamentals of culturally responsive teaching.