Evaluating programming self-efficacy in the context of inquiry skills and problem-solving skills: A perspective from teacher education

It is stated that programming skills, which are ever-increasingly becoming crucial nowadays, have an impact on cognitive processes and promote individual’s self-efficacy in different ways. It is noted that students with programming skills have the character of problem solving, inquiry and being able to make decisions, which are all requisites of today’s education system.. The purpose of this research is to examine the programming self-efficacy of Information Technologies and Software teacher candidates, who are trained in the field of programming. In total, 707 students, who are studying in the Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies Education of the Faculty of Education of eight universities in Turkey, participated in this research. The results of the research demonstrate that students’ programming self-efficacy is at medium level, whereas high level is observed for their inquiry and problem-solving skills. Also, inquiry skills have a significant impact on their perceived programming self-efficacy; whereas problem-solving skills has not any impact on it.