Science education suffers from teachers' inadequate preparation and negative attitudes. Social cognitive theory offers teacher educators a model for understanding the reasons for inadequate science instruction and for developing teacher education practices that can overcome the obstacles to effective science instruction. Research showing the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy, anxiety, and teaching effectiveness is reviewed. Teacher education strategies that increase self-efficacy, lower anxiety, and increase teacher effectiveness are described, and problems in science education in need of further study are discussed.
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