Changing Perspectives: The development of pre-service teachers’ field-specific ability beliefs across academic disciplines

Background

Field-specific ability beliefs (FABs) reflect the perception that success in academic fields depends on innate, unteachable abilities. These beliefs affect teaching practices and student motivation. However, little is known about their longitudinal development during teacher education.

Aims

This study examines how FABs evolve during university teacher education and whether longitudinal trajectories differ across academic disciplines, particularly between STEM and non-STEM subjects.

Sample

The sample included 1734 preservice teachers (22.11 years old on average in the first study year, 69.8% female) from a German university, studying across 21 subjects, categorized into six groups: languages; arts and philosophy; social sciences; physical education; biology, chemistry and computer science and mathematics-intensive subjects.

Methods

FABs were measured annually over four years using a validated scale. Applying latent growth modelling, we examined overall changes and differences in trajectories across subject domains, controlling for gender and prior academic achievement.

Results

FABs changed over time, with five of the six subject groups showing a decline. Mathematics-intensive subjects and physical education exhibited the highest initial FAB levels. While mathematics-intensive subjects showed the steepest decline, FABs in physical education increased. FABs in social sciences and languages remained relatively stable. Gender predicted initial FAB levels but was unrelated to changes over time. Prior achievement did not predict either initial levels or longitudinal changes in FABs.

Conclusions

Teacher education appears to reduce FABs, particularly in STEM fields, yet persistent and increasing FABs in certain disciplines highlight the need for targeted interventions to foster growth-oriented beliefs in preservice teachers.