Future professionals’ perceptions of play and intended practices: the moderating role of efficacy beliefs

Eunjoo Jung, Yue Zhang, Ying Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined whether perceptions of play of future professionals (N = 337) are related to their intent to integrate play into their practices and how their efficacy beliefs moderate the relation between perceptions of play and intended practices. While students with child-related majors were more likely to have stronger perceptions of play, they did not necessarily hold stronger intentions to use play in their practices, thus suggesting a noteworthy discrepancy between their perceptions and intentions. Students’ efficacy beliefs moderate the relationship between perceptions of play and their intended practices; however, an intriguing pattern was observed between high- and low-efficacy holders. The notable difference between participants with high- and low-efficacy beliefs in their intentions suggests the importance of efficacy beliefs in future professionals’ intended practices, as they make instructional and professional decisions in a challenging educational environment. The efficacy beliefs of future professionals need to be more seriously considered.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1335-1348
Number of pages14
JournalEarly Child Development and Care
Volume187
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 3 2017

Keywords

  • Play
  • early childhood
  • efficacy beliefs
  • future professionals
  • perceptions

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Pediatrics

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