Effect of problem-based learning on teacher self-efficacy in Physical Education didactics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v79.119065Keywords:
Higher education, problem-based learning, teacher self-efficacy, Initial teacher training, Physical EducationAbstract
Introduction: In the context of higher education, active methodologies have gained relevance as strategies to strengthen not only learning but also professional variables such as teacher self-efficacy.
Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of a teaching plan based on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on teacher self-efficacy in university students from different majors.
Methodology: A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was adopt-ed. Participants were students enrolled in teacher training programs in the area of physical activity. The intervention took place in the Physical Education Didactics course. Self-efficacy was assessed using the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), ad-ministered before and after the program. The analysis included descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and a mixed ANOVA to examine changes over time and between groups.
Results: Self-efficacy scores showed a significant in-crease after the intervention (p < .001). This pattern was maintained both on the overall scale and in its dimensions. The ANOVA confirmed a main effect of time, F(1,144) = 1335.04, p < .001, η² = .773, along with a significant interaction between time and career.
Discussion: The results suggest that PBL contributes significantly to strengthening the perception of teacher competence, consistent with recent studies on active learning methodologies.
Conclusions: The implementation of PBL is associated with substantial improvements in teacher self-efficacy, which supports its integration into initial teacher training processes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Marcelo Méndez-Urresta, Jaime Yucato, José Luis Ortiz-Arciniega, Vanessa Méndez Carvajal, Cho Hye-Soo, Juan Carlos Salas-Subía, Erika Méndez Carvajal

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