Factors of Shaping Pedagogical Content Knowledge Self-efficacy for Preservice Physics Teachers Throughout Microteaching Course

The teacher's teaching ability is closely related to Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Teachers need to have PCK self-efficacy to support producing good performance in integrating PCK when teaching. Therefore, teacher education institutions must pay attention to PCK self-efficacy. During microteaching course activities, we learned that mastery of knowledge and teaching practices could increase PCK self-efficacy. Still, there is a decrease in PCK self-efficacy after self-reflection activities. Thus, we researched how these factors can increase or decrease their PCK self-efficacy. Research questions in this study include 1) How can mastery of knowledge and teaching practice shape the PCK self-efficacy of preservice physics teachers? and 2) How does teaching reflection shape the self-efficacy PCK of physics teacher candidates? This research is qualitative, with interviews. This study collected data by interviewing 17 of 51 preservice teachers with significant self-efficacy changes. The interview data was processed by giving codes; then, the codes were summarized to be used as conclusions. It was obtained that mastery of knowledge related to PCK makes them feel ready to teach. This readiness makes PCK self-efficacy increase. Positive reactions and feedback from lecturers and peers also increase the PCK self-efficacy of preservice teachers as validation that teaching abilities are indeed good. The increase in PCK self-efficacy after teaching practice activities was allegedly caused by the "reality shock" experienced. The decrease in self-efficacy is related to their metacognitive ability to realize that their teaching ability is still lacking. Therefore, we recommend further research on metacognition's role in preservice teachers' self-efficacy.