IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING (CRT) APPROACH TO ENHANCE SELF-EFFICACY AND PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCE OF PRESERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aims to enhance the self-efficacy and pedagogical competence of preservice teachers by implementing the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) approach. CRT is an instructional framework that integrates students’ cultural backgrounds into the learning process in order to increase instructional relevance, inclusivity, and meaningful engagement. The research employed a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design conducted across two cycles, each consisting of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection stages. The participants comprised 50 preservice teachers, including 10 males and 40 females. Data on self-efficacy and pedagogical competence were collected using questionnaires and structured observation sheets, and subsequently analyzed using descriptive quantitative techniques. The findings indicate a substantial improvement in both self-efficacy and pedagogical competence. In Cycle I, improvements were observed but remained suboptimal, with 52% of participants categorized as having good self-efficacy and only 27% demonstrated good pedagogical competence. Following the implementation of Cycle II, preservice teachers’ self-efficacy increased markedly, with 71% classified as good and 8% as very good, while pedagogical competence reached 78% in the good category and 6% in the very good category. Furthermore, the average learning outcomes improved consistently, increasing from 65 in the pre-cycle phase to 72 in Cycle I and reaching 92 in Cycle II. Classical learning mastery also showed a significant rise, reaching 89%, which falls within the very high category. These results suggest that the application of Culturally Responsive Teaching effectively strengthens both the psychological and pedagogical capacities of preservice teachers.