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Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (OJMR) April 2015, 1(1), 28-32 ORIGINAL RESEARCH
OPEN ACCESS
A Study of Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement among College Students S. Pavani1 and Gaurav Agrawal*2 1Department 2Assisstant
of Clinical Psychology, Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, India Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, India
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Article History: --------------------------Received: 20-10-2014 Revised: 10-12-2014 Accepted: 28-01-2015 Published: 20-04-2015
Summary The present study was aimed to see the levels of self-efficacy among various academic achievers that
Keywords: --------------------------Academic achievement, Self-efficacy
is high, medium, and low. For this 60 students were
Article code: OJMR116
academic achievers, 20 were medium academic
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achievers and 20 were low academic achievers.
Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None declared *Corresponding Author: Dr. Gaurav Agrawal Assisstant Professor, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar-249405, India E-mail:
[email protected] Contact no.: 919358549482
taken from D.S.V.V. and S.M.N. Inter College (Hardwar).In which
20 students
were high
Self-efficacy scale was administered on all these 3 groups. Analysis of variance was applied on all the 3 groups. A significant level of 0.01 was found among high and medium academes. Also a significant level of 0.01 was found among high and low academes. Results indicated that one who has high
self-efficacy
posses’
high
academic
achievement.
OJMR 2015 | April - June 2015 | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Pages 28-32 Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India
ISSN (Online): 2395-4892 Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, International Journal
29 Pavani and Agrawal / A Study of Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement among College Students
Background
Academic achievement is the outcome of an education. It tells the extent to which a student has achieved his educational goals. Many researches took place in the field of academic achievement. The prediction and explanation of academic achievement and the examination of the factors relating to the academic achievement are the topics of greatest importance in different educational levels. Studies have shown that prior academic performance is an important predictor of performance at other levels of education. Similarly cognitive ability was found as the strongest predictor of academic performance. Von, S. & Sophie (2011) “A Meta-analysis suggested that mental curiosity (as measured by typical intellectual engagement) has an important influence on academic achievement in addition to intelligence and conscientiousness.” Most of the researches focused on cognitive ability of the students and academic achievement. But now many researches are emphasizing on non-cognitive factors such as personality, motivation, and learning strategies and beliefs in investigations of individual difference s in academic achievement. Bandura provided a view of human behavior in which the beliefs that people have about themselves are key elements in the exercise of control and personal agency. Dewey (1933) “Individuals are able to evaluate their experiences and thought processes.” According to this view, what people know, the skills they possess, or what they have previously accomplished are not always good predictors of subsequent attainments because the beliefs they hold about their capabilities powerfully influence the ways in which they will behave. Pint & De (1990) have suggested that, “Self-beliefs may play a meditational role in relation to cognitive engagement and that enhancing them might lead to increased use of
cognitive strategies that, in turn, lead to improve performance.” In school, for example, the beliefs that students develop about their academic capabilities help determine what they do with the knowledge and skills they have learned. Consequently, their academic performances are in part the result of what they come to believe that they have accomplished and can accomplish. This helps explain why students' academic performances may differ markedly when they have similar ability. We can say one way or in another selfefficacy affects academic achievement. Laying emphasis on this the present study was conducted to know whether self-efficacy varies among different academic achievers. Objectives 1. To know the factors affecting the Academic achievement. 2. To know the role of Self-efficacy on Academic achievement. 3. Techniques to enhance academic achievement through self-efficacy. Hypotheses The following research hypothesis were formed 1 (Ho) There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among high academic achievement and low academic achievement. 2 (Ho) There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among high academic achievement and medium academic achievement. 3(HO) There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among medium academic achievement and low academic achievement. Research methods Participants 60 students were taken from DSVV and SMN Inter College (Hardwar). For this purpose of testing null hypothesis, 3 groups were taken with 20 students in each group. The students were
OJMR 2015 | April - June 2015 | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Pages 28-32 Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India
ISSN (Online): 2395-4892 Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, International Journal
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taken in such a way that a group consisted high academic achievers, another group with medium academic achievers and the other with low academic achievers. Tools General self-efficacy scale prepared by S. Sud, R. Schwarzer and M. Jerusalem was administered on the 3 groups. Procedure 60 subjects were taken and divided in to 3 groups basing on academic achievement of the class. For this highest percentage and lowest percentage of the class were taken. After administering the scale on the 3 groups, mean score was carried out. ANOVA was applied to obtain significant difference. Result-table Null-hypothesis-1 (Ho) -There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among high academic achievement and low academic achievement students. Result-table 1 Source of variation Between group Within group
SS
df
2089
2
Mean square 1044.5
979.7
57
17.187
SD
SED
4.145
1.310
t-value 10.730 0.01 level of significance
The null hypothesis was rejected at 0.01 levels of significance. The t-value is 10.730. High academe poses more self-efficacy than low academes. Null hypothesis-2 (HO) There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among high academic achievement and medium academic achievement. Result-table 2 Source of variation Between group
SS
df
2089
2
Mean square 1044.5
Within group
979.7
57
17.187
SD
SED
t-value
4.145
1.310
7.92 0.01level of significance
The null hypothesis was rejected at 0.01 levels of significance. The t-value is 7.92. High academe poses more self-efficacy than medium academes.
OJMR 2015 | April - June 2015 | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Pages 28-32 Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India
ISSN (Online): 2395-4892 Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, International Journal
31
Null hypothesis-3 (HO) There is no significant difference in the levels of self-efficacy among medium academic achievement and low academic achievement. Result-table 3 Source of variation Between group
SS
df
2089
2
Mean square 1044.5
Within group
979.7
57
17.187
SD
SED
t-value
4.145
1.310
2.78 0.01 level of significance
The null hypothesis was rejected at 0.01 levels of significance. The t-value is 2.78. Medium academe poses more self-efficacy than low academes. Schunk (1995)“Self-efficacy is Discussion hypothesized to affect individuals’ task choices, From the result table it is clear that the 3 effort, persistence and achievement”. null hypotheses formed were rejected by These people perform task competently, showing significant results at 0.01 levels. Higher and are apt to participate more readily, work academes posses’ more self-efficacy than harder persist longer when they encounter medium academes and low academes. Medium difficulties and achieve at higher goals. academes posses more self-efficacy than low Vialle Wilma, Research on Australian academes. Hence we can that High academies science students showed that “Those with high posses more self-efficacy. self-efficacy showed better academic Self-efficacy is the measure of one's own performance than those with low self-efficacy. competence to complete tasks and reach goals. Confident individuals typically took control over Bandura (1997)- “Our own attempts to control their own learning experiences, were more likely our environments are the most powerful to participate in class, and preferred hands-on sources”. Self-efficacy information successful learning experiences. Those with low selfattempts at control that I am attributing to my efficacy typically shied away from academic own efforts will strengthen self-efficacy for that interactions.” behavior or domain. Perceptions of failure at Margolis & Mc cabe (2006)- “Students control attempts usually diminish self-efficacy. with a strong sense of efficacy are more likely to Dwek (2000)- “Viewing competence as challenge themselves with difficult tasks and be incremental, not fixed: if we view competence as intrinsically motivated. These students will put a set of skills to be performed in specific forth a high degree of effort in order to meet situations rather than as a trait, and as their commitments, and attribute failure to acquirable through effort and experience rather things which are in their control, rather than than as fixed, we are more likely to persist in the blaming external factors.” face of obstacles to success.” There is some Neurobiological evidence The perception that competence is regarding self-efficacy. According to New berg & incremental and can be increased by experience Demarici (2000) “Frontal and prefrontal lobe of can be enhanced by comparing recent successful the human brain evolved to facilitate the coping strategies with past. When this prioritization of goals and the planful thinking perception is cultivated in the students, they that are crucial for self-efficacy.” start doing better at their academic levels. A great philosopher said, “One who has sense of control over his behavior, his environment, and
OJMR 2015 | April - June 2015 | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Pages 28-32 Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India
ISSN (Online): 2395-4892 Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, International Journal
32
his own thoughts and feelings will have happiness and a sense of well-being.” Selfefficacy helps achieve this aim. References 1. Bandura (1997), Self-efficacy: The exercise of control, New York: Freeman. 2. Dewey (1933) cited in Bandura, A. (1986), Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 3. Dwek (2000), Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and Development, Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis. 4. Margolis & McCabe (2006) cited in SelfEfficacy: Helping Students Believe in Themselves, http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorksho ps/affective/efficacy.htm
5. New, B. &De, M. (2000).Cited in Allen, B. Personality theories –development, growth and diversity, 3rd Ed, Needham heights: a person education company, pg 307. 6. Pintrich, P. R, & De Groot, E. V. (1990), Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance, Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33-40. 7. Villa lamella, Graduate school of education, Australia: university of wollong gong http://www.aare.edu.au/98pap/and 98319.htm. 8. Von, S.& Sophie (2011), The Hungry Mind: Intellectual Curiosity Is the Third Pillar of Academic Performance, Perspective on Psychological Science, Vol no 6 (6), pg 574–588. 9. Schunk.D.H (1995), Self-efficacy and education and instructions in J.E Maddux(Ed), Self-efficacy, adaptation and adjustment: theory, research and application, Newyork: plenum, p.g 281303.
How to cite this article: Pavani, S. and Agrawal, G. (2015). A Study of Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement among College Students. Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1(1): 28-32.
OJMR 2015 | April - June 2015 | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Pages 28-32 Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India
ISSN (Online): 2395-4892 Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, International Journal
