Which Factors Influence Students Self-Efficacy with Regard to Their Academic Performance - Research Paper Example

FACTORS INFLUENCING SELF-EFFICACY WITH REGARD TO THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Table of Contents Table of Contents Literature Review 3 Introduction 3 Background of the Study 3 Factors Influencing Students Self-Efficacy 4 Experience or "Enactive Attainment” 4 Modelling or "Vicarious Experience 5 Social Persuasion 5 Physiological Factors 6 Problem Statement 7 Statement of Purpose 7 Objectives of the Research 7 Method of Investigation 8 Research Design 8 Sampling 9 Data Collection 10 Data Analysis 11 Ethical Considerations 12 Conclusion 13 References 14 (Students Name) (Name of Institution Literature Review Introduction Understanding student performance from the point of self-efficacy requires an open mind and approach to the specific individual that is being looked at. According to Lane and Kyprianou (2004), self-efficacy is used to refer to levels of confidence owned by individuals that allow them to carry out specific tasks in their lives. Therefore, self-efficacy in academic performance would refer to the confidence that individual students have on academic issues that allow them to be successful in academic endeavours. Most researchers would agree that there are several factors that have a direct influence on the efficacy of students but these would highly depend on the cultural fits that happen in the educational system and curriculum. The idea of self-efficacy does not just come by chance to the involved victors but there is always a great deal of hard work that aims at maintaining the faith to get the high levels of educational success (Bandura, 1982, p.126). This proposal will seek to provide a base for justification of the fact that self-efficacy has a direct impact on academic performance of students that are involved in an academic program that is on distance basis. In-view of this, it will provide background information about the genesis of self-efficacy in students before embarking on plot development. Background of the Study The importance of efficacy is gaining acceptance with every passing day. From a psychological point of view, self-efficacy is a creation from the theories of efficacy as brought forward by Bandura. Self-efficacy is about inclusiveness. This inclusiveness is about the end result. It is an issue that started long ago but Bandura (1977) indicated that here are very important sections of personality that will render the effects effective with the final impact of motivation for student success. The areas that are aimed at being promoted are in accomplishments of performance, verbal and emotional arousal and vicarious experience. To cement the value of self-efficacy in the development of motivation of students therefore, there will be an objective and analytical view of four key issues. These issues will represent the objective of statement question in which case there is need to link self-efficacy and student academic performance in the post graduate case as indicated (Banduras, 1977). Factors Influencing Students Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy is influenced by a collection of very strong factors that influence the total personality of an individual. Experience or "Enactive Attainment” Experience is a very determining factor when it comes to issue of self-efficacy. Dissects (2012) dissects experience as immediate and former. In both cases, it has far reaching effects on the behaviour and confidence of the students and their eventual success. Postgraduate education requires a high sense of risk taking through project and online submissions. This is to say that there is a risk that is taken but the success of previous students may inculcate confidence in the current group. In this case, strong efficacy is generated through such former success by the current students. In vicarious experience, there is a situation in which students watch others handle very complex experiences and succeed which helps them hope for the same (Yao, 2007, p. 6). This positive show is enhanced through modelling, performance exposure, performances that are self-instructed as well as performance desensitization. In a direct way for that matter, experience has a direct bearing on the performance of all student self-efficacy. It is however a very binding issue in that the there is a permanent picture of either success or failure in the subject (Creswell & Garrett, 2008, p. 322). Many students usually exhibit characteristics significant to this Bandura self-efficacy effects and the relative effects to academic achievements. To this cause, all the students regardless of their academic ability have self-efficacy to depend on to realize and academic success. Modelling or "Vicarious Experience The right models usually impacts positively on the students’ ability to sustain their self-efficacy. Suggestions, exhortations and self-instruction are very important in making sure that one develops his efficacy. The internal variable (self-instruction) is especially important especially when referring to a distant learner (Bryman, 2006, p. 113). This is because the external variables are easily erased by history. The sight of a successful person is usually an indication that belief in the same ways of life could lead to success. This method of creation of self-efficacy is not a direct one and is used mostly by people who are not sure about the exact path they need to follow in life. If the way they take looks successful from the initial stages, then they are justified in following it (Cleland, Knigh, Rees, Tracey, & Bond, 2008, p. 801). In academic arena, this method is very important in its effects because it is actually an external variable. The student does not need a direct contact with the teacher to be successful but is motivated by those people around him that have succeeded through such methods. However, this factor is very risky because there can be no method of rescinding the situation. Social Persuasion Cleland etal (2008, p. 802) provides a reflection on the importance of proper principal values in formal socialization. This in education sector is usually between the teacher and the students. There is an indication that self-efficacy and success is a behaviour hat is developed through a collection of interactions. However, most important is the teacher who is able to create the right self-efficacy or doom. Fishbein’s integrative model was used to source for all the basic traits of a student regardless of their distance with the teacher and then create self-efficacy in them. If the teacher impacts the correct attitudes and personality in the student, then they will be able to perform positively (Guay, Ratelle, & Chanal, 2008, p. 238). The variables created at this point are either external social variables or the internal variables. The same idea of social factors in formality issues was echoed by West, Kahn and Nauta (2007, p. 174). In their case, research that is done on a given number of students (N=2340 in this case) can still be very valuable if the teacher inculcates in them the right attitude that would see their distant studies succeeds. This is through adaptation of the correct motivation to keep working hard with knowledge of the right type of motivation from the teacher. Self-efficacy is not an independent aspect of success for this matter. The external variables act in line with internal variables to give rise to a collection of virtues in attitudes, norms and efficacy (Lane, Lane, & Kyprianou, 2004, p. 253). The final product is a positive behaviour which was created through a positive social process. Physiological Factors One of the characteristics of people exuding self-efficacy is that they are usually confident with what they are doing. Physiological factors however have had a great deal of effect on the performance of these students. A student who is able to contain the physiological stresses mostly through containment especially during examinations is usually successful. Physiological processes take the form of stress, shakes, pains, nausea and general fear. Self-efficacy can highly be altered through perceptions of these responses (Jackson, 2002, p. 244). In most cases, psychologists indicate that these responses appear due to a variety of reasons which can be contained either by the teacher (external variable) or the student (internal variable features). Low self-efficacy has been viewed as indicating inability in most people. Yao (2007, p 2) indicates that teachers have the choice of e3nhancing student efficacy in all cases. How is this possible given that the students in this case are distant learners? Repeated symbolic exposure is the method mostly used to contain this. The students are exposed to the model and this makes them believe that they are able to do it. Confidence comes as a result of repeatedly doing the same thing over and over again (Bandura, 1997, p. 29). Problem Statement The project entitled “Factors Influencing Students Self-Efficacy with Regard to their Academic Performance” is meant to explore the self-efficacy factors as related to academic performance and the success levels realized. The statement will develop an extension of the knowledge on the key factors influencing the efficacy and the eventual success in abiding by them. The going over of these factors will help us understand the relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance. This will shed more light on the existing understanding between self-efficacy and academic excellence. Statement of Purpose The purpose of the study is to unveil the underlying mentioned relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance. This research therefore will fulfil the purpose of highlighting the factors that influence self-efficacy with regard to students’ academic performance. The project therefore has the rationale of exploring the best practices that link these two issues that affect a total of 2340 postgraduate students in a distance learning program. Objectives of the Research The aim and objectives that will be fulfilled by the underlying research are: To identify the factors that influence self-efficacy among students in an institution in a distance learning setting To create the identified influential factors to academic success To demonstrate the practicality of the identified factors to effective learning in a distance learning program The overall objective underlying the project will be executing and proving that there is a link between the factors influencing self-efficacy and student performance in the said program. Method of Investigation There are several research methods that can be used in this section. However, the procedural proof will provide consistency in provision of the right method to get the accuracy required. Research Design A research design is inclusive of the methodology as well as the procedures that are used to carry out the research (Jim Ridgway, 2007, p. 46). In this case, there is a consideration of use of descriptive methods and use of research question as the sub-type. In this case, the descriptive methods will be used because there will not much data to be collected and analysed. The situation will require establishment of presence or absence of efficacy and the corresponding relationship with success in the learning program. The time frame is supposed to be elongated so that the design is able to measure the difference between the students who have experienced the self-efficacy and those who have not. This experience will include an involvement of the teachers to develop he efficacy in the students if need be. His is so because some are able to develop their own personal motivations. In the absence of so much analytical view and a focus on the pre and post test results, the focus group of focus was a total of 2340 postgraduate students. This sample focus group generated the data that was able to be used to make conclusive remarks about the research topic. They were in groups as this was meant to help create confidence in answering the questions. The dependent variables are all the good results and positive attributes from the experiment and the independent variables are the factors that affect self-efficacy. This is so because the factors do not depend on the results to exist but the end results depend on the factors to exist. This research design is therefore important in making sure that the real results are obtained from the results. Sampling There are so many students that take different courses in different universities in the UK. However, this sample is based on 2340 postgraduate students in the distance learning program. The students are registered for a research methodology in a distance institution and have to carry out the project as par the curriculum requirements. Since it would be very impractical to study the whole student population, there has to be a sample of the whole population. The sampling method used is simple sampling. The research does not require so much work but from the population, all the students in that specified program have an equal chance of participation. This method is also not of bias in any way and the real results would correctly represent the ability of the whole group (Jackson, 2002, p. 246). The 2340 population of the entire program can be selected either electronically or by a random assignment of numbers. By consideration of the population involved and their distance from the institution, the electronic method is used in that their respective names fed into the computer system and programmed to be arranged alphabetically. The first 2340 students collectively qualify to participate in the research. This method is efficient because the alphabetical names do not give any form of bias and there will be a high mix of numbers in terms of age, sex, ability, self-efficacy ability. The sample is also a representation of all the programs under the module so that there is a high level of accuracy as represented by the population. It is also viable because the population is relatively homogenous for the characteristic being researched (Barron & Harackiewicz, 2001, p. 710). These are the different types of samples that would be used for the research. Data Collection Data collection was based on the established objectives of the study. In this case, the method of data collection was based on establishing what affects their performance as far as self-efficacy is concerned. Both primary and secondary methods of data collection were used. The secondary research methods were used through referral to the student performance records. For instance, having hypothetically identified the four factors that would affect self-efficacy, students exposed to different environments for instance gave different results for the same factors. These were also correlated with their performance. The secondary data collection method would represent use of questionnaires to the students. The questionnaires are also sent by e-mail to the students given that their proximity to the institution is not assured. The questions were supposed to be answered and sent back by email again within a specified period of about two weeks. The questionnaire contains 20 questions all about the experiences as related to self-efficacy but not specific to the four hypothetical issues that directly and solidly touch on the factors influencing self0-effucacy. The same would be used in the telephone method. Open ended and closed ended questions were to be used in half measures so that specifications are to be obtained. The second method that would be used is the telephone based opinion to the students which would take the form of random digit dialling from the collected group. This would take a group of 234 students (10% of the population). Those who would be called would not be sent the questionnaire through their emails. This is because the same information is the one being sought using the two data collection methods. This method is reliable because there is a strong possibility that all the questions would be answered and in case there is doubt, there is always room for convincing the respondent to answer them (Pintrich, 2003, p. 669). The study appears to be very feasible in this case and it would be analysed by use of statistical techniques of the mean, mode and median. This is because all that is required is the proof that indeed the hypothetical factors affect the student efficacy. The questionnaire was developed at the psychology department of the institution by the psychology professors in line with Albert Bandura’s descriptions on self-efficacy. To ensure there is no bias and prejudice based on the questions being sent, they are sent independently and are supposed to be emailed back to the institution through the same way. Moreover, the phone calls ensure a lot of transparency since there is no consultation and there is a direct question-answer format. This highly minimizes errors and bias (Rowe & Wood). Data Analysis Analysis is based on the results received, how they are received and the set objectives. After completing the data collection completely, the results of the questionnaire have to be analysed equally. Data that is associated with the students who did not complete the information are to be removed and discarded and work with those that were completed. True efficacy was measured based on a range of factors including overcoming some challenges that come the students’ way during the learning process. Coping with the demands of the program alongside other programs in lives of the students was measured. Motivation maintenance among the students was also measured in the research. Assessment passing was valued because it measured against the value of efficacy that was attached to trying to overcome through the program. After the data was cleaned, it was analysed based on the objectives. Based on the number of students and the methods that were used to collect the data, computer simulation method was used to analyse the data. The analysis was based on what mean percentage of the students had support for the methods that have influence on their academic performance as related to self-efficacy. This method was simple and fast as well as accurate in giving the results required. 95% of the students (n=2223) related their development of self-efficacy to the factors that summed up influence on the efficacy. These factors were a relationship to experience, role modelling, cognitive outcomes, behavioural outcomes and affective outcomes. The five per cent were found to be students of the low cognitive ability and therefore there seemed to be a relationship between their interests in life and the responses they gave. Although the questionnaire discussed a variety of issues, the end response was to identify the factors that influence the presence of self-efficacy in students and their ability to achieve through lack of or presence of self-efficacy. The analysis therefore showed a direct correlation between student’s experiences and self-efficacy. Ethical Considerations Ethical considerations refer to the values, principles and conditions that put an address on affairs of humanity. Hey give reasons for the behaviour or lack of it in the people involved in some action (Emanuel & Adams, 2006, p. 540). In the context of the research, all the participating students were went prior messages to affirm of their confirmation. The number 2340 was reached after a group of 60 students would not take it up for various reasons. His was to fulfil the ethical consideration of nit ambushing the participants and also allow them to prepare for the same. To those who participated through phone calls, there was also a prior call so that they prepare themselves psychologically to handle the questions. They of course did not need to do any research since the questions were personal issues. The other ethical issue was the use of the institutional facilities in which there had to be information to be passed to the administration. This was not only an official issue but also ethical to take care of protocol (Weaver, 2006, p. 385). Conclusion This research was therefore very useful in unveiling the factors that influence self-efficacy with reference to their student performance. It was therefore found that performance has a direct relationship with self-efficacy. References Albert, B. (1982). Self-Efficacy Mechanisms in Human Agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122-147. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman. Banduras, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. Barron, K., & Harackiewicz, J. (2001). Achievement goals and optimal motivation: Testing multiple goal models. Journal of Personality and Social Psycholog, 80, 706–722. Bryman, A. (2006). Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: How is it done? Qualitative Research, 6(97), 113. Cleland, J. A., Knigh, L. V., Rees, C. E., Tracey, S., & Bond, C. M. (2008). Is it me or is it them? Factors that influence the passing of underperforming students. 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