Identifying events that impact self-efficacy in physics learning

Abstract

We present a method of analyzing the development of self-efficacy in real time using a framework of self-efficacy opportunities (SEOs). Considerable research has shown a connection between self-efficacy, or the confidence in one's own ability to perform a task, and success in science fields. Traditional methods of investigating the development of self-efficacy have required participants to recollect past events. This reliance on participant memory makes it difficult to understand what impact particular events may have on developing self-efficacy in the moment. We use video recordings of three undergraduate Modeling Instruction students solving a physics problem to characterize SEOs in a moment-by-moment analysis. We then validate these characterizations of the development of self-efficacy by reviewing the problemsolving session with the participants and find evidence that the SEOs identified are taken up and impact self-efficacy. This characterization and validation of SEOs in the moment represents a first step towards establishing a methodology for analyzing the development of self-efficacy in real time.

Meeting students halfway: Increasing self-efficacy and promoting knowledge change in astronomy

“…Britner and colleagues have looked at levels of self-efficacy for middle school [39] and high school students [40] and what differences might exist between science domains. Other self-efficacy research focuses on college courses, including domains such as physics [37,41,42], or focuses on the selfefficacy for teaching science rather than learning science [43][44][45][46]. Investigating self-efficacy in different domains will help researchers understand the nature of this complex variable, and can lead instructors toward understanding how self-efficacy in their own content areas might be improved.…”

Fontes de autoeficácia e atividades experimentais de física: um estudo exploratório

“…Com nossos resultados podemos perceber que o método EM não só promove atitudes favoráveis [4], mas também possibilita oportunidades para que três fontes de autoeficácia se manifestem (experiências pessoais, experiências vicárias e persuasão social). Além disso, podemos sugerir que o processo de aprendizagem por modelagem científica está relacionado com essa potencialidade, visto que, o método Modeling Instruction (também baseado nesse tipo de aprendizagem) mostrou o mesmo potencial na promoção de situações que servem de fontes de autoeficácia aos alunos [35,12,18,21,23].…”

“…14,15,16,17]; em questões de diversidade cultural, étnica, racial e de gênero [e.g. 18,19,20]; e de métodos ativos de ensino [21,22,23]. Com relação às pesquisas acerca de métodos ativos de ensino, os autores se preocupam em estabelecer relações entre a percepção de autoeficácia e outros diferentes construtos.…”

Leveraging a relationship with biology to expand a relationship with physics

“…Now we would like to turn to asking how the shift in relationship came to be. Going into the analysis of how Violet's relationship with physics changed, we expected to build off earlier work [41] and attend to the opportunities that Violet had to develop her sense of competence in physics. This literature suggests that a way to mediate students' expectations about being incapable in physics is to provide them with opportunities to see themselves as successful, to see others being successful, and to receive feedback on their successes.…”