The Influence of Self-Efficacy and Learning Motivation of High School Students on the Understanding of the Concepts of Work and Energy

Abstract

This research is the first to investigate the relationship between students’ self-efficacy, learning motivation, and conceptual understanding of the concepts of work and energy. The research aims to explore how students’ beliefs and attitudes affect their comprehension and application of physics concepts in various contexts. This quantitative descriptive study has 106 respondents from Senior High School 7 and 16 in the Bungo Regency. Data collection was conducted using validated questionnaires, interviews, and diagnostic tests. The results show that the average self-efficacy at Senior High School 7 and Senior High School 16 in the Bungo Regency is categorized as “very good.” Student learning motivation at Senior High School 7 Bungo is classified as “fair,” while at Senior High School 16 Bungo, it is categorized as “good.” Students’ conceptual understanding at Senior High School 7 Bungo is classified as “fair,” while at Senior High School 16 Bungo, it is categorized as “good.” The research also reveals an influence between students’ self-efficacy and learning motivation on understanding the concepts of work and energy, with a contribution of 67%. The remaining 33% is influenced by other factors not examined in this study. The novelty of this research is that it introduces a new measure of conceptual understanding based on a diagnostic test that covers multiple aspects of work and energy, such as definition, calculation, conservation, and transformation. The research also provides empirical evidence of the positive impact of self-efficacy and motivation on conceptual understanding in physics learning.