Involving children in reflective discussions about their perceived self-efficacy and learning experiences

Abstract

Previous research indicates the importance of self-efficacy beliefs for young children's learning and achievement. However, the challenge has been to research young children's self-efficacy in authentic learning situations. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate young children's immediate experiences of confidence in specific classroom-learning situations and to explore the factors that support young children's self-efficacy. The participants (n = 24, children aged six to eight years) from four primary school classrooms were videotaped over the course of seven weeks. During recall discussions, the video clips from the videotaped classroom activities were used to stimulate children's memory regarding the confidence they experienced in specific learning situations. Three levels of confidence (high, moderate and low) were identified. The results showed that three interactive learning contexts (child-teacher-task, child-task and child-child-task) support the development of children's self-efficacy. The findings elucidate the factors influencing children's confidence and indicate it is essential to involve them in discussions about their learning experiences and self-efficacy beliefs. This paper adds to the literature on participatory approaches involving young children in aspects of the analysis and provides important information on how teachers can scaffold young children's confidence and promote self-efficacy in the classroom.