Self-Efficacy: How Does It Influence Academic Success?

Abstract

Colleges and universities today are not only serving traditional high school graduates, but also students who have earned a General Educational Development (GED) diploma. Through the GED tests, individuals who did not complete high school or were home schooled can earn an alternative high school diploma. In 1942, the GED test was developed under the direction of the American Council of Education, to provide World War II veterans a way of earning an alternative high school diploma so that they could take advantage of the postsecondary education benefits provided by the GI Bill (Tyler, 2003). In the 1950s, the test was made available to all adults who had not completed high school. The Ohio Department of Education's Office of assessment issued a news release dated June 4, 2003, stating that in 2001, 41,000 Ohioans took the GED test. At Rent State University (KSU), there are more than 1,000 GED graduates enrolled as undergraduate students among the eight regional campuses (Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, 2002). A study conducted by Dowdy and Golden (2004) showed that GED graduates possess a wide range of diverse characteristics that distinguish them from traditional high school graduates in higher education. Many GED graduates have been in the workforce or are still in the workforce, married, parenting, and may have some college experience (Golden, 2003). Thus, their diversity brings a much richer and lived experience to the classroom, as opposed to high school graduates: however, they may not be as prepared for college as are high school graduates who are exposed to college preparatory courses and career and vocational guidance in secondary education (Golden). To further their academic skills or obtain their GED, some individuals enroll in adult basic education (ABE) programs to receive formal training in improving or enhancing basic skills. For example, in Ohio, 56,607 adults participated in ABE programs during 2004 (Ohio Adult Basic and Literacy Education). Most of these programs provide students with instructional strategies for taking the GED test or to improve or enhance their basic skills (e.g., reading, writing, and math). A study conducted by Sheehan-Holt and Smith (2000) indicated that although participation in ABE classes improves adults' personal goals of obtaining their GED, communicating more effectively with their children, and reading the Bible, these goals do not necessarily improve their literacy abilities in a way that benefits the broader social context of becoming productive citizens. Thus, many students in these programs do not receive preparation for employment, skills to improve their employment situation, career advice, or exposure to postsecondary education. Furthermore, many GED graduates never enroll in ABE classes, particularly home schoolers. They, as well as others, just take the GED test. This means that their exposure to college does not exist, unless it is obtained through other sources such as family members, co-workers, or some other medium. Perhaps, then, for some GED graduates, their and attitudes in their capabilities drive their success in college. Self-efficacy as defined by Bandura in Goddard and Goddard (2001) is beliefs in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce to given attainments (p. 807). This article is part of a series discussing our findings from GED graduates who participated in a research study at KSU. The first article provides background information about the study and briefly discusses how GED graduates approached postsecondary education. The purpose of this article is to explore how self-efficacy influences the persistence of GED graduates to succeed academically in postsecondary education. Although there has been research on college preparation for high school students, there is almost no research that focuses on college preparation for GED graduates. …