Structural Equation Model on Learners’ Conceptions of Learning and Approaches to Learning as Predictors of Physics Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Many studies in the past have established the positive association of self-efficacy to academic motivation and achievement. To substantively improve the understanding of learner’s self-efficacy, education researchers must need to explore how it is structured. This study proposed a structural model of Physics self-efficacy (PSE) and outlined its relationshipswith conceptions of learning Physics (CLP) and approachesto learning Physics (ALP) through structural equation modeling. Three questionnaires from Tsai (2008) were adapted for a field survey that was carried out to 317 fourth-year students randomly chosen among seven national high schools in the east district of the division of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines to measure the scales on PSE, CLP and ALP. Correlation and path analyses showed that CLP has significant relationship with ALP. Consequently,the ALP also has significant relationshipto PSE. Specifically, both the students’ low-level and high-level conceptions of learning physics exerted positive influence to surface and deep motives and strategies in their approaches in learning the subject. Further, the students’ ALP inferred direct contribution to PSE than the CLP. These results provide valuable information in this area to effusively understand the nature and process of learning physics pertinent to other metacognitive variables. Keywords - Science education, learning conception, learning approaches, physicslearning, self-efficacy, structural equation modelling, Philippines