The Relations Among University Students’ Academic Self-efficacy, Academic Motivation, and Self-control and Self-management Levels

Soner Arik

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.7n.4p.23

Abstract

Self-control and self-management, academic motivation and academic self-efficacy are among several variables that affect academic achievement. Although they are widely studied in literature, there is lack of study that deals with them together in one study. This study investigates the relations between self-control and self-management, academic motivation and academic self-efficacy levels of university students. A group of 588 students at a state university in Turkey participated in the study. The data were collected through ‘Academic Motivation Scale’, ‘Academic Self-Efficacy Scale’, ‘Self-Control and Self-Management Scale’ and a Personal Profile Form that was prepared by the researcher. In line with the purpose of the research, a structural equation model regarding the predictive power of Academic Self-Efficacy level on Academic Motivation and Self-Control and Self-Management levels, and the predictive power of Academic Motivation level on Self-Control and Self-Management level was set. According to the results of the research, it is clear that academic self-efficacy is a significant predictor of both academic motivation and self-control and self-management of university students but academic motivation does not predict self-control and self-management. The research results were discussed within the literature and several recommendations were made in accordance with them.

Highlights

Academic achievement, a concept including cognitive, psycho-motor and affective achievements students are supposed to acquire, is frequently mentioned in literature
These results indicate that their academic motivation (ACM) levels and S-CM levels predict their ASEF levels significantly as well
The research results support the 1st hypothesis that ASEF level is a significant predictor of ACM level, which indicates that ACM level predicts ASEF level as well

Summary

Introduction

A concept including cognitive, psycho-motor and affective achievements students are supposed to acquire, is frequently mentioned in literature. There exist several studies which reveal that academic motivation (ACM) (Alderman, 2004; Alves-Martins, Peixoto, Gouveia-Pereira, Amaral, & Pedro, 2002; Amrai, Motlagh, Zalani & Parhon, 2011; Guay Ratelle, Roy & Litalien, 2010; Hassankhani, Aghdam, Rahmani & Mohammadpoorfard, 2015; Rakes & Dunn, 2010; Turner, Chandler & Heffer, 2009; Vansteenkiste, Sierens, Soenens, Luyckx, & Lens, 2009), ASE (Akbay & Gizir, 2010; Cleary & Kitsantas, 2017; Fife, Bond & Byars-Winston, 2011; Khalaila, 2015; Turner, Chandler, & Heffer 2009; Zimmerman & Kitsantas, 2005) and self-control and self-management (S-CM) (Carmeli, Meitar & Weisberg, 2006; Covarrubias & Stone, 2015; Duckworth & Gross, 2014; Duckworth & Seligman, 2005; Ercoşkun, 2016; Gawrilow, Fäsche, Guderjahn, Gunzenhauser, Merkt & von Suchodoletz, 2014; Li-Grining, Votruba-Drzal, Maldonado-Carreño & Haas, 2010; Özsoy, 2012; Tabak, Sığrı, & Türköz, 2013; Tangney, Baumeister & Boone, 2004; Todd, Horner, & Sugai, 1999; Wiese, Tay, Duckworth, D’Mello, Kuykendall, Hofmann & Vohs, 2017) have an effect on academic achievement These variables which are considered vital in improving academic achievement and whose predictive powers on each other are examined in this research are mentioned in the theoretical rationale section. Considering the lack of studies in literature that deals with these three variable in one single study, this study is thought to be important in that it aims to examine the mediator and predictive role of academic self-efficacy levels of university students on their academic motivation levels and self-control and self-management levels

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion