Science Learning Self-efficacy Research Articles

Examining the mediating effect of nature of science perceptions on the relationship between metacognition and science self-efficacy

ABSTRACT Background The nature of science (NOS) and science self-efficacy have an important place in the development of scientific literacy, which is the ultimate goal of science education. However, the relationship between them and metacognition, which can have a significant impact on these variables, is an under-researched area and worthy of study. Purpose To fill this gap in the literature, this study examines the relationship between metacognition, NOS perceptions, and science self-efficacy using structural equation modeling. Sample A total of 448 secondary school students (grades 5–8) participated in the study. Design and Method Students’ Ideas about the Nature of Science, Science Learning Self-Efficacy Belief Scale, and Metacognitive Awareness Scales were utilized to collect the data. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to reveal the mediating role of the NOS perceptions in the relationship between science self-efficacy and metacognition of secondary school students. Results and Conclusion The results showed that NOS perceptions partially mediate the relationship between metacognition and science self-efficacy. Furthermore, metacognition highly predicted NOS perceptions and science self-efficacy, providing clues to the formation or prevention of misconceptions about the nature of science. From this perspective, it is suggested that developing students’ metacognition should be another important goal of science education to increase their scientific literacy.

Students’ Conceptual Understanding, Self-Efficacy and Scientific Creativity in Science Learning: A Multivariate Analysis

This paper examined the conceptual understanding, self-efficacy, and scientific creativity of the students in Physics. The study further investigated the significant difference observed in the study variables according to sex and grade level using multivariate analysis. Using descriptive model of research design, the 125 Senior High School (SHS) students were asked to fill out the Physics Conceptual Understanding (PCU) test, Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (SLSE), and Scientific Creativity (SC) test. After the score were tallied and organized, two-way MANOVA was administered to determine the difference in the outcome variables when grouped according to sex and grade level. Based on Pillai’s Trace as revealed, there was a statistically significant difference in independent variables based on grade level. The analysis further revealed that PCU (𝑝=0.675) and SLSE (𝑝=0.101) are unaffected, while SC (𝑝=0.010) is influenced by the grade level. This study uncovered that there is no sex difference observed, while statistical variation exists in terms of grade level specifically to SC. This concludes that PCU, SLES, and SC is not affected by their sex identity but are associated on their academic level. Implications for practice into classroom are discussed and further suggestions of future research are provided.

Undergraduate Students' Profiles of Cognitive Load in Augmented Reality-Assisted Science Learning and Their Relation to Science Learning Self-efficacy and Behavior Patterns.

Research evidence indicated that a specific type of augmented reality-assisted (AR-assisted) science learning design or support might not suit or be effective for all students because students' cognitive load might differ according to their experiences and individual characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to identify undergraduate students' profiles of cognitive load in AR-assisted science learning and to examine the role of their distinct profiles in self-efficacy together with associated behavior patterns in science learning. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each measure, a latent profile analysis confirmed that 365 Chinese undergraduates carried diverse dimensions of cognitive load simultaneously. The latent profile analysis findings revealed four fundamental profiles: Low Engagement, Immersive, Dabbling, and Organized, characterized as carrying various respective cognitive loads. The multivariate analysis of variance findings revealed different levels of the six AR science learning self-efficacy dimensions across profiles. Low Engagement students displayed the lowest self-efficacy among all dimensions. Organized students recorded better conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills than Dabbling ones. Students with the Immersive profile had the highest science learning self-efficacy. The lag sequential analysis results showed significant differences in behavior patterns among profiles. Among them, profiles with social interaction, test, and reviewing feedback behavior had a significantly higher score for self-efficacy than those patterns mainly based on test learning and resource visits. This finding provides a unified consideration of students' diverse profiles and can inform interventions for effective design of AR-assisted science learning to match appropriate strategies to facilitate the science learning effect.

To explore the impact of augmented reality digital picture books in environmental education courses on environmental attitudes and environmental behaviors of children from different cultures.

Environmental education has long been closely related to sustainable development. In this study, in response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an augmented reality (AR) digital picture book was created using the unique natural ecosystem of Taiwan's Orchid Island as a source of self-efficacy for science learning. Interactive environmental education learning through AR drawing was used to determine whether students' science learning self-efficacy and environmental attitudes significantly influenced the environmental behavioral skills of culturally diverse children. In this study, 26 elementary sixth-grade Taiwanese students and 26 elementary sixth-grade Japanese students were invited to participate in an extended reality drawing activity as an environmental education curriculum. Based on the sample size of 52, the survey results were accurate with a sampling error of 3.8% with a confidence level of 95%. A questionnaire survey was administered to the 52 students after the event. After the valid questionnaire samples were collected, a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was conducted with Smart PLS 3.0 on the small sample. The results of the study showed that students who had a better self-efficacy in science learning were more likely to engage in conservation actions related to the natural environment in their daily lives. In this study, the constructs of environmental behavior were further discussed and the hypothesis model was validated using the quantitative empirical method. The results of the study revealed good reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the constructs in the hypothesis model, and the hypothesis model itself was validated. In the validated model, students' science learning self-efficacy affects the sustainability of their environmental behaviors, but only through the role of environmental attitudes. However, the environmental attitudes construct plays a fully mediating role in the model.

The association between the gender gap in science achievement and students’ perceptions of their own attitudes and capabilities

Among the countries that participated in the trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) 2019 for grade 8 science, Oman had the highest gender gap in favor of girls. The current study explores the gender gap in science achievement in Oman and relates it to students’ varying perceptions of their own attitudes and capabilities. The sample in the study comprised 467 grade 9 students, 266 female and 201 male. The participants were given a TIMSS-like science test, along with four self-perception surveys; these explored metacognitive awareness, self-regulation (SR), science learning self-efficacy (SLSE), and attitudes to science (AS). The results indicated that student self-perceptions of SR, SLSE, and AS, were significantly related to the gender gap in students with higher-level science achievement. The results were different when looking at the gender gap in scores for lower-level questions; here, there was no relation to any of the four self-perception variables explored in the study.

The Interrelationship Among High School Students’ Conceptions of Learning Science, Self-Regulated Learning Science, and Science Learning Self-Efficacy

The Interrelationship Among High School Students’ Conceptions of Learning Science, Self-Regulated Learning Science, and Science Learning Self-Efficacy

Digital Simulation Experiences of Pre-service Science Teachers: An Example of Circuits

The purpose of this study is to investigate the self-efficacy levels of pre-service science teachers who participated in a workshop about physical laboratory implementations supported by digital simulations and also to determine their views on digital simulations. For this purpose, a 6-week workshop was designed based on a digital simulation program called Crocodile Physics. The participants in the research were 16 university students who were studying in the science education department of a public university. This study includes quantitative and qualitative data. The Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE) scale was used to collect quantitative data. Qualitative data was collected with a structured interview form. According to analysis results for quantitative data, self-efficacy levels towards physics of pre-service teachers were significantly developed. Analysis results of qualitative data showed that pre-service science teachers mostly have a positive tendency to integrate digital simulations into educational environments.

Multi-dimensional explorations into the relationships between high school students’ science learning self-efficacy and engagement

ABSTRACT Promoting student engagement in learning activities and tasks has been a pivotal issue and goal of science education. Relevant literature has not yet addressed the underlying associations among students’ self-efficacy and engagement in science learning from a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus, this study aimed to examine the structural relationships between the two constructs through the structural equation modelling technique to differentiate the predictive powers of multi-faceted self-efficacy on various forms of engagement. A total of 478 Taiwanese senior high school students were invited to answer two survey instruments concerning self-efficacy and engagement in science learning, respectively. The main findings indicate that, first, the ‘Science Learning Engagement Instrument’ was proven to be valid and reliable to assess the students’ five distinct forms of engagement, including Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement. It seems that the students had less agentic engagement experiences compared to the other forms of learning engagement. Moreover, this study further identified the multifaceted effects of self-efficacy on the manifold aspects of learning engagement in the literature. Overall, the path analysis results provide evidence that, in order to deeply engage learners in science learning, promoting their science learning self-efficacy from various aspects is of great importance.

Investigation of The Relationship Between Preservice Science Teachers 21st Century Skills and Science Learning Self-Efficacy Beliefs with Structural Equation Model

This study aims was investigated to the relationship between preservice science teachers’ 21st-century learner and teacher skills and their science learning self-efficacy beliefs. The research method was used the relational research method, one of the quantitative research methods. 318 preservice science teachers studying in the third and fourth grades of the science education department of the education faculties of three public universities constitute the sample of the study. Data collection tools of this study were used the 21st-Century Learner Skills Scale, the 21st-Century Teacher Skills Scale and the Science Learning Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The data obtained from the scales were analyzed by structural equation modelling (SEM). In the results obtained from the study data, the preservice science teachers' 21st-century teacher skills and 21st-century learner skills were determined as predictors of their science learning self-efficacy beliefs. It was discovered that preservice science teachers' 21st-century teacher skills negatively correlated with their science learning self-efficacy beliefs, and 21st-century teacher skills were a predictor of science learning self-efficacy beliefs. Studies to identify the relationship between different dimensions of science education and 21st-century skills will contribute to the relevant literature.

Relationship among High School Students’ Science Academic Hardiness, Conceptions of Learning Science and Science Learning Self-Efficacy in Singapore

This study used three previously validated instruments, namely Science Academic Hardiness (SAH), Students’ Conceptions of Learning Science (COLS) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE) on 431 Singaporean students. Using structural equation modeling, results showed that the SAH commitment dimension a positive predictor explaining both the reproductive (e.g. science learning as memorizing or testing) and constructivist (e.g. science learning as understanding or seeing in a new way) conceptions of science learning as well as all dimensions of students’ self-efficacy among high school students. It was also found that the SAH control dimension is a positive predictor for explaining the SLSE science communication dimension but is a negative predictor for explaining reproductive COLS. Finally, only students with constructivist COLS had significant associations with all SLSE dimensions. These findings suggest that students’ personal commitment to learning science is an important aspect to cultivate since it has the ability to predict conceptions of science learning and self-efficacy. Further, creating opportunities for students to be engaged in learning through constructivist ways—such as designing tasks to help students understand and see phenomena in new ways and occasions for students to apply their science knowledge to solve science problems—is likely to lead to positive self-efficacy in practical science work, science communication, and everyday applications of scientific knowledge. Additionally, students’ engagement in reproductive ways of learning science—such as memorization, testing, and calculating and practicing—could be reduced since these do not contribute to building students’ science learning self-efficacy.

Uncovering Malaysian Secondary School Students’ Academic Hardiness in Science, Conceptions of Learning Science, and Science Learning Self-Efficacy: a Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between academic hardiness in science, conceptions of learning science, and science learning self-efficacy among Malaysian middle school students. The respondents were 320 eighth-grade students from two selected Malaysian middle schools. Three questionnaires were used for this survey: Academic Hardiness in Science (AHS) regarding “commitment,” Conceptions of Learning Science (COLS), including “memorizing,” “calculating and practicing,” and “understanding and seeing in a new way,” and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), consisting of “cognition,” “practical work,” “everyday application,” and “science communication.” These three questionnaires were validated and found to be reliable for measuring students’ AHS, COLS, and SLSE. Pearson’s correlation findings indicated that AHS was significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in COLS and SLSE, and all the factors in COLS were significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in SLSE. The relationships among AHS, COLS, and SLSE were then identified by the structural equation model technique. Students with a high commitment to learning science, and who perceived learning science as understanding and seeing in a new way are prone to have confidence at all levels of science learning self-efficacy.

High School Students’ Conceptions of Science Laboratory Learning, Perceptions of the Science Laboratory Environment, and Academic Self-Efficacy in Science Learning

In the field of science education, laboratory learning environment has gained renewed interest in the recent decade. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among students’ conceptions of science laboratory learning, perceptions of the science laboratory learning environment, and their academic self-efficacy in science learning by adopting the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. A total of 513 senior high school students (262 females) in Taiwan were invited to participate in this survey study. Three instruments were adapted and implemented to investigate the aim of the study (i.e. the conceptions of science laboratory learning questionnaire, the science laboratory environment inventory, and the academic self-efficacy in science learning questionnaire). The results indicated that the students’ conceptions of science laboratory learning made a significant contribution to their perceptions of the science laboratory environment, which consequently fostered their science learning self-efficacy. More specifically, students with conceptions of science laboratory learning as reviewing their prior learning profiles tended to highlight the “student cohesiveness,” “integration,” and “material environment” aspects of the laboratory environment. Moreover, students who held personal ideas of science laboratory learning as acquiring manipulative skills tended to perceive actual science laboratory environments as much more open-ended and to attain advanced academic science learning self-efficacy. In addition, those students who viewed laboratory learning as achieving in-depth understanding, and who perceived that laboratory activities are guided by clear rules, were prone to express a stronger sense of academic self-efficacy. Based on the results, practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

An Investigation of Taiwanese High School Students’ Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration in Science Learning Contexts in Relation to Their Science Learning Self-Efficacy

The purpose of the current research was to develop an instrument for high school students aiming to explore the satisfaction and frustration of their basic psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence while learning science and to investigate their relation to self-efficacy in science learning. This research involves two studies. In study 1, a total of 392 students (32% females) were solicited from high schools in Taiwan. The results of exploratory factor analysis showed, as expected, that the students’ responses were grouped into autonomy satisfaction, autonomy frustration, relatedness satisfaction, relatedness frustration, competence satisfaction, and competence frustration. The regression analysis results indicated that students whose psychological needs were satisfied displayed higher self-efficacy while learning science; however, students whose psychological needs were frustrated showed lower science learning self-efficacy. Study 2 involved 699 students (33.5% females) from high schools in Taiwan. The results of confirmatory factor analysis suggest that the survey items have good construct validity. The results of structural equation modeling also revealed that satisfaction of psychological needs was the positive factor in explaining self-efficacy; on the other hand, frustration of psychological needs did not predict self-efficacy. The findings revealed that the satisfaction of psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence provides potential impetus for positive functioning with respect to science learning.

Investigating Students’ Conceptions of Technology-Assisted Science Learning: a Drawing Analysis

This study investigated high school students’ conceptions of technology-assisted science learning via drawing analysis, and explored how students with different degrees of computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may show different conceptions via their drawings. The participants included 335 senior high school students in Taiwan (179 male and 156 female). All of them were asked by guiding questions to make two drawings to represent their conceptions of technology-assisted science learning in actual and ideal contexts, respectively. Their background information including computer experience and science learning self-efficacy were obtained using self-reported questionnaires. Through drawing analysis, seven categories of conceptions of technology-assisted science learning were identified, including types of technology, location of learning, types of learning activities, content of learning, participants of learning activities, affordance of learning technology, and effects of learning technology. The results further revealed that the students’ conceptions of actual and ideal technology-assisted science learning significantly differed in some sub-categories of all categories except the category of participants of learning activities. Moreover, students’ computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may link to different conceptions of technology-assisted science learning. Future research and directions are also discussed.

Exploring the structure of science learning self-efficacy: the role of science learning hardiness and perceived responses to capitalization attempts among Taiwanese junior high school students

Background: Despite the growing body of research on self-efficacy, previous studies have failed to clarify exactly how it is constructed. Meanwhile, the literature indicates that, in Taiwan, junior high school students tend to show lower self-efficacy in learning science compared with elementary and senior high school students.Purpose: This study aimed to develop a mediational model providing the factors accounting for Taiwanese junior high school adolescents’ science learning self-efficacy (SLSE), especially from the perspectives of both interpersonal and intrapersonal factors.Design: We therefore proposed a mediational model to delineate the relationships among students’ perceived responses to capitalization attempts – science learning (PRCA-SL), science learning hardiness (SLH) and SLSE by conducting structural equation modeling (SEM).Sample: A total of 1,170 junior high school students in Taiwan were invited to take part in the study.Results: The results confirmed our hypothesis that students’ PRCA-SL fostered their science learning hardiness, which in turn contributed to their science learning self-efficacy.Conclusions: The findings confirmed the mediational model wherein science learning hardiness completely mediated the relationship between PRCA-SL and science learning self-efficacy.

Cross-cultural comparisons of university students’ science learning self-efficacy: structural relationships among factors within science learning self-efficacy

ABSTRACTScience learning self-efficacy could be regarded as a multi-factor belief which comprises different aspects such as cognitive skills, practical work, and everyday application. However, few studies have investigated the relationships among these factors that compose science learning self-efficacy. Also, culture may play an important role in explaining the relationships among these factors. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate cultural differences in science learning self-efficacy and examine the relationships within factors constituting science learning self-efficacy by adopting a survey instrument for administration to students in the U.S. and Taiwan. A total of 218 university students (62.40% females) were surveyed in the U.S.A, and 224 university students (49.10% females) in Taiwan were also invited to take part in the study. The results of the structural equation modelling revealed cultural differences in the relationships among the factors of science learning self-efficacy. It was found that U.S. students’ confidence in their ability to employ higher-order cognitive skills tended to promote their confidence in their ability to accomplish practical work, strengthening their academic self-efficacy. However, the aforementioned mediation was not found for the Taiwanese participants.

Differentiating the Sources of Taiwanese High School Students’ Multidimensional Science Learning Self-Efficacy: An Examination of Gender Differences

The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students’ multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students’ science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students’ self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the “Science Communication” dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students’ various SLSE dimensions, including “Conceptual Understanding,” “Higher-Order Cognitive Skills,” and “Science Communication.” In addition, the variations between male and female students’ responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of “Conceptual Understanding,” “Higher-Order Cognitive Skills,” “Practical Work,” “Everyday Application,” and “Science Communication.”

Taiwanese students’ science learning self-efficacy and teacher and student science hardiness: a multilevel model approach

This study aimed to investigate the factors accounting for science learning self-efficacy (the specific beliefs that people have in their ability to complete tasks in science learning) from both the teacher and the student levels. We thus propose a multilevel model to delineate its relationships with teacher and student science hardiness (i.e., the courage that is needed to turn stressful changes from burdens into advantageous growth in science education settings). The current research was conducted through collecting survey responses from both teachers (i.e., using the self-report teacher science hardiness questionnaire) and students (i.e., using the self-report student science hardiness and the self-report science learning self-efficacy questionnaires). A total of 45 Taiwanese science teachers were solicited from junior high schools. Also, we recruited students who were taught by these 45 teachers. In total, 1145 junior high school students whose ages ranged from 12 to 16, with a mean of 13.68 (SD = 0.90), were invited to take part in the study. Of these students, 268 were in the seventh grade, 430 were in the eighth grade, and 447 were in the ninth grade. The results of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) confirmed our hypothesis that teacher science hardiness fostered student science hardiness, which in turn contributed to the students’ science learning self-efficacy. The findings revealed that both teacher and student science hardiness play important roles in explaining the structure of science learning self-efficacy. To enhance science learning self-efficacy, educators should develop programs for teachers and students to increase their science hardiness.

An investigation of Taiwanese high school students’ science learning self-efficacy in relation to their conceptions of learning science

Background: Past studies have shown significant associations between students’ conceptions of learning science and their science learning self-efficacy. However, in most of the studies, students’ science learning self-efficacy has often been measured by a singular scale.Purpose: Extending the findings of these studies, the present study adopted a multi-dimensional instrument to assess Taiwanese high school students’ science learning self-efficacy and investigate the relationships with their conceptions of learning science.Sample: A total of 488 Taiwanese high school students (265 male and 223 female) were invited to participate in this survey.Design and method: All the participants responded to the Conceptions of Learning Science (COLS) questionnaire regarding ‘Memorizing’, ‘Testing’, ‘Calculating and practicing’, ‘Increase of knowledge’, ‘Applying’ and ‘Understanding and seeing in a new way’ and the Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE) instrument, including ‘Conceptual understanding’, ‘Higher-Order cognitive skills’, ‘Practical work’, ‘Everyday application’ and ‘Science communication’.Results: The path analysis results derived from the structural equation modeling method indicated that, of all five SLSE dimensions, the ‘Understanding and seeing in a new way’ COLS displayed as a positive predictor, while the ‘Testing’ COLS was a significant negative predictor. The ‘Applying’ COLS item can only positively contribute to the SLSE dimensions of ‘Higher-Order thinking skills’, ‘Everyday application’ and ‘Science Communication’.Conclusions: In general, students in strong agreement with learning science as understanding and seeing in a new way or the application of learned scientific knowledge are prone to possess higher confidence in learning science. However, students who consider learning science in terms of preparing for tests and examinations tend to hold lower science learning self-efficacy.

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Singaporean and Taiwanese Eighth Graders' Science Learning Self-Efficacy from a Multi-Dimensional Perspective

Due to the scarcity of cross-cultural comparative studies in exploring students' self-efficacy in science learning, this study attempted to develop a multi-dimensional science learning self-efficacy (SLSE) instrument to measure 316 Singaporean and 303 Taiwanese eighth graders' SLSE and further to examine the differences between the two student groups. Moreover, within-culture comparisons were made in terms of gender. The results showed that, first, the SLSE instrument was valid and reliable for measuring the Singaporean and Taiwanese students' SLSE. Second, through a two-way multivariate analysis of variance analysis (nationality by gender), the main result indicated that the SLSE held by the Singaporean eighth graders was significantly higher than that of their Taiwanese counterparts in all dimensions, including ‘conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills’, ‘practical work (PW)’, ‘everyday application’, and ‘science communication’. In addition, the within-culture gender comparisons indicated that the male Singaporean students tended to possess higher SLSE than the female students did in all SLSE dimensions except for the ‘PW’ dimension. However, no gender differences were found in the Taiwanese sample. The findings unraveled in this study were interpreted from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of the curriculum differences, societal expectations of science education, and educational policies in Singapore and Taiwan.