Science Self-efficacy Beliefs Research Articles

Paradigmatic Road Blocks in Elementary School Science “Reform”: Reconsidering Nature-of-Science Teaching Within a Rational-Realist Milieu

Although governments espouse development in students of comprehensive science literacy, excessive teaching of achievements of science tends to compromise students' development of realistic conceptions about science and expertise for doing science. For most students, school science is like being chained inside Plato's cave, only able to experience and interpret the world of science from flickering, shadowy images. This can be particularly problematic for students in elementary schools, who may not be developmentally ready for abstract topics inherent to nature of science discussions and whose teachers tend to have low science self-efficacy beliefs. In the mainly qualitative ethnographic study of a 3-year, large-scale collaborative action research project reported here, a significant additional factor limiting students' access to more contemporary views about and realistic experiences with science, however, was government curriculum policy—which promotes highly idealized portrayals of and regulated experiences with science. Data and arguments for these claims are provided.

SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS, MOTIVATION, RACE, AND GENDER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE

The purpose of this study was to discover whether the science motivation beliefs of middle school students (N = 262) vary as a function of their gender or race/ethnicity and to determine whether science self-efficacy beliefs predict science achievement when motivation variables shown to predict achievement in other academic areas are controlled. Girls reported stronger science self-efficacy and self-efficacy for self-regulation, and they received higher grades in science. Boys had stronger performance-approach goals. White students had stronger self-efficacy and achievement, and African American students reported stronger task goals. Self-efficacy was the only motivation variable to predict the science achievement of girls, boys, and White students. Self-efficacy and self-concept predicted the science achievement of African American students. Results are interpreted from the perspective of Bandura’s social cognitive theory.

Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: An Important Factor in School Improvement

Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: An Important Factor in School Improvement