Self-efficacy Beliefs Of Students Research Articles

Exploring how Teachers’ Gender Biases and Students’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs Impact Mathematics Instruction

The issue of gender biases among mathematics teachers and the self-efficacy beliefs of students is an intriguing subject. This study sought to explore how teachers' gender biases and students' self-efficacy beliefs impact mathematics instruction in the Adenta Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A sequential explanatory mixed method design was utilized in collecting data from 100 Basic school mathematics teachers and four hundred (400) Junior High School students through a closed-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. The study discovered that gender-related stereotypes and biases among teachers perpetuated gender-based misconceptions, affecting the self-efficacy of female students who were perceived to be weaker in mathematics. The study recommended comprehensive teacher training and awareness programs to help address gender-related stereotypes and biases in mathematics instruction.

Students’ self-efficacy in mathematics academic achievement: Do teachers’ personality traits matter?

Students' academic achievement is influenced by a wide range of factors, ranging from individual, family-related, school-related, and societal factors. The current study explores the effect of students’ self-efficacy (SSEF) on math academic achievement among secondary students, with a specific focus on the potential moderating role of teachers' personality traits (TPTS). To achieve the study objective, an epistemological-positivist research paradigm and cross-sectional research design were used to guide the study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and PROCESS macro were employed for data analysis. The results reveal a significant and positive correlation between SSEF beliefs and their math academic achievement (β = 0.4525, p = 0.0000). Moreover, the results demonstrate that the effect of SSEF on math academic achievement is significantly increasing at the increased level of TPTS (β = 0.0572, p = 0.0089), affirming the crucial role of TPTS in shaping SSEF and math academic endeavours. These findings hold relevant for educators, schools’ administrators, and policymakers. Among others, the study recommends the need to design and implement training programs, workshops, seminars and offer teaching tools that nurture and cultivate SSEF, self-esteem, and TPTS in shaping students' trajectories of math success. This study unravels the intricate interplay between self-efficacy, TPTS, and secondary students' achievements in the realm of mathematics. By so doing, the study contributes to both theoretical knowledge and practical insights, offering a deeper understanding of the complex factors influencing academic success in math among secondary students.

The Influence of Leadership Self-efficacy on College Students' Leadership Practice: The Mediating Role of Motivation to Lead

Although research on the outcomes of leadership practices has increased, the research area on the antecedents of leadership has been underexplored. This study investigated the associations between leadership self-efficacy, motivation to lead and leadership practices that influence the leadership behaviours of higher education students. In the study in which the cross-sectional research design, the sample comprised 545 undergraduates from Turkey. The results showed that increasing student leadership self-efficacy beliefs directly affected leadership practices. Also, in research found the motivation to lead to having an important partially mediated role in the relationship between student self-efficacy beliefs and leadership practices. This study contributes to the existing body of international knowledge on school leadership research by concluding that the effect of leadership self-efficacy and students' motivation to lead on student practices. As a result, in study propose that educational activities aimed at enhancing undergraduate students' leadership self-efficacy and motivation to lead include elements that concentrate on developing students' leadership self-efficacy and motivation to lead. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed.

Promoting sustainability competency and self-efficacy in class teacher education

There is an urgent need for a global sustainability transition. This change needs to be cultural and transform both our actions and the values on which we base our decision-making. Sustainability transition requires concentrating on future generations as well as on the people teaching them because class teachers have an impact on their pupils' knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes. Therefore, class teachers need new competency to make sustainability transformation in schools happen. Teachers also need to possess a sufficient level of self-efficacy beliefs, as they strongly impact a teacher's ability to manage their job as a sustainability educator. This survey research studied Finnish class student teachers' (N = 166) perceptions about their sustainability competency and self-efficacy in education for sustainable development. Students' perceptions of their sustainability competency were clustered into one weighted sum variable. Three principal components were constructed with principal component analysis (PCA) to describe the students' self-efficacy beliefs in education for sustainable development. A PCA paired with linear hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to explain the variation in students' sustainability competency perceptions. The results indicated that the combined self-efficacy beliefs in teaching values and ethics and systems thinking explained 19.3% of the variation in class student teachers' sustainability competency. As a result, improving class student teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about teaching ethics and values and systems thinking in the Finnish context can improve their sustainability competency and vice versa. To promote the sustainability competency of class student teachers, it is necessary to be aware of this connection when developing class teacher education.

Teaching Thinking through Mathematical Processes: A Review

This paper focuses on seven mathematical processes that describe the action of doing mathematics. It is clear that doing mathematics means engaging in processes. These include: problem solving, reasoning and proving, tools and computational strategies, connecting, representation, and communication. The mathematical processes can be seen as the processes through which students think, acquire, and apply mathematical knowledge and skills in everyday use of mathematics. In mathematics instruction, students are largely unaware of the processes involved in mathematics which requires surface and deep thinking and addressing this issue is important. Therefore, mathematics teachers need to understand how the mathematical processes can be taught to improve student thinking and understanding of the subject. It is also recommended that a study be done on how self-efficacy beliefs of students in mathematics can be influenced by teaching of the mathematical processes.

Investigation of the Effect of Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications in E-Learning on Students' Use of Microscopes

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of applications developed with augmented and virtual reality technologies on subjects that require the use of microscopes in the e-learning process in science lessons on students' academic achievement, course engagement and self-efficacy beliefs in microscope use. The research was conducted in a quasi-experimental design with three groups, two experimental and one control. In this process, the teaching practices towards the control group (CG) were conducted with the use of the course presentations prepared by the researchers and the content of the Education Information Network related to the subjects covered in the research. While the students in the augmented reality experimental group (AREG) were taught with the same course presentations and augmented reality microscope application (MikrosAR), the students in the virtual reality experimental group (VREG) were taught with the same course presentations and virtual reality microscope application (MikrosAR2). In the study, data were collected through an academic achievement test, a scale of self-efficacy belief in microscope use, a course engagement scale and an observation form. The relationship between pre-test and post-test scores was performed using Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Observation data obtained from learning environments were calculated as frequency and presented by digitizing. Correlation analysis was applied to determine the relationship levels of the variables discussed in the study. According to the results, it was seen that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of academic achievement, and all the materials used in the groups related to the subject had an equal effect on the students in the e-learning environment. Furthermore, it was observed that students in VREG had significantly higher self-efficacy beliefs in microscope use than students in AREG, therefore, the use of virtual reality technology in the e-learning environment had a positive effect on students' self-efficacy beliefs in microscope use. In addition, it was concluded that the students had a high level of productive interaction in practices, and no difference was observed between the groups in their participation in class. Moreover, it can be stated that course engagement in the e-learning environment is effective on the academic achievement of the student.

Sosyal Bilgiler Öğretmen Adaylarının Öğretmenlik Mesleğine Yönelik Tutumları İle Sınıf Yönetimi Öz Yeterlilik İnançları Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi1

Öğretmen adaylarının öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları, mesleği icra edecekleri zaman sınıf içindeki yetkinlikleri ve mesleğe yönelik eğilimlerini etkileyen bir konudur. Bu araştırmanın amacı, sosyal bilgiler öğretmen adaylarının sosyal bilgiler öğretmenliği programını tercih etme durumları ile sınıf düzeylerine göre öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumlarını ve sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançlarını incelemek ve sosyal bilgiler öğretmen adaylarının öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları ile sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançları arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymaktır. Araştırmanın modeli nicel araştırma türlerinden ilişkisel tarama modelidir. Araştırma örneklemi, Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi’ndeki iki devlet üniversitesinde sosyal bilgiler öğretmenliği programına devam eden toplam 245 öğrenciden oluşmaktadır. Öğretmen adaylarının öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları ile sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançları arasında bir ilişki olup olmadığını test etmek için de Pearson’s basit doğrusal korelasyon testi uygulanmıştır. Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin % 65.5’i sosyal bilgiler öğretmenliği programını isteyerek tercih ederken; % 33.5’i ise sosyal bilgiler öğretmenliği programını istemeyerek tercih etmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda öğretmenlik mesleğini isteyerek tercih eden öğrencilerin öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları, programı istemeyerek tercih eden öğrencilerin tutumlarından anlamlı bir derecede daha olumlu olduğu görülmektedir. Sınıf düzeylerine göre ise öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumlarda anlamlı bir fark olmadığı görülmektedir. Öğretmenlik mesleğini isteyerek tercih eden öğrencilerin sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançları, programı istemeyerek tercih eden öğrencilerden anlamlı derecede daha yüksek olduğu fakat sınıf düzeylerine göre sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançlarında anlamlı bir farklılığın olmadığı görülmektedir. Sosyal bilgiler öğretmen adaylarının öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları ile sınıf yönetimi öz yeterlilik inançları arasında pozitif yönde ve orta düzeyde bir ilişkinin olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır.

Relations among classroom context, student motivation, and mathematics literacy: a social cognitive perspective

The purpose of the present study was to (a) determine relationships among teacher contextual variables including support and cognitive activation, student motivational beliefs, engagement, and mathematics literacy and (b) to examine whether different types of motivational and behavioral engagement variables act as viable mediators between the classroom context and student mathematics literacy. Data were extracted from the 2012 PISA, with a sample of N = 4978 students. Using structural equation modeling, the results indicated that students’ perceptions of teacher support had a positive effect on their motivational beliefs, behaviors, and mathematics literacy. In particular, perceived teacher cognitive activation had a positive direct effect and an indirect effect through student self-efficacy beliefs, and persistence on mathematics achievement. In addition, self-efficacy resulted in significant paths on their intention to pursue careers in mathematics and work ethic, but a negative path was found between work ethic and mathematics achievement. Implications for educational practice and future research directions are also discussed.

Self-efficacy beliefs of students of primary school teaching department regarding mathematics and teaching mathematics

Prospective teachers’ attitudes and beliefs regarding self-efficacy beliefs become the basis of their attitudes in their professional lives, as they affect their students’ attitudes and self-efficacy. The aim of this study is to determine the primary teacher training students’ attitudes towards mathematics and self-efficacy beliefs regarding teaching math and the relationship among them. The “Relational Scanning Model” is used in the study. Data is collected from 290 students who were studying in the Primary Education Department of 9 Eylül University, Buca Faculty of Education. Mathematics Attitude Scale and Self-efficacy Belief Scale towards Teaching Mathematics are used to gather data. SPSS 22 was used for data analyses. T-test used for identifying significance of differences, and the Pearson correlation coefficient by means of different aspects. Results showed no differences by gender in attitudes towards math and self-efficacy beliefs regarding teaching math of the students who completed the survey. However, although Primary Education prospective teachers scores were higher in their attitude points and self–efficacy towards math teaching, a significant difference between pre-school and primary school prospective teachers. Besides, results revealed a relationship between attitude and self-efficacy beliefs regarding math. To further research, it is recommended that the same surveys should be done with different groups and the larger sample sizes

Individual innovativeness, self-efficacy and e-learning readiness of students of Yenagoa study centre, National Open University of Nigeria

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the role individual innovativeness along with e-learning self-efficacy play in predicting the e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of an open and distance education institutions in an African context.Design/methodology/approachTherefore, building on previous related research in this area, a quantitative approach was adopted to address the research questions and to establish whether a statistically significant relationship existed between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy, the independent variables; and e-learning readiness, the dependent variable. In total, 476 first- and second-years students of the university participated in the four-Likert-type scale survey. The research instrument which comprises 74 survey items was completed by 217 of the students. Statistical tools used for analysing data included both Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficients andt-tests.FindingsIt was discovered that a strong positive and significant relationship was observed between individual innovativeness and e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN); a statistically significant relationship was also found between e-learning self-efficacy scores and the e-learning readiness of the first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of NOUN; there was a statistically significant joint relationship between the three variables under investigation; findings equally revealed that male respondents had higher e-learning readiness than their female counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsLike every other study of this nature, this one also suffers some limitations. First, NOUN is a very large university with over half a million students spread across almost 78 study centres. This means that observation from just one study centre amounts to a very small sample size. This according to Schweighofer, Weitlaner, Ebner and Rothe (2019) jeopardises the generalisability and validity of study results. The authors also maintain that empirical data generated from surveys that usually rely participants' abilities to read and select responses without further interpretation by the researchers suffer from cognitive biases like social desirability. To address the above limitations, detailed studies involving all studies centres of NOUN be undertaken and other qualitative and or mixed research methodologies be adopted in the future.Practical implicationsThe implications for this study are that people who are innately innovative will willingly accept technology and by extension, learning in technology-rich environments like those found in like NOUN whose mode of study is blended learning inherently found in open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Therefore, this study is significant as it will provide relevant information to the management and administrators of NOUN, policymakers and regulatory institutions for the development, deployment and implementation of e-learning strategies. Findings will also benefit e-learning initiatives undertaken by similar institutions that adopt the ODL mode of education in Nigeria and other developing countries.Originality/valueEven though, studies on the antecedents of e-learning readiness have been widely conducted across diverse contexts, studies exploring the associations between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy and e-learning readiness are relatively hard to come by. The above two variables as predicting the e-learning readiness in the study context are comparatively new. This study thus focuses on the relationships between the individual innovativeness levels, e-learning self-efficacy beliefs of students and their e-learning readiness which ultimately determines their ability to sustain studies in an ODL institution.

The Impact of Metacognitive Mediation on 12-Year-Old Students Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Performing Complex Tasks

The goal of this study is to identify the links between metacognitive mediation and students’ self-efficacy belief for the performance of complex tasks. We worked for three weeks six human sciences classes of secondary 1 students who all performed the same tasks. In two classes, was initiated by the teacher, in two others, activation of occurred between peers and in the remaining two, there was no metacognitive mediation. Our goal is to compare the three conditions in terms of changes in students’ self-efficacy belief through a pretest-posttest comparison among the 85 students who took part in the study. In addition, we interviewed four students in each condition where was used. The quantitative results showed that self-efficacy improved in classes where was introduced, which was not the case in the classes where students did not receive any metacognitive prompting. In addition, the comparison of classes with metacognition showed that regardless of the agent (the teacher or peers), prompting of led to improvement in aspects related to active mastery experiences and psychological states of self-efficacy. The difference between these two conditions lay in the strategies available to students to succeed in the tasks.

Öğretmen Yetiştiren Programlara Kayıtlı Öğrencilerin Öğretmenlik Mesleğine Yönelik Tutumları ve Öğretmen Öz-Yeterlik Algıları

Bu araştırmada öğretmen yetiştiren tüm kaynaklardaki öğrencilerin öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumları ve öğretmenlik öz-yeterlik algılarının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu konularda öğretmen yetiştiren tüm birimlerin çalışmaya alındığı bir araştırma olmaması bu çalışmanın ana motivasyon kaynağı olmuştur. Araştırmaya bir devlet üniversitesinin eğitim fakültesi, ilahiyat fakültesi, beden eğitimi ve spor yüksekokulu (BESYO), fen- edebiyat fakültesi ve pedagojik formasyon eğitimi programlarında öğrenim gören 786 öğretmen adayı katılmıştır. Veriş toplamada Çetin (2006) tarafından geliştirilen öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutum ve Baloğlu ve Karadağ (2008) tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan öğretmen öz-yeterlik ölçekleri kullanılmıştır. Yapılan analizler sonucu öğretmenlik mesleğine yönelik tutumda BESYO’da, öğretmenlik öz-yeterlik algısında ise ilahiyat fakültesinde öğrenim gören öğretmen adaylarının diğer tüm birimlerdeki adaylardan anlamlı olarak daha düşük puana sahip oldukları görülmüştür. Ayrıca uygulama formunda bulunan demografik değişkenler kullanılarak yapılan analizlere ilişkin sonuçlar literatürdeki sonuçlarla birlikte tartışılmıştır.

Scale Evaluating the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy of Medical Students Created and Tested in a Six-Year Belgian Medical Program

A Review of:
 De Meulemeester, A., Buysse, H., & Peleman, R. (2018). Development and validation of an Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale for medical students. Journal of Information Literacy, 12(1), 27-47. Retrieved from https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/JIL/article/view/PRA-V12-I1-2
 Abstract
 Objective – To create and validate a scale evaluating the information literacy (IL) self-efficacy beliefs of medical students.
 Design – Scale development.
 Setting – Large, public research university in Belgium.
 Subjects – 1,252 medical students enrolled in a six-year medical program in the 2013-2014 academic year.
 Methods – Ten medical-specific IL self-efficacy questions were developed to expand a 28-item Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) (Kurbanoglu, Akkoyunlu, & Umay, 2006). Medical students in Years 1 – 5 completed the questionnaire (in English) in the first two weeks of the academic year, with students in Year 6 completing after final exams. Respondents rated their confidence with each item 0 (‘I do not feel confident at all’) to 100 (‘I feel 100% confident’). Principal Axis Factoring analysis was conducted on all 38 items to identify subscales. Responses were found suitable for factor analysis using Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO). Factors were extracted using the Kaiser-Gutmann rule with Varimax rotation applied. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test the internal consistency of each identified subscale. Following a One-way-ANOVA testing for significant differences, a Tamhane T2 post-hoc test obtained a pairwise comparison between mean responses for each student year.
 Main Results – Five subscales with a total of 35 items were validated for inclusion in the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale for Medicine (ILSES-M) and found to have a high reliability (Chronbach’s alpha scores greater than .70). Subscales were labelled by concept, including “Evaluating and Processing Information” (11 items), “Medical Information Literacy Skills” (10 items), “Searching and Finding Information” (6 items), “Using the Library” (4 items), and “Bibliography” (4 items). The factor loading of non-medical subscales closely reflected studies validating the original ILSES (Kurbanoglu, Akkoyunla, & Umay, 2006; Usluel, 2007), suggesting consistency in varying contexts and across time. Although overall subscale means were relatively low, immediate findings among medical students at Ghent University demonstrated an increase in the IL self-efficacy of students as they advance through the 6-year medical program. Students revealed the least confidence in “Using the Library.”
 Conclusions – The self-efficacy of individuals in approaching IL tasks has an impact on self-motivation and lifelong learning. The authors developed the ILSES-M as part of a longitudinal study protocol appraising the IL self-efficacy beliefs of students in a six-year medical curriculum (De Meulemeester, Peleman, & Buysse, 2018). The ILSES-M “…could give a clear idea about the evolution of perceived IL and the related need for support and training” (p. 43). Further research could evaluate the scale’s impact on curriculum and, conversely, the impact of curricular changes on ILSE. Qualitative research may afford additional context for scale interpretation. The scale may also provide opportunities to assess the confidence levels of incoming students throughout time. The authors suggested further research should apply the ILSES-M in diverse cultural and curricular settings.

Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Students of Primary Education towards Teaching English

Bu çalışmanın amacı, sınıf eğitimi anabilim dalında okuyan öğrencilerin İngilizce öğretimine yönelik ö-yeterlik inançlarının belirlenmesidir. Bu kapsamda sınıf eğitimi anabilim dalı dördüncü sınıfta okuyan ve gönüllü olan otuz öğrenci ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. İçerik analizi sonucunda, dört öğrencinin İngilizce öğretiminde kendisini yeterli, yirmialtı öğrencinin ise kendisini İngilizce öğretimi noktasında yetersiz bulduğu tespit edilmiştir. İngilizce öğretiminde öz-yeterlik inancı düşük olan öğrencilerin ifadeleri incelendiğinde, özellikle konuşma-telaffuz, cümle kurma-yazma ve derse uygun hazırlık yapma noktasında problem yaşayacaklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Sınıf Eğitimi Öğrencileri; İngilizce öğretimine yönelik öz-yeterlik inançlarının düşük olmasının nedenini, teorik ve ezbere dayalı eğitim verilmesine ve İngilizce derslerinin etkileşim ve uygulama olmadan gramer ağırlıklı verilmesine bağlamıştır.

English

In light of the recent ongoing debates in Turkey, the Formation Education, which is provided to students who graduated from faculties other than Educational Faculties, targets to make graduate students acquire the requirements and efficacy criteria of the teaching profession, which are defined in the Turkish National Education Basic Law 1739, Item 32? However, there have been a great deal of serious debates on several issues such as the difference in quality between the teacher candidates who receive this training after graduating from science-literature faculties and the teacher candidates who graduated from educational faculties, the reflection of this difference in the educational community, the duration in which this training is provided, the desire of each candidate receiving this training for being a teacher, and the changes in the attitudes of teacher candidates who receive formation education towards their profession. In this study, which was based on empirical model, the basic aim was to investigate the effects of Formation Education, which is one of the issues of debate in recent years, on the self-efficacy beliefs of students. When the results obtained in the present study were analyzed, it was observed that students experienced a decrease in the self-efficacy levels in the Formation Education process.   Key words: Formation Education, teaching, belief, efficacy.

CANDIDATES TEACHERS' CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SELF-EFFICACY LEVELS

This research aimed to determine the classroom management self-efficacy beliefs of students have been studying in Faculty of Education and students have been maintaining pedagogical formation certificate program. It employed survey model. The study group was composed of 362 trainees who attended to pedagogical formation certificate program in Duzce University in 2015/16 academic year spring term and 255 sophomores, junior and senior class students in Classroom Teaching and Science Teaching Departments in Duzce University Faculty of Education in 2015/16 academic year. In the study, it was aimed to reach the whole population and a scale was implemented instead of sampling. The research was conducted with 410 returning scales. “Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale” was conducted in order to determine the classroom management self-efficacy perceptions of the student teachers. Since the data were not normally distributed, Mann-Whitney U Test which is a nonparametric test. The following results were obtained: Classroom management self-efficacy perceptions of the students who have been studying in Faculty of Education and students who have been attending the pedagogical formation certificate program are high in terms of “Providing the student participation”, “Utilization of Teaching Strategies” and “Classroom management”. The difference between the classroom management self-efficacy perception averages of the two groups was not statistically meaningful. Also, there was no statistically meaningful difference between the students who have been studying in Faculty of Education and students who have been attending the pedagogical formation certificate program in terms of gender variable.

An examination of vocational school students self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics and of their achievement levels

The purpose of this study is to examine vocational school students' self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics and their achievement levels. As the data collection tool, “Self-Efficacy Perception of Mathematics Scale” developed by Umay (2001) was used in the study. The sample is composed of 178 students who were attending different programs of Tatvan Vocational School of Bitlis Eren University. The research was performed in the academic year of 2014 to 2015. ANOVA and t-test were used for testing the research hypotheses. The results obtained show that there is no significant difference between students' genders and their self-efficacy beliefs; however there are statistically significant differences among their self-efficacy beliefs by their school of graduation, the school programs they attend, and their achievement levels. Key words: Vocational school students, mathematics, academic achievement, self-efficacy beliefs.

The evaluation of the levels of histology self-efficacy beliefs of students of dentistry faculty

Histology is one of the foundational courses of the faculties which give health education. In order to be successful in the field of dentistry, one should master the basic histology knowledge. The histology courses in Kocaeli University Faculty of Dentistry are held as General Histology and Oral Histology beginning from the second grade. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the effect of the histology courses taken, on the Histology Self- Efficacy Beliefs (HSEB) in the students of the department of dentistry. 16 male (21,3%) and 59 female (78,7%) students (75 in total) from the 2nd grade of the faculty of dentistry have contributed to our study. Some personal information like gender, geographical regions where they come from and places where they dwell and the self- efficacy belief scale have been implemented on the students who participated in the study. In the direction of the obtained information and from the HSEB point of view, there is one student from the Southeastern Anatolia region who with 40 points ranks at the last row. In conclusion, we think that since the level of development of the Southeastern Anatolia region is low, this may have a negative effect on the students who live there and for this reason, we think this is why the HSEB levels of the students who come from the Southeastern Anatolia region are low.

The Validation of the Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES)

Citizen science programs provide opportunities for students to help professional scientists while fostering science achievement and motivation. Instruments which measure the effects of this type of programs on student motivational beliefs are limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the process of examining the reliability and validity of The Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) designed to measure the effectiveness of citizen science programs on student self-efficacy for scientific observation skills. Fifteen (n =15) field experts and 248 (n = 248) eighth grade students participated in three studies. The results suggest that the psychometric properties of this scale are sufficient. Implications for the development and utility of self-efficacy scales in a variety of citizen science contexts are discussed. The aim of the present study is twofold: (a) to establish the psychometric properties of a scale developed to measure student self-efficacy beliefs for scientific observations in citizen science programs and (b) to describe the process in the validation of a self-efficacy scale to support researchers who want to create their own scales for similar citizen science programs. Three studies were conducted to develop the Citizen Science Scale (CSSES) and evaluate its psychometric properties. The purpose of the CSSES was to develop a measure suitable for analysis within a social cognitive career framework and informal natural science contexts. The findings in the present study found that the measure had an acceptable unitary factorial structure and high internal reliability of .89 for the CSSES. The purpose of the Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) is to assess individual’s beliefs about their capabilities for scientific observational skills. This scale is applicable to measuring individual’s self-efficacy in outdoor learning contexts (e.g., horseshoe crab citizen science context). Given that self-efficacy is a strong predictor of academic achievement and motivation, self-efficacy scales like the CSSES may provide a way for stakeholders involved in outdoor education to measure student gains and to substantiate program effectiveness. From a methods standpoint, the contribution of this work is to serve as a guide of how to develop a self-efficacy scale.

The Relationship between Students’ Academic Self-efficacy and Language Learning Motivation: A Study of 8th Graders

Self-efficacy is defined as the belief in one's capabilities to carry out, organize and perform a task successfully. Motivation consists of the internal and external factors that stimulate the desire to attain a goal. Both are the driving forces that make people pursue a goal and overcome obstacles because people with higher self-efficacy and motivation do their best and do not easily give up when confronted with difficulties. This quantitative study aims to investigate the relationship between the academic self-efficacy levels and language learning motivations of 8th graders. In Turkey, the 8th grade is important as it is the year when the students take exams that determine the high school they are to enroll. Therefore, it is a year when academic concerns are high. To this end, Morgan-Jinks Student Efficacy Scale and Language Learning Orientations Scale by Noels et al. were applied to 257 participants from several different secondary schools. It was found that there is a low-level negative correlation between English language learning motivation and self-efficacy beliefs of students in Grade 8. The results are also evaluated in terms of demographic features of the participants such as their gender and parental education level. It revealed that language learning motivations of the students show a significant difference that favors girls. However, there is no statistically significant difference in the students’ academic self-efficacy beliefs in terms of gender. The results about language learning motivations of the students in terms of the education level of the parents indicate a significant difference in students whose parents are more educated with those of less educated. On the contrary, the students whose parents are university graduates have the lowest means whereas those whose parents are primary school and secondary school graduates have much higher self-efficacy.