TY - JOUR
T1 - Sources of middle school students? self-efficacy in mathematics
T2 - A qualitative investigation
AU - Usher, Ellen L.
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - According to A. Bandura?s (1986) social cognitive theory, individuals form their self-efficacy beliefs by interpreting information from four sources: mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasions, and physiological or affective states. The purpose of this study was to examine the heuristics students use as they form their mathematics self-efficacy from these and other sources. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight middle school students who reported either high or low self-efficacy and with students? parents and mathematics teachers. Students relied on information from all four hypothesized sources, which were combined according to various heuristics. Teaching structures, course placement, and students? self-regulated learning also emerged as important factors related to self-efficacy. Results refine and extend the tenets of social cognitive theory.
AB - According to A. Bandura?s (1986) social cognitive theory, individuals form their self-efficacy beliefs by interpreting information from four sources: mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasions, and physiological or affective states. The purpose of this study was to examine the heuristics students use as they form their mathematics self-efficacy from these and other sources. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight middle school students who reported either high or low self-efficacy and with students? parents and mathematics teachers. Students relied on information from all four hypothesized sources, which were combined according to various heuristics. Teaching structures, course placement, and students? self-regulated learning also emerged as important factors related to self-efficacy. Results refine and extend the tenets of social cognitive theory.
KW - Mathematics education
KW - Motivation
KW - Self-efficacy
KW - Sources of self-efficacy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=61849117508&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=61849117508&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3102/0002831208324517
DO - 10.3102/0002831208324517
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:61849117508
SN - 0002-8312
VL - 46
SP - 275
EP - 314
JO - American Educational Research Journal
JF - American Educational Research Journal
IS - 1
ER -