Shaping the Self-Efficacy Beliefs of First-Year EngineeringStudents: What is the Role We Play?

摘要

Numerous studies have linked undergraduate students’ interests, performance, andretention in science and engineering fields to self-efficacy. The research also suggests thatfemale science and engineering students have poorer self-efficacy beliefs, those beliefs abouttheir capabilities to perform the tasks necessary to achieve a desired outcome, than do their malecounterparts. This study is aimed at identifying factors related to students’ self-efficacy beliefsduring their first engineering course. Results are presented from a mid-semester surveyadministered to freshman engineering students (n = 1387) enrolled in ENGR 106, EngineeringProblem-Solving and Computer Tools, at Purdue University. The survey incorporatedqualitative measures of student self-efficacy beliefs. Open-ended survey questions promptedstudents to list those factors affecting their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course.Gender trends emerged in student responses to factors that affect confidence in success. Thesetrends are discussed in light of the four categories Bandura1 has identified as sources of selfefficacybeliefs: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasions, andphysiological states. The results presented here provide a useful look into how the classroomand curricular practices being employed during students’ first year in engineering affectconfidence, and ultimately, retention and success.