PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE LEARNING SELF-EFFICACY IN GHANA: INSIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION

Januarius Felix Nomin, Kofi Acheaw Owusu, Charles Deodat Otami

Abstract


Self-efficacy is an important attribute capable of shaping a person’s behavior. Perceived academic efficacy plays an influential role in students' school success, motivation, persistence, engagement, and academic achievements for science disciplines. Although various factors have been found to affect Ghanaian high school students’ science learning, their perceived self-efficacy has not been gauged. This study explored senior high school students’ science learning self-efficacy through a cross-sectional survey of 1,507 students. Data collected were analyzed with means, standard deviation and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results revealed that students had positive perception about their science learning self-efficacy except for their practical skills. Also, no gender differences in science learning self-efficacy between males and females were seen. It is, therefore, recommended that teachers take active steps by planning and structuring science lessons to include more practical to enhance students’ efficacy in practical skills to boost their overall perception of their science learning abilities.

 

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science learning self-efficacy, high school students, gender differences, practical skills, academic achievement

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i1.5761

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