Building Self-Efficacy in Learners

 As someone who struggled in their academic studies in the past, I find self-efficacy from the theory of social learning particularly interesting. Self-efficacy describes a link between learning and motivation. Someone with a stronger sense of self-efficacy is more motivated and puts more effort since they believe there will be positive outcomes from all that work. For example, that their goals will be attained or that the difficult task will be accomplished. This same person is likely to challenge difficult tasks and stick to it. They will experience setbacks just like anyone else, but will likely see them something that can be worked on to be fixed or overcome- instead of setbacks being out of their control and thereby things that will never change. Hence, the link back to motivation and effort. It is not because this higher self-efficate group is less lazy, more hardworking, or smarter. It is because they believe their efforts will amount to what they intended and hoped for, even if only eventually and this motivates them to put in sustain effort. 


On the other hand, those with a poorer sense of self-efficacy have less motivation and are less likely to put forth "concerted, extended effort" (Kirk, 2021) because they are not anticipating a positive outcome from that effort  They don't believe in it. Taking on challenging tasks are likely seen as synonymous to giving themselves more evidence that "I can't do it." It's avoided as a danger, just like how you would avoid running out into oncoming traffic. 


As much as this theory has given me insight into the behaviour and attitude I have seen in myself and in some of my adult classrooms, it is also important to remember that self-efficacy is not a fixed state. Thankfully, there are things an instructor can do to boost the self-efficacy of learners. 


There are 4 main ways to gain self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and positive emotional state (with mastery being the most robust boost to self-efficacy.) 


Diagram from EnglandHandball, 2015 as cited in Self-Efficacy and Social Cognitive Theories Case Study


There are ways to measure self-efficacy that is worth further looking into: The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) by Pintrich & De Groot contains a subscale for self-efficacy that can be used for students in higher education. 

All of this reminds me that it is the instructor's role and responsibility to set their learners up for success, for experiences of mastery, even if they are adults who are expected to be responsible for their own learning. 


For example, giving struggling learners a concrete plan for tackling tasks they believe to be beyond them. In a course for a group of full time working frontline healthcare providers, their current day-to-day in the COVID-19 pandemic is already beyond what they feel they can handle, never mind adding on having to read 20 pages of a text-heavy course book when they haven't been in formal education for years. To support their success, the instructor can suggest that if reading seems impossible, use a screen reader for the text to be read out loud. As well, encouraging the learners to start with another learning modality, such as videos or online learning modules that compliment each reading section. These may be easier to complete, and will give them a mental overview and structure of the material that may make more text-heavy content easier to access.


I might be postulating here, but I also wonder if a poor sense of self-efficacy also makes achievable tasks seem impossible as well. Leading to stress, anxiety and giving up, a poor sense of self-efficacy ultimately prevents learners from reaching their potential. A laymen might call this not believing in yourself or even falsely believing you are incapable. As mandatory social isolation leaves learners of various degrees of self-efficacy more and more to themselves and their own voices, the impact of negative self-talk and self-limiting beliefs may have a greater impact on learning and achievement than ever before. And so perhaps as an instructor, I may remember that I might be the only voice my learners have heard in a long time that says "you can do it."


Reference

Kirk, K. (2021, February 12). Self-Efficacy. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/efficacy.html



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