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The mediation of career decision-making self-efficacy on the link of ambiguity tolerance (AT) with career indecision was examined in a sample of college students (N = 253). It was hypothesized that AT could help reduce career indecision through increasing career decision-making self-efficacy, where this effect would vary by different types of indecision. Results supported the differential mediation hypothesis, finding that career decision-making self-efficacy mediated the link of AT with lack of motivation, general indecisiveness, lack of information, and inconsistent information. The mediation effect of career decision-making self-efficacy on the link of AT with lack of motivation was relatively weak. The implications of this study are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationwide, low percentages of community college students graduate. Although community colleges’ higher percentages of low income, academically underprepared, non-traditional, and minority students are often cited as the reason for low graduation rates, this study sought to examine common characteristics of community college students who do graduate. The qualitative study included interviews of community college graduates from a large, public community college in the Southeastern United States, as well as interviews of faculty and staff members at the institution. The students in this study were found to have the following characteristics in common: clear goals, strong motivation and a drive to succeed, ability to manage external demands, and self-empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the joint effects of achievement motives, self-efficacy, and achievement goals as predictors of subsequent academic achievement among educational science students. A longitudinal research design allowed for measurement of motivational variables at several stages of education during bachelor courses (subsequent to the introductory courses), firstly by measuring achievement motives, secondly by self-efficacy and achievement goals. Subsequently, students' academic achievement level was measured at four different points in time, until they finished the last course for their bachelor degrees. A multivariate path analysis showed consistent relations between the motivational variables. The motive to avoid failure positively predicted the adoption of avoidance goals (both mastery and performance) and negatively predicted self-efficacy. Academic achievement was mainly predicted by the motive for success and performance-avoidance goals. The path analysis also showed strong relationships between the examination grades at different points in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in students’ academic self-efficacy and motivation were examined in predicting preferred teacher traits. Undergraduates (261) completed the Teaching Behavior Checklist, Academic Self-Concept scale, and Academic Motivation scale. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that academic self-efficacy and extrinsic motivation explained 5–23% of incremental variance in the ideal traits of “caring” and “professional.” Students who lacked self-efficacy clearly valued the “caring” trait in an ideal teacher. Extrinsically motivated students strongly endorsed the importance of an ideal teacher being “caring” (encouraging and compassionate) and “professional” (knowledgeable and confident). Implications for instructors include rewarding extrinsically motivated student by recognizing their performance and mentoring students who lack self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study reports on the results of a survey of achievement goal orientations administered to a sample of 777 students enrolled in remedial and college-level mathematics courses at a community college. Results indicate that students’ achievement goal orientations are consistent with adaptive learning patterns: Students are interested in developing competence, expect and believe they can handle challenging work, avoid self-handicapping behaviors, and exhibit a positive mathematics self-concept. However, interviews with faculty members teaching the courses in which the students were enrolled revealed that instructors had a more negative perspective. This discrepancy suggests that instructors might not be taking advantage of the high confidence and motivation to learn that their students bring to the mathematics classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the practice of assessment in music education. The author argues that in spite of negative experiences, educational assessment can be helpful in improving student learning and teacher effectiveness. Topics addressed include student achievement, student self-assessment, and motivation. Also discussed are the notion of musical excellence, strategies to empower students and move them away from dependence on teachers, and the necessity of providing accurate feedback on student performance.

This study examined the effects of testing accommodations on eighth-grade students’ performance on large-scale achievement tests and also on their attitudes and reactions to the tests. Findings revealed significant differences in the ways students with and without disabilities experienced testing and how testing accommodations affected students’ attitudes toward and beliefs about the tests. Results suggested that (a) students with disabilities had significantly lower test-related self-efficacy than students without disabilities, (b) self-efficacy was positively correlated with test performance for all students, and (c) accommodations improved the test performance of all students and exerted a differential boost for students with disabilities on test-related self-efficacy and motivation. These findings suggest that testing accommodations may have a positive effect on students’ test performance by improving test-related self-efficacy and motivation, especially for students with learning disabilities. The implications of these findings for future research and practice concerning psychological aspects of testing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article evaluates the relationship between homework and self-regulation from the elementary grades to college. It reveals that quality measures of homework such as managing distractions, self-efficacy and perceived responsibility for learning, setting goals, self-reflection, managing time, and setting a place for homework completion are more effective than only measuring the amount of time spent on homework. During homework completion, students engage in self-regulation by motivating themselves, inhibiting distractions, using strategies to complete homework, managing time, setting goals, self-reflecting on their performance, and delaying gratification. As a result, self-regulation and homework are related and the findings show that from elementary grades to college, skilled learners engaged in the above self-regulatory behaviors during homework activities. Self-regulatory behaviors develop gradually over time with repeated practice. Evidence from experimental studies shows that students can be trained to develop self-regulation skills during homework activities. It is important to continue with training studies at all grade levels so that students can become aware of the relationship between homework activities and these self-regulation processes such as goals, self-efficacy, self-reflection, time management, and delay of gratification. Evidence from correlational studies showed that students' self-regulation skills and motivational beliefs correlate positively with homework activities. Homework assignments that are adequately challenging and interesting help struggling and at-risk students develop motivation and self-regulation skills and achieve success. Teachers can help students develop these behaviors by using homework logs. Data from the logs can help teachers show students their strengths and help them overcome their weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the strategies for self-management intervention called self-monitoring which is used in a research to help students manage their own behaviors. It mentions that self management strategies comprise several interventions which foster self-regulated performances of the students including self monitoring, which requires students for self-observation and self-recoding, goal setting and self-evaluation. It says that encouraging students to self-regulate their behaviors is helpful in meeting the widespread needs of the students, the higher level of self-efficacy and motivation and learn to become independent. Meanwhile, a lesson plan was created that would teach his students on how to use the self monitoring intervention.

Although computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) are becoming more prevalent in the classroom, empirical research has demonstrated that some students have difficulty learning with these environments. The motivation construct of computer-self efficacy plays an integral role in learning with CBLEs. This literature review synthesizes research that has empirically examined factors related to computer self-efficacy and the relationship between computer self-efficacy, learning outcomes, and learning processes with CBLEs. Results indicate that behavioral and psychological factors are positively related to computer self-efficacy. Students who receive behavioral modeling report significantly higher computer self-efficacy than do students who receive the more traditional instruction-based method when learning with CBLEs. Computer self-efficacy is related both to learning outcomes and to learning processes with CBLEs. This review also offers theoretical and methodological issues for future research in the area of computer self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review was threefold. First, the theorized sources of self-efficacy beliefs proposed by A. Bandura (1986) are described and explained, including how they are typically assessed and analyzed. Second, findings from investigations of these sources in academic contexts are reviewed and critiqued, and problems and oversights in current research and in conceptualizations of the sources are identified. Although mastery experience is typically the most influential source of self-efficacy, the strength and influence of the sources differ as a function of contextual factors such as gender, ethnicity, academic ability, and academic domain. Finally, suggestions are offered to help guide researchers investigating the psychological mechanisms at work in the formation of self-efficacy beliefs in academic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]