What is Student Self-Efficacy

Self efficacy describes an individual's belief in the capability to achieve a goal or an outcome. Students with a strong sense of efficacy are more likely to challenge themselves, be intrinsically motivated, and show a high degree of effort to achieve, and attribute failure to things which are in their control, rather than blaming external factors, and generally are more likely to achieve their personal goals. Students with low self-efficacy, on the other hand, believe they cannot be successful and thus are less likely to make a concerted, extended effort and may consider challenging tasks as threats that are to be avoided, which may result in disappointing academic performances becoming part of a self-fulfilling feedback cycle.

Is This Your Best Work?: Complications and Limitations of Online Instruction for High Quality Student Engagement

Cynthia J. Benton (SUNY Cortland, USA)