Self-Efficacy: Empowering Success from Within

Self-efficacy, a cornerstone of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) (Bandura 1977), embodies the belief in one's own ability to succeed in specific situations. This critical construct (in this context, student self-efficacy), has been established to reliably predict student performance (Doménech-Betoret, Gómez-Artiga et al. 2014, Alqurashi 2016). For example, (Macphee,Farro et al. 2013) suggest a reciprocal relationship between perceived self-efficacy, performance, and persistence, “reinforcing each other over time”. In (Dacre Pool and Qualter 2013) the authors show that self-efficacy is a motivational attitude and can be associated with course performance. Prior studies have provided strong evidence that self-efficacy is a positive predictor of performance outcomes in different subjects ((Schunk 2008);(Usher and Pajares 2008)).

With increased acceptance of online as the mainstream, there is an urgent need to characterize with exactitude how standards-based online course redesign can lead to enhanced student performance.