Self-Efficacy
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Definition of Self-Efficacy
Self-Efficacy is Fundamental to a CBA
Additional Resources Related to Self-Efficacy Click HERE for a “pdf” version of this Webpage
Definition of Self-Efficacy
The following definition of self-efficacy was retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/self-efficacy-theory/.
Individuals with high self-efficacy believe they are capable of achieving specific performance goals. Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one’s own motivation, behavior, and social environment.
Self-Efficacy is Fundamental to a CBA
Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in her or his ability to achieve particular goals. This means that such individuals are more likely to believe that they can alter the world by their actions and are capable of acting effectively on the world. Consequently, they are more likely to initiate action proactively, persist during adversity, and show resilience in the face of failure. Acquiring essential self-knowledge and learning to be self-directed are important and desirable goals for all students and should be a focus for the work of all school counselors.
Self-efficacy is all about believing in your ability to achieve particular tasks or goals. This is indispensible for students if they want to achieve, and especially if they want to achieve at their highest potential. People with a strong sense of self-efficacy are highly-motivated and self-directed. They have the ability to self-reflect on their experience and learn from it and to self-regulate their learning and emotions in order to achieve their goals.
Students with high self-efficacy are confident in their abilities and capacity to confront and overcome challenges to their learning. They have as their personal affirmation, “I believe in me and my power to succeed.” School counselors can be significant contributors to helping students learn how to strengthen their sense of self-efficacy. Counselors need to remember that an important aspect of people with high self-efficacy is that they require positive feedback on their efforts and accomplishments.
Additional Resources Related to Self-Efficacy
The Internet is a wonderful tool for accessing information on just about any topic. It has been invaluable in helping us to identify what research has demonstrated to be strongly related to students’ academic achievement and well-being, and evidence-based practices that provide concrete examples of how to translate the research findings into meaningful learning opportunities that support student development.
Staying informed about what works and does not work to help students achieve and succeed is one of the defining characteristics of a professional school counselor. Internet search engines can be used to develop a deeper understanding of the topics discussed on the CBA Website. To get you started, here are some additional resources you may find helpful. These resources, however, only scratch the surface of what is available on the Internet or in published books and articles. We encourage you to use search engines to find more resources that will increase your understanding and build your capacity to apply these ideas in your work as school counselors.
Videos
A video on self-efficacy by Dr. Brett Jones.
A video on self-efficacy, motivation and goal revision by EkiMGnaW.
A video on “Building Engagement and Motivation through Self-Efficacy” by Tim Brown.
Websites
An article entitled “Motivational Consequences of Self-Efficacy Beliefs/Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Academic Attainment.” Topics include sources of self-efficacy beliefs, motivational consequences of self-efficacy beliefs, self-efficacy beliefs and academic attainment, and implications for teachers and schools.
http://www.education.com/reference/article/self-efficacy-theory/#C.A Teaching Tip Sheet on Self-Efficacy from the American Psychological Association.
http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/education/self-efficacy.aspx.