Relationship between self-efficacy, academic achievement and gender in analytical chemistry at Debre Markos College of Teacher Education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of students’ self-efficacy, gender difference in self-efficacy and achievement and also relationships between self-efficacy and achievement for second year students in the fall of 2012 in Analytical Chemistry I (ACI) at Debre Markos College of Teacher Education (DMCTE). The self-efficacy survey and the ACI achievement test were completed by 100 students. The self-efficacy survey data were gathered by Likert scale questionnaire. By using inferential statistics (t-test), difference of self-efficacy and achievement in gender is calculated and by using Pearson correlation, the relationships between self-efficacy and achievement were investigated. The analysis of the data indicated that students’ level of self-efficacy is medium (50.08), and there is no significant difference in their self-efficacy between sexes (t (98) = 0.161, p> 0.1), but there is a statistically significant difference in achievement between sexes (t (98) = 0.68, p< 0.1) and also a significant relationship exists between self-efficacy and achievement (r=0.385, at 0.01 level with 98 degree of freedom). Based on these results, recommendations which will improve the quality of our training specifically in the field of chemistry are forwarded.

[AJCE, 3(1), January 2013]