Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / Learner and teacher motivation are vital to the study of learner retention or dropout rates in schools. Together with self-efficacy of both teachers and learners, its effect on learner retention rates in South African secondary schools can no longer be ignored. The aim of this research was to examine the relationships of learner and teacher motivation and self-efficacy with learners’ intention to drop out of high school. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Bandura’s Theory of Self-efficacy were adopted to explain the relationship between studied variables. A quantitative methodology was used with a cross-sectional comparative design. The sample consisted of 625 learners and 111 teachers from 5 randomly selected high schools in the Metro North (from 43 government high schools) and 5 randomly selected schools in Metro East (from 42 government high schools) Education Districts in the Western Cape. Fifty percent of the schools were considered low income schools based on the school fees requirement. The data were collected using self-report questionnaires consisting of four sections, Demographic Information, the Motivational Index, Self-efficacy and Dropout Perceptions. The data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V23). The current study found no significant relationships between teacher and learner motivation and self-efficacy. However, there was a significant negative relationship between teacher self-efficacy and learners’ intention to drop out of school. There was also a significant positive relationship between learner motivation and learners’ intention to drop out of school. Further research should be conducted to establish the reasons why there are negative relationships between teacher self-efficacy and learner self- efficacy. Also why a large number of learners, especially those from low socio-economic schools, seem more motivated to leave school than to persist. A further investigation is also required into the predictive factors which lead to learner vulnerability to drop out of school.

The underrepresentation of women in physics has been well documented and a source of concern for both policy makers and educators. My dissertation focuses on understanding the role self-efficacy plays in retaining students, particularly women, in introductory physics. I use an explanatory mixed methods approach to first investigate quantitatively the influence of self-efficacy in predicting success and then to qualitatively explore the development of self-efficacy. In the initial quantitative studies, I explore the utility of self-efficacy in predicting the success of introductory physics students, both women and men. Results indicate that self-efficacy is a significant predictor of success for all students. I then disaggregate the data to examine how self-efficacy develops differently for women and men in the introductory physics course. Results show women rely on different sources of self-efficacy than do men, and that a particular instructional environment, Modeling Instruction, has a positive impact on these sources of self-efficacy. In the qualitative phase of the project, this dissertation focuses on the development of self-efficacy. Using the qualitative tool of microanalysis, I introduce a methodology for understanding how self-efficacy develops moment-by-moment using the lens of self-efficacy opportunities. I then use the characterizations of self-efficacy opportunities to focus on a particular course environment and to identify and describe a mechanism by which Modeling Instruction impacts student self-efficacy. Results indicate that the emphasizing the development and deployment of models affords opportunities to impact self-efficacy. The findings of this dissertation indicate that introducing key elements into the classroom, such as cooperative group work, model development and deployment, and interaction with the instructor, create a mechanism by which instructors can impact the self-efficacy of their students. Results from this study indicate that creating a model to impact the retention rates of women in physics should include attending to self-efficacy and designing activities in the classroom that create self-efficacy opportunities.

Current research suggests that gifted students possess a unique set of characteristics that require unique skills and knowledge to address properly. School counselors are in a position to address the unique needs of gifted students provided they have the knowledge required for effective interaction. School counselors are called to provide multiple services for all students in the school setting; among those services are to advocate for student needs as well as to maintain a level of knowledge that will facilitate effective advocacy. Although the current literature suggests that school counselors possess the unique skills to address the needs of gifted students, literature is limited in the area of school counselor advocacy for gifted students, and no studies have addressed school counselor self-efficacy for advocacy of gifted students. The purpose of this study was to investigate how self-efficacy, knowledge of gifted issues, and understanding of professional advocacy competencies relate to school counselors' advocacy activities with gifted students. Quantitative methodology was used to answer the research questions. Professional school counselors completed a series of four instruments that comprised the survey for this study. Participants completed the survey either online or on paper between the months of January and June 2011. SPSS Version 19.0 for Windows was used to complete the statistical analyses for this study, which included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and regression.The results of this study indicated that knowledge of giftedness, self-efficacy, and building level, significantly predicted school counselors' advocacy competency and activity with gifted students. However, training program and years of experience were not significant predictors of school counselors' advocacy activity with gifted students. Implications for school counselors are increased knowledge of gifted needs and increased advocacy activity for gifted students. In order for school counselors to provide appropriate services to gifted students, it is important to increase their knowledge of the population. This increased knowledge will help school counselors to be more inclusive of gifted students and their needs when developing comprehensive school counseling programs. In addition, this increased knowledge may assist school counselors with becoming active participants in services for gifted students within the school environment. Future research should further explore the level of advocacy activity of school counselors with gifted students and the importance of self-efficacy for school counselors.

This dissertation aims to identify undergraduate students' perspectives concerning the effectiveness of CBI environments as an instructional tool, and the influence it has on their self-efficacy and motivation. Data was collected from 221 participants from two midwestern universities. A convergent mixed-method research was conducted using a Likert-style survey and semistructured interviews. Stepwise regression, Pearson correlation coefficient, effect sizes and thematic analysis were used to identify significant relationships between variables, and find recurring themes. It was found that over 70% of the student population had positive attitudes towards the use of CBI environments with a mean of 3.5 on a 5-point scale. Students who had a high mean attitude towards CBI systems also had a high mean self-efficacy score. Secondly, four models emerged which suggests that; the value student assign to tasks, the control over the CBI environment, control over their learning, and motivation are significant factors (p>.50) that affect their self-efficacy. Finally, it was found that students' motivation is affected by instructional components, challenges, lack of instructor presence, and feedback. It can be concluded that varying factors that can affect how students' perceive the courses and their abilities, and the implementation of adaptive CBI systems maybe an option to meet students' diverse instructional needs. Future research recommendations are (1) if professors pacing of activities within a CBI affect students' self-efficacy when course semesters vary, and (2) if the lack of professor control over activity design negatively impacts students learning and motivation.

Supervision in clinical psychology is a vital component of graduate training, enhancing the professional and clinical skills of trainees. The current literature indicates that in order to be a competent supervisor, one must obtain training in supervision. One highly recommended method of supervision training is through graduate coursework. Available literature indicates that approximately 40% of licensed clinical psychologists have received formal training in supervision (e.g., formal course or practicum) in their graduate training program. However, these prevalence rates were obtained over a decade ago and may not be an accurate representation of current supervisory training practices in clinical graduate programs. Therefore, this study aimed to examine current supervision training experiences obtained by trainees in their graduate doctoral training programs for clinical psychology and how their training experiences relate to their own supervisory style or theoretical approach.Comprehensive training in providing supervision improves trainees’ beliefs in their ability to competently provide supervision, or rather, their self-efficacy in supervision. Self-efficacy is an integral part of supervision, as supervisors who have sufficient self-efficacy are likely to supervise more effectively compared to those who do not feel as efficacious. While supervisor self-efficacy has been researched in other areas of psychology, there is less research exploring supervisor self-efficacy within clinical psychology relative to other areas of ii professional psychology and counselor education. Thus, this study also endeavored to explore the relationship among supervision training, supervision knowledge and self-efficacy. For the current study 106 clinical psychology interns participated in completing questionnaires assessing supervisory training experiences, supervision knowledge, and supervisor self-efficacy. Results were that 81% of participants reported receiving formal training in supervision in graduate school, a significantly larger amount than prior reported rates. Additionally, amount of training and certain components of supervision training (i.e., organization and documentation of supervision training) significantly predicted supervision knowledge. Components of supervision knowledge (e.g., theories and models, ethical issues) and supervision self-efficacy (e.g., ethical and legal issues, theories and techniques) were highly correlated. Finally, supervision knowledge overall predicted supervision self-efficacy. This study provided an updated view into the type of training graduate students commonly receive in graduate programs in clinical psychology and supported the connection among supervision training, supervision knowledge, and supervisor self-efficacy. Clinical implications and future directions for training and related factors are discussed.

This diploma thesis focuses on the concepts of creativity and self-efficacy mainly in connection with self-directed education. In the theoretical part of the thesis, the phenomenon of free schools is introduced, their main principles and comparison with traditional schools are presented in more details. Attention is also paid to the definition of the concept of creativity, main perspectives and theoretical approaches and interdependence with the educational process. Furthermore, the concept of self-efficacy is described with an emphasis on its resources and its connection with the school environment. The main goal of the thesis is to compare selected psychological concepts (creativity and self-efficacy) in children undergoing self- directed education in democratic schools in the Czech Republic and those attending traditional primary school. The empirical part introduces the research, which was made with a sample of 198 sixth through ninth graders (60 from democratic schools and 138 from traditional school). The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking was used to measure creativity, for the measurement of academic self-efficacy was used ASE questionnaire consisting of three self-assessment scales - Myself as a learner scale (MALS), Child's self-efficacy scale (ChSE) and a homework questionnaire (HW)....

In this research, it was proposed that self-efficacy is the missing underlying psychological factor in innovation diffusion models of higher education. This is based upon research conducted in the fields of innovation-diffusion in higher education, technology adoption, self-efficacy, health and behavioral change. It was theorized that if self-efficacy is related to adoption, it could provide a quick-scoring method for adoption efficiency and effectiveness that would be easy to administer. The innovation-diffusion model used in this study was Hall and Hord\'s (1987) Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and it\'s Seven Stages of Concern (SoC) About an Innovation. The SoC measures a user\'s perception of"and concerns about"an innovation over time.  The self-efficacies under study were general, teaching, and technology.  The scales used in this research instrument were Chen\'s New General Self-Efficacy (NGSE), Prieto\'s College Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (CTSES), and Lichty\'s Teaching with Technology Self-efficacy scale (MUTEBI), respectively.  This research hoped to uncover a relationship between self-efficacies and a Stage of Concern in the adoption of an instructional technology innovation, Google Apps for Education, at a large university institution.  Over 150 quantitative responses were collected from a pool of 1,713 instructional faculty between late Fall 2012 and early Spring 2013 semesters.  The response group was not representative of the larger population. Forty-six percent represented non-tenure track faculty compared to the expected 19 percent.  Analysis using nominal logistic regression between self-efficacy and Stages of Concern revealed that no statistically significant relationship was found.  Of note is that nearly all participants could be classified as being in the early-stages of an innovation adoption, possibly skewing the overall results. / Ph. D.

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: Social anxiety can have severe negative consequences for individuals, from lack of crucial social interaction to lower quality of life. A self-presentation theory of social anxiety posits that social anxiety results from outcome expectancies of social interactions (impression efficacy) and how motivated the individual is to create a good impression (impression motivation). There is also a proposed interaction effect, theorizing that as impression efficacy increases, the association between impression motivation and social anxiety weakens. In a lab study (N=125), measures of impression motivation and impression efficacy were measured situationally (e.g., “I believe I will make the impression that I want to achieve”). These measures were collected both prior to a social interaction with a confederate and after, with the belief that another interaction would take place. Conversely, an online survey (N=301) collected the two measures from a dispositional viewpoint (e.g., “In social interactions, other people probably see me as I like them to see me”). Both pre and post interaction moderation analyses in the lab study failed to find a significant interaction effect. However, a significant interaction was found in the online survey data. This inconsistency may point to differences between the variables, depending on whether they are observed from a situational or dispositional perspective. Analysis of this discrepancy could have implications for further understanding the mechanisms of social anxiousness, as well as potential alleviation techniques and/or treatments.

Psoriatic disease (PD) is an autoimmune disease that affects millions of women and currently has no cure. Examining the lived experience of women with PD who choose to treat their disease with alternative methods may allow for deeper understanding of how mental health professionals can support their choices. Using phenomenology, this study looked at the experiences of these women through theories of self-efficacy and self-in-relation theory, theories that empower and speak to women. The participants consisted of women who reported a diagnosis of PD, who reported they had abstained from pharmaceutical interventions for at least the previous six months. The sample size consisted of 7 participants, recruited through social media, from various parts of the world. Explication was used to assess the data and consisted of the following: bracketing and phenomenological reduction, delineating units of meaning, clustering of units of meaning to form themes, summarizing each interview, and extracting general and unique themes from all interviews and making a composite summary. The findings of this study showed that the participants reported feeling capable of pursuing health options that aligned with their values and were not opposed to pharmaceutical options at some point. In addition, findings indicated participants felt minimal, if any, support from their medical care providers. The results of the study may facilitate positive social change by informing women with PD about the benefits of taking an active role in treatment planning. Further, this study'€™s results may expand knowledge about treatment of women with PD and inform medical professionals, specifically mental health professionals, about what is important to these women in terms of a treatment plan.