Self-Efficacy in the Classroom: Developing the Skills of Citizenship

Abstract

This article reflects on a social studies intervention where Creative Problem Solving (CPS) was taught in a class of seven- and eight-year-old children in New Zealand. CPS was used as a framework to develop the skills required for effective citizenship, a key goal in social studies education. This intervention also looked at the important role of self-efficacy in learning to solve and act on social problems. It will be shown that the use of CPS can have positive effects on self-efficacy for problem solving in social studies, and that it can be a valuable framework to involve children in social action. Implications for learning and teaching in the classroom are considered.