The relationship between perceptions of instructional practices and student self-efficacy in guided-inquiry laboratory courses

Abstract

Science self-efficacy, a student’s confidence in being able to perform scientific practic­es, interacts with science identity and outcomes expectations, leading to improved per­formance in science courses, persistence in science majors, and ultimately, the pursuit of advanced training in the sciences. Inquiry-based laboratory courses have been shown to improve undergraduate student self-efficacy, but the mechanisms involved and specific components of instructional practices that lead to improved self-efficacy are not clear. In the current study, we determined whether student and faculty perceptions of laboratory instructional practices (scientific synthesis, science process skills, and instructor-directed teaching) were related to postsemester self-efficacy across 19 guided-inquiry laboratory courses from 11 different institutions. Self-efficacy related to science literacy increased significantly from the beginning of the semester to the end of the semester. Variation in individual student perceptions of instructional practices within a course were significantly related to differences in student self-efficacy at the end of the semester, but not average student perceptions or faculty perceptions of their own practices across courses. The im­portance of individual student perceptions suggests that faculty should engage with stu­dents during curricular development. Furthermore, faculty need to use noncontent talk to reinforce the science practices students are engaging in during inquiry-based laboratory courses.