Concept mapping impact on self-efficacy for enhancing students’ motivation and performance in biology

Abstract

The impact of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their academic performance and motivation in all stages of their academic endeavour has been a major concern to many researchers. It contributes greatly to the overall total development and success of the student even at their progression to the next level in their educational development. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effect of using concept mapping strategy as an intervention strategy on the development of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their motivation and performance in biology. One hundred and twenty students from two different Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana were involved in the experiment. Two instruments, namely students’ self-efficacy and motivation questionnaire as well as students’ achievement test were used in the data collection and the results were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression statistics. The findings of the study indicated that effective regular use of concept mapping strategy has a strong and positive influence on students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their development which enhances their motivation to learn and performance in biology.