THOMAS, MEGAN*, ROBERT REINSVOLD, and GERRY SAUNDERS. University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80639. - Interaction of self-efficacy and inquiry in an introductory biology laboratory.
Due to the recent call for reform in science education, there has been
a resurgence of interest in inquiry-based learning. Recent research
has explored the idea of implementing and designing inquiry
laboratories that are more effective in promoting students'
understanding of complex topics (Sundberg & Moncada, 1994; Deckert et
al., 1998; & Tamir et al., 1998). Other studies have looked at how
students' prior knowledge effect or change their performance in
biology and chemistry inquiry settings (Johnson & Lawson, 1998; Decker
et al., 1998). Little research has been done on how self-efficacy
effects students perform in an inquiry setting. In 1977, Bandura
proposed that the beliefs a person has about whether they can perform
a specific task would affect their effort in that given task or
behavior (Bandura, 1977) this was termed self-efficacy. Since the
original paper in 1977, research has focused on the theory of
self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is hypothesized to have an effect on
student performance and achievement in science and technical fields,
as well as, playing a role in career selection in the above mentioned
fields (Pajares, 1996; Betz & Hackett, 1981; & Lent et al., 1984 &
1986). However, the only known study on self-efficacy in a biology
context was essentially the development of an assessment tool (Baldwin
et al., 1999). We therefore, have looked at how self-efficacy is
related to performance in inquiry laboratories. More specifically, we
have investigated the relationship of self-efficacy and inquiry in
introductory biology laboratories across the Front Range at both
four-year universities and community colleges.
Key words: inquiry-based learning, introductory biology laboratories, science education, self-efficacy