PREDICTIVE POWERS OF SELF-EFFICACY AND GOAL-SETTING SKILLS ON STUDENTS’ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE.

Abstract

The study investigated the predictive powers of goal-setting skill and self-efficacy skill on students’ academic achievement in Biology in Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study, and two null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance. A predictive correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 23,709 Senior Secondary II students offering Biology in public secondary schools in Anambra State. A sample of 393 students was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. The instrument used for data collection was the Self-Regulatory Learning Skill Questionnaire (SRLSQ), adapted from Broadbent, Panadero and Fuller (2023). Students’ achievement scores in Biology were obtained from teachers’ cumulative assessment booklets using a proforma. The SRLSQ was validated by three experts, comprising
two from Science Education and one from Measurement and Evaluation, all from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The reliability of the SRLSQ was established using Cronbach’s Alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.707. Data were analysed using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that goal-setting skill had a low positive predictive value and was not a significant predictor of students’ academic achievement in Biology. The study further established that self-efficacy skill significantly predicted students’ academic achievement in Biology. Based on the findings, it was concluded that goal-setting skill and self-efficacy skill have predictive relationships with students’ academic achievement in Biology in Anambra State. It was recommended that Biology teachers should deliberately incorporate self-regulatory learning practices into classroom instruction by helping students set realistic academic goals and develop confidence in their ability to accomplish Biology learning tasks.