College Biology Self-Efficacy Instrument

This instrument may lead to further understanding of student behavior, which in turn can facilitate the development of strategies that may increase students' desire to understand and study biology. By using the self-efficacy tool as a pre- and post-test indicator, instructors can gain insight into whether students' confidence levels increase as they engage in more complex tasks during the course, and can learn which teaching strategies are most effective in building confidence among students to achieve biological literacy.

Average Review: (5.0)

Supplemental Information:

n/a

Assessment Type:

Likert scale

Scale:

Five-point Likert scale

Publication Date:

Aug 04, 1997

Respondent:

Undergraduate students

Domain(s) Evaluated:

Competence

Sample items:

All answers should be filled in on the bubble sheets provided. For each statement in the survey, fill in the bubble next to each question:

A. If you are TOTALLY confident that you can do the task.
B. If you are VERY confident that you can do the task.
C. If you are FAIRLY confident that you can do the task.
D. If you are ONLY A LITTLE confident that you can do the task.
E. If you are NOT AT ALL confident that you can do the task.

1. How confident are you that after reading an article about a biology experiment, you could write a summary of its main points?

2. How confident are you that you can critique a laboratory report written by another student?

Reliability:

N/A

Validity:

N/A

Frequency:

Sometimes

Administration time:

15 minutes

Requires a Computer:

Requires Internet Access:

Primary reference:

Baldwin, J. A., Ebert-May, D., & Burns, D. (1999). The development of a college biology self-efficacy instrument for non-majors. Science Education, 83(4), 397-408.

Comments:

Biology Self-Efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable tool for studying nonbiology-majors' confidence in mastering biological literacy.

Other Reference:
Landon, K. L. (2011). Evaluation of success lab in terms of learning environment, attitudes toward mathematics and academic efficacy among high school algebra students (Doctoral Dissertation).

This paper suggests that while College Biology Self-Efficacy Instrument is a viable tool that PALS (Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey) is a more effective tool and as such has been used for their research.