Board 145: Possible Relations between Self-Efficacy, Sociodemographic Characteristics, Dropout and Performance of Freshman Students in Engineering Courses

Abstract

The beginning of academic life has a significant impact for the student, which can affect both academic performance and dropout. This study aimed to search for relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, dropout, self-efficacy and performance of freshman students in engineering programs, and to test a model to identify school performance predictors, including the five dimensions of self-efficacy in higher education and age. A total of 407 students, mostly male freshmen from a private engineering school located in São Paulo - Brazil, with an average age of 18.5 years old, participated in the study. Sociodemographic Data Questionnaire and Higher Education Self- Efficacy Scale (HESES) were used, including 34 items and five dimensions: Academic Self-efficacy (capacity to learn and apply knowledge), Higher Education Regulation Self-Efficacy (ability to self-regulate one's actions), Social Interaction Self-efficacy (ability to mantain relationship with classmates and professors), Proactive Self-efficacy (ability to enjoy and promote educational opportunities) Academic Management Self-efficacy (ability to get involved and meet deadlines). The mean of 7.5 ± 1.1 of self-efficacy was considered high. It was observed that there is no significant difference between self-efficacy in participants: daytime and nighttime (p = 0.253), female and male (p = 0.056), and enrolled and dropped out (p = 0.084). However, confidence in the ability to learn and demonstrate it, self-regulate actions and proactivity was somewhat reduced compared to self-efficacy in social interactions and academic management. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the model is significant (p≤0.001) and explains 37.8% of the variance of yield, the greatest weight in explaining achievement is academic self-efficacy (B = 0.63), academic management self-efficacy (B = 0.38), self-efficacy in training regulation (B = -0.31), self-efficacy in proactive actions (B = -0.23), and age (B = -0.09). It is suggested to promote activities that can nurture students' self-efficacy beliefs, so that they can better take full advantage of the course, with a focus on academic success. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023.