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Academic Self Efficacy, within an academic context, self efficacy is frequently described

in terms of Academic Self- Efficacy, which defines learner judgments about one‟s ability to

successfully attain educational goals (Elias & MacDonald, 2007). A student's intellectual

performance is based on the development of cognitive skill and his or her perceived self-efficacy

which is caused to construct academic self-efficacy. Bandura (1977) defined academic

self-efficacy as personal judgments of one„s capabilities to organize and execute courses of

action to attain designated types of educational performances. Whorton (2009) also maintained

academic self-efficacy as the level of confidence a student possesses to successfully perform

particular academic tasks. Additionally Lent, Brown and Gore (1997) asserted that academic

self-efficacy and academic self-concept are not equal concepts, academic self- concept is related,

and can be highly correlated to self-efficacy. Bandura (1997) stressed that students' feelings of

self-efficacy strongly affect academic achievement. Factors such as ―level of cognitive ability,

prior education preparation, attainment, gender, and attitudes towards academic activities, along

with the level of perceived self-efficacy, influence academic achievement. Setting short term,

rather than long term goals, helps students to develop their academic self-efficacy faster.

Students work more eagerly at performing tasks when the goals are short term, instead of

establishing long term goals that allow students to postpone difficult tasks until a later time.

Bandura (1997) believes that using benchmarking methods and incentives to encourage students

to set short time goals will help them develop academic self-efficacy. By developing students„

cognitive complexity, they are expected to begin to think more creatively and abstractly. They

are also expected to take an active part in their learning and pursue cognitive development via

self-regulated learning (Bandura, 1997). Zimmerman (1986, 1989) defines in general, students
can be described as self-regulated to the degree that they are metacognitively,' motivationally,

and behaviorally active participants in their own learning process. He also asserted that social

cognitive theorists assume that self-efficacy is a key variable affecting self-regulated learning.

”Self-regulated learning is the process by which students pursue education and topics that are of

interest to them. In order to continue to build cognitive skills and academic self-efficacy, students

must take what they have learned in one area and repeatedly attempt to apply learned skills in

another area. Through a widening of experiences, collaboration and cooperation with

knowledgeable individuals, students can transfer cognitive skills to other areas and situations and

this may help to continue to build personal self-efficacy (Ayiku, 2005). Self-efficacy in academic

settings revolves around two main areas (Pajares, 1996). The first area of which is link between

efficacy beliefs and college major and career choices, particularly in the areas of science and

mathematics (e.g., Lent & Hackett, 1987; Lent, Brown, & Larkin, 1989; Farmer, Wardrop,

Anderson, & Risinger, 1995, for a review as Cited in Pajares, 1996). The second area of it has

examined the relationships among efficacy beliefs and related psychological constructs, and

academic motivation and achievement. Generally, if students hold a negative attitude about

academia and/or do not believe they are capable of their academic performance, they will be less

willing to put effort to succeed (Pajares, 2002, 2003). Pajares (1997) made a distinction between

self-efficacy for achievement purposes and self-efficacy for learning. The choice of

self-regulatory strategies determine these distinctions, in other words, self-regulatory strategies

affect the way the students approach to new tasks and skills as opposed to their overall level of

confidence in performing tasks and skills. Students‟ self-efficacy for learning relies on personal

and situational influences (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, & Pastorelli, 1996). Mone, Baker,

and Jeffries (1995) conducted a study of self-efficacy and academic performance. They found
that academic self-efficacy was a statistically significant predictor of personal academic goal

setting and academic performance. Chemers et al. (2001) also found a strong link between

academic expectations and academic achievement. Mone et al. (1995) believe that a student's

sense of Academic Self Efficacy has no effects on increasing student„s goal setting and academic

achievement. This idea is also in divergence with research done before (Hersey & Blanchard,

1993) which called for increasing students„ self-esteem in order to increase academic

performance and improve personal goal setting. Zimmerman, Bandura, and Martinez-Pons

(1992) found that there is a strong relationship between students„ current academic self-efficacy

and future goal setting with regards to previous grade achievement, but only when parental

expectation of academic achievement was high for their respective student. Ayiku (2005)

asserted that ―Parents„ goals for their children's academic achievement tended to be higher than

goals students set for themselves. Parental expectations were purported to influence the type of

academic expectations the students set for themselves and these students relied on their academic

self-efficacy and parental expectations in order to formulate and solidify goals for the future

(p.23). In the Zimmerman et al. (1992) study, for students, the role of personal goals in their

academic achievement play an important role, those who created self-made goals which in turn

improved their sense of academic achievement. Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara and Pastorelli

(1996) Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara and Pastorelli (1996) pointed out the significant effects of

parents in establishing students 'a sense of self-efficacy. Theyalso stressed that students who have

high self-efficacy parents that their parents instilled their own belief in them will have a tendency

to gain a high academic self-efficacy as well as their parents.

difference in the way individuals feel and act between those with low self-efficacy and those

with a high level of self efficacy. Individuals suspicious of their own abilities tend to avoid

challenges and difficult tasks. As Bandura described (1989), people who doubt their abilities tend

not to get engaged in difficult tasks. As stated above, individuals with high levels of self efficacy

cope with challenging situations in a more mature way, while not considering these as threats.

According to social cognitive theory, self efficacy is one of the most important variables that

influence the academic performance and achievement. Collins (1982) demonstrated in a clear

way the importance of self efficacy beliefs and skill application on academic performance. The

study showed that people may perform poorly on tasks not necessarily because they lack the

ability to succeed, but because they lack belief in their capability.Bandura (1997) described

self-efficacy beliefs are different with different individuals, they vary under different

circumstances, undergo transformations with time, and increase the academic achievements as

determined by the following factors: mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal

persuasion, and physiological and emotional states. An individual‟s sense of self-efficacy is

determined by a multitude of personal, social, and environmental factors. Under the

social-cognitive perspective of Bandura (1997) and Pajares (1996) these factors can be altered

not only to influence the individual‟s level of self-efficacy, but also his future performance.

Normative goal theory suggests that self-efficacy beliefs have a moderating effect on the

performance goals. It is worth posing a question on the essence of self-efficacy and how it is

related to the students‟ academic performance. According to Bandura (1997), an essential factor

in a human activity is the belief in personal efficacy. As Bandura describes self-efficacy, it is

argued that beliefs influence human functioning by motivational, decision-making, and affective
processes. Based on Bandura (1977), the more an individual believes in his self-efficacy, the

more willing he is, which in itself makes it possible for the individual to be fully accomplished.