Implications of reflection on student efficacy and growth in middle school science

Abstract

Students are often asked to reflect on their work. Upon finishing a project, students reflect on their experiences and outcomes, focusing on the learning and content of the unit. However, reflection should be a continuous process and include students becoming aware of their learning approaches. If this aspect of reflection was included while learning was taking place, students could become more aware of how they learn and in turn become more confident in how they approach different topics. The goal of this type of reflection would be to increase student efficacy and increase student growth. To test this hypothesis, students first completed a science self-efficacy test. This established a basis for student confidence in science. To establish overall knowledge of the content, students attempted the summative assessment test before beginning the unit. For each task in the unit, students completed a pre and post-test. Associated with each was a reflection process. Students took a brief survey identifying their study habits and confidence levels. Confidence levels were recorded to determine efficacy growth throughout the unit. Data collected for the research showed a weak positive correlation between student self-efficacy and normalized gains. The qualitative analysis resulted in students becoming more detailed in their reflections as the unit progressed. The conclusion was reached that self-efficacy is not a good indicator of performance, however the act of persistent reflection throughout a unit result in overall academic growth.