Self-efficacy and its relationship to problem-solving methods for outstanding and ordinary secondary school students (a comparative study)

Abstract

The study aimed to identify whether there is a relationship between self-efficacy and problem-solving skills

As well as identifying the level of self-efficacy and the level of skill of solving problems and their dimensions among the study sample members in general (the excelling and the ordinary), and revealing whether there are differences between the average scores of the members of the study sample in general (the excelling and the ordinary) on the scale of the self-efficacy and the scale of methods of solving problems and its dimensions According to the variables (gender, student level, class, specialization).

The study was conducted on a sample of (72) students from the top and regular students in the first and second year of the scientific section, in Al-Bayda city for the academic year 2019/2020 in the first semester, their ages (15-18) years, with an average age and standard deviation (16 ± 0.9)

The study used the descriptive approach in its two related and comparative aspects.

The results showed:

The presence of a statistically significant positive relationship at the level of significance (0.01 and 0.05) between self-efficacy and problem-solving skills and their dimensions. The higher the level of self-efficacy, the greater the dexterity in diversifying problem-solving methods.

- The average sample height is higher than the assumption average for the measure of self-efficacy, as well as for the scale of methods for solving problems and its dimensions. This indicates that the sample has a high level of the level of self-efficacy and therefore enjoying a high level in methods of solving problems and removing them.

- There were statistically significant differences between the high and ordinary students on the total score for the scale of self-efficacy. The differences were in favor of ordinary students.

- There are differences between the superior and ordinary students on the total score for the scale of problem-solving methods and for the dimension of defining the problem. The differences were in favor of the superior students. As for the rest of the dimensions of the scale of problem-solving methods, there were no differences between the superior and ordinary students.

- There are no statistically significant differences between the superior and ordinary students on the total score for a measure of effectiveness on the total score for a scale of methods for solving problems and its dimensions according to the gender variable (male - female).

- There were statistically significant differences between the high and ordinary students on the total score for the measure of self-efficacy. The differences were in favor of the third semester.

- There were statistically significant differences between the high and ordinary students on the total score for the measure of self-efficacy. The differences were in favor of the third semester.

- There were no statistically significant differences between the superior and ordinary students on the total score for the scale of methods for solving problems and its dimensions, except for the evaluation dimension, there were differences in favor of the third semester

- There are no statistically significant differences between ordinary and superior students on the total score for the self-efficacy scale on the total score for the scale of methods for solving problems according to the variable of specialization.

-These results were discussed in the light of the theoretical framework and previous studies, and to complete the aspects related to the study, the two researchers came up with a number of recommendations and proposala.