Science Self Efficacy, Motivation and Adolescents’ Academic Engagement in Science Related Subjects in Oyo, Nigeria

Abstract

Shortage in health-related careers in the developing countries of the world due to the health practitioner’s exodus to greener pasture becomes worrisome. Hence, study on Adolescents engagement in science subjects is worthwhile pursuing. This study investigates science self-efficacy, motivation and adolescents’ academic engagement in science related subjects in Oyo, Nigeria. Researchers sampled a total of two hundred and ten adolescents from ten secondary schools in Oyo through simple random sampling technique. Researchers Self design instrument tagged science academic self-efficacy, motivation, science academic engagement (SAMSAE) was used for data collection. The instrument was pilot tested outside the study locale using Cronbach alpha yielded science academic self-efficacy r = 0.68, motivation r = 0.76; and science academic engagement r = 0.82. Data administered with the aid of teachers at the study locale and collected on the spot and those that were correctly filled was analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. Result revealed significant correlation between adolescents’ science academic engagement and academic self-efficacy, also significant relationship do exist between adolescents’ science academic engagement and motivation. Furthermore, there was relative contribution of science academic motivation and academic self-efficacy to adolescent’s science academic engagement. However, academic self-efficacy contributed greater than motivation to the dependent variable. Lastly, there was significant joint contribution of science academic motivation and science academic self-efficacy to adolescent’s science academic engagement. Based on these results, conclusion includes that there is significant correlation between adolescents’ science academic engagement and academic self-efficacy, significant relationship between adolescents’ science academic engagement and science academic motivation and relative contribution of science academic motivation and academic self-efficacy. Thereafter, recommendations were made which include Guidance counselling or Educational psychologists should be posted to schools in order to adequately mounting the psychological constructs (academic self-efficacy and motivate) among the students. Parents should be encouraged to motivate their children towards science academic engagement and provide material to them and so on.