![Sample our Education journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5932/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Education.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Recent research studies have indicated that self-efficacy and hope explain a significant, independent portion of the variability in academic performance (D. H. Adelabu, 2008). Despite this recognition, there is an absence of research outlining the developmental trajectories of the aforementioned constructs over time. The author used latent growth modeling (LGM) procedures to investigate the developmental course of these 2 constructs over 4 occasions. Participants were 196 students (89 girls and 107 boys) from 3 secondary schools. Likert-type scale inventories were used to elicit relevant data from students. LGM analyses using SPSS AMOS 17 indicated significant individual differences in initial levels and change in individuals' self-efficacy beliefs and hope. The intercept mean and slope mean values revealed that self-efficacy and hope changed over time. The author discusses the findings ascertained with reference to applied teaching practices and continuing research development.
Notes
1. Equivalent to Year 9.
2. The issue of school dropout is prevalent given that some families, because of their states of finance, cannot pay compulsory school fees. The issue, of paying school fees is only a minute issue, and, in many cases, families expect children who drop out to go and find work. Because of their considerations, I could not pursue follow up to verify this assertion.
3. Given there were three schools, I identified these as A, B, or C.
4. From one of the reviewers' suggestion, I also conducted, a posteriori, a quadratic growth model. The results showed a poor model fit, χ2(7, N = 196) = 65.27, CFI = .90, NNFI = .59, RMSEA = .21, and, consequently, I left these findings out of the main description.