Engineering students’ self-confidence in mathematics mapped onto Bandura’s self-efficacy

AbstractIn the UK since the early 1990s, there has been widespread concern and extensive reporting about the difficulties encountered by engineering students with the mathematical elements of their university courses. Students’ lack of previously expected mathematical skills is of particular concern and has prompted the provision of mathematics support in many UK institutions. A related problem is students’ lack of self-confidence (or self-efficacy) in their mathematical capability, and this paper seeks to explore how this has arisen and how it affects students’ learning, and proposes suggestions for improvement.Interviews were conducted with final year engineering students at Harper Adams University College in 2009. These explored students’ experiences of and self-confidence in learning and using mathematics before and during university and what they anticipate in the future. The seven students interviewed exhibited a range of self-confidence and achievement and their responses about self-confidence and ...