ABSTRACT
This chapter defines self-efficacy and provides support for its importance for motivation to learn. Self-esteem is at the highest level of generality, and self-efficacy is the most specific level. Self-esteem captures a person's general sense of worth—regardless of context. Since the 1980s, when the California experiment in self-esteem promotion was conducted, a significant amount of work has shown that global self-esteem does not predict academic achievement. Self-efficacy is based on how people judge whether or not they are able to engage in the activities needed to achieve a particular goal, in a particular context. The chapter examines the implications at the classroom level. Moderate challenge shows students that they are learning new knowledge and skills, and gives them a sense of accomplishment that can bolster their self-efficacy. Classrooms that are tightly controlled by the teacher generally do not allow students ample opportunities to develop skills that encourage self-regulation.
