General Self-Efficacy: Predicting Students‟ Achievements in Open Distance Learning Environment

General self-efficacy, recognized as pivotal psychological factor which significantly impacts on personal success, broader life outcomes and academic performance. However, the bilateral relationship and prediction of open distance learners remain little explored. This study elucidates whether achievements of students in ODL environment are predicted through general self-efficacy. The current research recruited a sample of 1513 distance learners from all universities of Pakistan offering education and training through open distance learning mode. Participants underwent a standardized tool “General Self-Efficacy (GSE)” whose developers are Schwarzer and Jerusalem (1995). Psychometric properties were verified by pilot testing and test-retest reliability. For the best comprehension of the participants, a translated version of tool was applied on them. In analyzing the results, high and low levels of general self-efficacy were correlated with high and low achievements. The results indicated positive relationships between general self-efficacy levels and achievements levels which were confirmed by prediction model.