Exploring Sources of Engineering-Related Self-Efficacy in the Context of a Pre-College Engineering Design Curriculum

Background: Despite the substantial body of self-efficacy research in engineering education, relatively little attention has been paid to the mechanisms underlying changes in self-efficacy, as existing studies have primarily focused on quantitatively measuring what changes occur because of curriculum implementation. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the “how” and “why” behind these changes—the sources of engineering-related self-efficacy—in the context of a pre-college engineering design curriculum. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the study addresses: (1) What perceived experiences are significantly related to students’ engineering-related self-efficacy? and (2) How are these significant experiences connected to the four primary sources of self-efficacy from Bandura’s theory? Approach: Data were collected from 80 pre-college students from eight schools participating in the Engineering for Us All (e4usa) program through focus groups, and thematically analyzed using an inductive, two-cycle coding approach. Results: The emergent themes were then mapped onto Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, physiological states, and social/verbal persuasions. Findings showed six themes describing elements of the curriculum that were positively or negatively related to sources of engineering-related self-efficacy: hands-on experience, repetition, step-by-step process, coopertition (competition + cooperation), working with clients, and lack of engineering identity. Conclusions: Further analysis grounded in Bandura’s theory provided insights into how these individual themes functioned as opportunities for different sources of self-efficacy, advancing the literature by illuminating the mechanisms behind self-efficacy development and offering practical implications for evidence-based engineering design curricula.