#69. Student Well-Being: Leveraging Mastery Experiences to Build Student Self-Efficacy

This is PART 1 in a series on student well-being. Throughout this series, I will explore what recent research has revealed about ways to create an environment in which all students can thrive.

One of the reasons that I really value writing this blog is because it forces me to examine the "why" behind what I do professionally.  As educators, we rarely have the time (or energy) to stop and think about why we do what we do. We are overwhelmed by the everyday demands of teaching; lesson planning, instruction, remediation, grading, etc to really take the time to dive into educational research. I have piles of books and articles and a queue of podcasts that got sidelined while life happened. For this series, I will be diving into my file of half-written articles and dust-covered books to learn more about  topics like mastery learning, youth mental health, culturally responsive education, culturally proficient SEL, the psychology of learning, equity, and universal design of learning.  Let's kick of this series with a look at the relationship between mastery learning and student self-efficacy.

Student Well-Being: Leveraging Mastery Experiences to Build Student Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is a person's belief that they are capable of successfully completing a task. Individuals with low self-efficacy are

• Less likely to attempt challenging tasks
• Less likely to persevere in the face of challenges
• Less likely to recover from set-backs or failures.

Research indicates that students with high self-efficacy tend to do better not only in school but they also tend to carry these skills with them in the future. In this post, I will take a deep dive into the research regarding self-efficacy, provide some practical suggestions for how to foster it in your own classroom, and provide a free-response practice question for your students to help them prepare for the AP Psychology exam.

Mastery Experiences
At its core, a mastery-based classroom places the emphasis on learning, not the grade. Angela Duckworth just published a fascinating article on mastery experiences. She said, in regards to building self-efficacy, that

The main idea is simple: if you attempt hard things, again and again, and eventually succeed, you come to believe in your capabilities. In contrast, if you fail repeatedly, you come to believe that you can’t succeed, even if you try. https://characterlab.org/tips-of-the-week/cultivating-confidence/

Self-efficacy is the belief each individual holds regarding their ability to succeed in a situation. Mastery-based experiences are a key determinant in developing this belief. In mastery-learning, students are expected to demonstrate competency in an area before moving on to the next skill. They learn that they can overcome obstacles and experience success through hard work and dedication which builds self-efficacy and a growth-mindset. In addition, these experiences can also avoid learned helplessness. If a student consistently fails to meet learning goals and the class just keeps moving forward then it is likely they will become discouraged and give up. We need to create an environment in which students feel comfortable and supported taking risks. Just because they didn't demonstrate mastery on the first attempt does not mean that they can't. It just means that they haven't accomplished their goal yet. This sounds great, right? We all want our students to experience success. But what does this look like in reality? 

Here are some ways that I try to build self-efficacy in my own classroom.

1. Mastery-Based Assessments: I use mastery-checks throughout my units to assess student learning. These are summative assessments that the students can take multiple times. I utilize the test-bank feature in Canvas so they get a different set of questions each time they take the assessment. Then, I use the same set of questions for their summative assessment at the end of the unit. In addition to building their confidence with the material, this encourages students to spread out their studying and leverages other empirically-supported strategies like retrieval practice, distributed practice, and the testing effect (more on this later). 

If you are struggling with finding the time to grade assessments, I suggest that you bring grading into the classroom. I love to include a side-by-side grading/feedback station into my station rotations. Not only will it save you time - it will ensure that your students understand the feedback that they receive. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing students toss a graded assignment without even looking at the feedback that was so painstakingly provided. If you would like more detail, check out my post "Moving Forward: Effective and Efficient Grading Practices." 

2. Retakes: My students still have a "high(er)-stake" assessment at the end of each unit. Last year I administered these online, but this year I used their test bank questions to create a pencil and paper test to assess their understanding of the material. However, this is not a one and done test. All of the students are given the opportunity to retake the assessment if they (1) complete test corrections, (2) reflect on their learning, and (3) establish a plan to accomplish their goal.

**Side note: Although I prefer pencil and paper tests, I have found that this process is much easier through Canvas because I can assign it digitally and vary the questions.

3. Late Work: This might be the most controversial statement that I have ever made on this blog. I accept all late work for full credit. My rationale for this is that I want them to learn the material - even if it is after the unit is over. I don't want to disincentivize this by deducting points or telling them they can't do it. There are a few caveats. I do have a cut-off date at the midpoint and end of the semester. They receive a zero as a placeholder while the work is missing. We also have a very honest discussion about how their formative work impacts their summative grades. I expect them to take the summative assessments, even if their formative work is not complete. Our district's shift to the Canvas LMS has made this MUCH more manageable for me because all of their assignments are submitted electronically. 

4. Differentiation: Mastery-based learning honors the fact that all of our students progress at different rates. If you are interested in moving past mastery-based assessments to mastery-based learning, the Modern Classrooms Project has a model you might be interested in! Learn more here.

Mastery-based learning can increase student motivation. The Self-Determination Theory of optimal motivation states that humans have three fundamental psychological needs; to feel autonomous, competent, and connected. Meeting your students where they are at and providing them with opportunities to be successful helps them develop a sense of autonomy and competence. This leads to an overall increase in their self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and subsequent achievement.

Another interesting aspect of the research into self-efficacy revolves around adaptability. If you are a research-junkie, check out this post.

Activities for the AP Psychology Classroom
One way to embed this material into your classroom is through free-response pratice questions. There are two types of free-response questions that students will see on their AP Psychology exam.

• Concept Application: For the concept application question, the students are presented with a scenario in which they will need to apply concepts to the scenario. This is the typical define and apply type question.
• Research Design: For the research design question, the students are asked to analyze data from some form of research and draw conclusions based on the study. 

As promised, here are two practice questions that you can use in class today!

---> AP Psychology Free-Response Practice Questions <----

This practice activity familiarizes the students with the format of the test and can increase their retention of material by leveraging the power of the testing effect. Research on the testing effect has demonstrated that taking a test on previously studied material leads to better retention than merely restudying that material for the same amount of time. Testing is not just an assessment strategy, it is a learning strategy!

Are you interested in learning more about the testing effect? Here are some great resources:

• What Is the Testing Effect, and How Does It Affect Learning, Knowledge, and Retention?
• To Really Learn, Quit Studying and Take a Test

High self-efficacy leads to improved outcomes. Students who have high self-efficacy enjoy challenges and tolerate failure. They set higher goals for themselves and expend more effort towards their achievement. They are more persistent, resilient, and adaptable. Self-efficacy is a life-long process and needs to be fostered in the classroom. Teaching this valuable skill will help our students overcome those "I can't" moments in life for the rest of their lives.

I would love to hear how you foster self-efficacy in your own classrooms. Please share in the comments. 

Be Well,

Cori

Last Post: #68: Part III: Finding Love in Work (Performance Reviews: Change 'em or Chuck 'em?)

Next Post: #70: Student Well-Being: Youth Mental First Aid 

Resources:

6 strategies for promoting student self-efficacy in your ... The Education Hub. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2022, from https://www.theeducationhub.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/6-strategies-for-promoting-student-self-efficacy.pdf Farah, K. (2021, April 23). 

How to set up mastery-based grading in your classroom. Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved March 26, 2022, from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/mastery-based-grading/#:~:text=At%20its%20core%2C%20mastery%2Dbased,moving%20on%20to%20the%20next