Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Approaches to Learning in First-Year Engineering Mathematics

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between self-efficacy and learning approaches among first-year engineering students in two Finnish research-intensive universities. It investigates how mathematics self-efficacy and approaches to learning (deep, surface, and organised) differ between students in international programs and Finnish programs, as well as between women and men. It also examines how approaches to learning affect students' self-efficacy, considering gender and program differences. The research was conducted in the context of a first-year engineering mathematics courses, with a total of 901 participants. The findings suggest that demographic differences in self-efficacy exist, but these differences are mediated by the approaches to learning. The study highlights the importance of teaching practices that support deep and organised approaches to learning to enhance students' self-efficacy and achievement in mathematics.