LEVELS OF SELF EFFICACY BELIEFS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA
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Abstract
Self-efficacy is at the core of human functioning. It affects an individual’s choice of activities, effort, and persistence in life. In Kenya, the goal of career guidance is to foster self efficacy in career decision making. Against this backdrop, many secondary school students experience career indecision in subject and course selection. Anchored on the choice model of the SCCT, the study adopted the ex post facto and phenomenology designs to examine the levels of self efficacy beliefs among secondary school students of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Quantitative analysis were conducted on data obtained from 15 secondary schools in a survey of 658 students (N = 14,250) selected through optimum allocation technique of stratified sampling. Qualitative analysis was done on data obtained from 15 career guidance and counselling teachers selected purposively through automatic inclusion. The aggregate mean and standard deviation of each sub variable of career specific self-efficacy beliefs showed that students demonstrated moderately high efficacy levels in problem solving (Mean=3.41,SD=.72) gathering occupational information (Mean =3.33,SD=.77), accurate self-appraisal (Mean =2.98, SD =.66) and planning for the future (Mean=2.99, SD=.79). Students however, registered low levels of efficacy in goal selection (Mean=2.07, SD=.90). These findings provide insights on the level of career specific self efficacy beliefs among secondary school students. For researchers, the mixed method approach provides an SCCT driven assessment tool for evaluating attainment of career decision making competencies. The study recommends adoption of career interventions geared towards sources of self efficacy in secondary schools.
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