Thevenin, M K; Elliott, J W and Bigelow, B F (2016) Mentors, role models, and observed differences in students' construction education self-efficacy and motivation. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 12(3), pp. 162-178. ISSN 1557-8771
Abstract
Perceived self-efficacy, motivation, and the presence of mentors and role models can influence occupational and academic behavior, pursuits and success. These constructs were adapted to the construction-education domain in a quantitative survey administered to 587 students enrolled in construction management courses at three universities. Mentors and role models were defined as individuals who influence a respondent's academic decisions; mentors give advice and support, whereas role models provide inspiration. Students with a person of influence (i.e., mentor or role model) reported higher self-efficacy (p < .001) and motivation (p < .001) toward successful performance in, and completion of, construction education. In total, 80.6% of construction management students reported having a person who influenced their academic decisions, and family members were reported most frequently as the person of greatest influence; a higher percentage of female students reported having a person of influence compared to male students. This article provides insight regarding the influence of others on students' self-efficacy and motivation towards academic performance within the construction-education domain. Study limitations and areas of further research are discussed.;Perceived self-efficacy, motivation, and the presence of mentors and role models can influence occupational and academic behavior, pursuits and success. These constructs were adapted to the construction-education domain in a quantitative survey administered to 587 students enrolled in construction management courses at three universities. Mentors and role models were defined as individuals who influence a respondent's academic decisions; mentors give advice and support, whereas role models provide inspiration. Students with a person of influence (i.e., mentor or role model) reported higher self-efficacy (p < .001) and motivation (p < .001) toward successful performance in, and completion of, construction education. In total, 80.6% of construction management students reported having a person who influenced their academic decisions, and family members were reported most frequently as the person of greatest influence; a higher percentage of female students reported having a person of influence compared to male students. This article provides insight regarding the influence of others on students' self-efficacy and motivation towards academic performance within the construction-education domain. Study limitations and areas of further research are discussed.;
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | academic decision-making; role models; self-efficacy; mentors; motivation; construction; students |
| Index terms: | academic performance, self-efficacy, construction education, role model, presence, academic decision-making, motivation, mentors, survey |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, practitioner, human factors and perception, educational management, assessment methods, sociology, psychology, professional education, environmental science |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Human Resources, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here