Self-efficacy, locus of control and admission of students to higher institutions of learning

Abstract

This study of self-efficacy, locus of control and admission of students to higher institutions of learning was carried out with the aim of establishing how self-efficacy and locus of control relate to admission of students to higher institutions of learning. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The data was collected using self-administered questionnaires from a total of 306 students randomly selected from Makerere and Kampala International universities in Kampala District. The data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and specifically bi-serial correlation test was used to establish the relationships between the study variables. Findings showed that; there was a significant positive relationship between self-efficacy and admission of students to higher institutions of learning; there was a significant negative relationship between internal locus of control and admission of students to higher institutions of learning; there was a significant negative correlation between external locus of control and admission of students to higher institutions of learning. Basing on the results it was recommended that; parents and teachers should strive to recognize the views and needs of students so as to raise their self-efficacy; students should be guided towards having a strong internal locus of control which helps them to attribute happenings to themselves; teachers in charge of career guidance and counseling should organize regular career sessions and invite influential public figures to talk to students such that they can be helped to improve on their self-efficacy.