The Effect of Teaching Biology Based on the Constructivist Approach on Students' Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement Motivation

Low self-efficacy and not having enough academic achievement motivation could be one of the factors of stress in the students. For this reason the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of constructivism training method on self-efficacy and academic achievement motivation of students in biology course. Research design was semi experimental study with pre and post-test with control group. The statistical population consisted of all male second grade high school students in Salmas (N=432) in the academic year 2017-18. To achieve our aim, from 10 high schools in Salmas, first one high school was selected at random. Then, two classes from this school with 26 students were selected and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Before traning both groups responded to Shere's self-efficacy tests and Hermans' academic achievement motivation. Then students in experimental group, taught biology in constructivism training method and the control group, taught by lecture method for 90 minute in each sessions. Then, Sherer Self-efficacy and Hermans Achievement Motivation tests was administrated to the groups after training. Fainally, Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations and co-variance analyses. Results showed that teaching by constructivist method significantly increased the self-efficacy and academic achievement motivation in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that teaching by constructivist method increases students’self-efficacy and academic achievement motivation. Based on the results of this study, biology teachers are advised to use the constructivist method in the biology teaching process.