Mediated-efficacy: Hope for “helpless” writers

Authors

Eileen K. Camfield, University of the PacificFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Developmental Education

ISSN

0894-3907

Volume

39

Issue

3

First Page

2

Last Page

11

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Abstract

Building on previous studies of college students' writing self-efficacy beliefs, this article presents the empirical foundation for a reconceptualized understanding of this identity process. The study assessed 131 college freshmen enrolled in a developmental writing course who were evaluated holistically using grounded theory methodology. The study identified (a) major theoretical categories revealing the nature of students' initial pessimism about themselves as writers and sense of learned helplessness and (b) a subsequent shift toward optimism and self-efficacy triggered by a particular learning relationship formed with their instructors, the core of the posited mediated-efficacy theory. Implications for college-level developmental writing pedagogy are explored.

Comments

This is a post-print version of the article, after peer review but prior to formatting for publication. It is uploaded here on permission from the Editor.

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Creative Commons License

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Recommended Citation

Camfield, Eileen K., "Mediated-efficacy: Hope for “helpless” writers" (2016). University Writing Programs Staff Articles and Papers. 2.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uwp-articles/2