Self-Efficacy Based Instruction: Exploring the Correlation between Writing Self-Efficacy and Critical Thinking

Abstract

Critical thinking serves as a pivotal gauge of learners’ scholastic and professional achievements. It is recognised as an integral component of higher education, as it meets one of the educational prerequisites of this era. Learners of higher education are expected to acquire critical thinking skills, entrepreneurial skills, application skills, communication skills, presentation skills, organisational skills, cognitive skills, technology skills and digital literacy. In order to meet the educational demands of the present era, higher-education learners need to possess the ability to think critically. The current study employs self-efficacy strategies through activities namely, generating ideas (ideation), expressing ideas (conventions), managing writing (self-regulation) to foster self-efficacy in writing skills and critical thinking skills among the undergraduate learners by emphasising the association between writing and thinking. L2 Writer Self-Efficacy Scale (L2WSS) questionnaire was administered to assess the existing level of writing self-efficacy among the learners. The hypothesis formulated for this study was assessed by conducting a pre- and post-test to the samples comprising eighty-two students. The evaluation was carried out using two distinct rubrics, namely, The Criteria for Evaluating CT in L2 Writing and Rubric for grading scholarly paper assignment. The results revealed that the learners’ Writing Self-Efficacy (WSE) and critical thinking skills were enhanced. It was observed from Pearson correlation coefficient that there was a positive relationship between WSE and critical thinking. In addition, a comprehensive qualitative analysis was conducted through interviews, which elucidated the L2 learners’ positive perceptions of WSE and critical thinking.