Gender, Courses Taught and Qualification as

Determinants of Self Perceived Efficacy of Polytechnic

Lecturers in Ghana: A Case Study of Koforidua
Polytechnic

Godfred Kwame Abledu

School of Applied Science and Technology, Koforidua Polytechnic,
Ghana
E-mail: godfredabledu@yahoo.com

Paul Dela Ahiatrogah

Centre for Continuing Education: University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Dr. (Mrs.) Smile Dzisi

School of Business & Management Studies, Koforidua Polytechnic,
Ghana

Abstract

The study examines the role of gender, courses taught and qualification in
the self perceived efficacy that lecturers have about their job. The
theoretical framework for this study is Bandara’s self efficacy. The position
of the theory is that the self-efficacy beliefs people hold about their own
capacities directly affect how much effort they are prepared to put into
achieving or completing tasks. When teachers are highly efficacious, their
students are found to have a high level of academic achievement,
autonomy and motivation, and a firm belief in their own efficacy.
Teachers’s beliefs about their ability to affect the performance of students
are an important part of teacher professionalism.

At a time when access to knowledge and skills is enormously important,

when education and training must be all-inclusive and reflect the diversity
of modern economy and human-power needs, teachers who are highly
efficacious are needed. Therefore, any study on teachers’ perceived
efficacy is important. The study population was made up of lecturers of
Koforidua Polytechnic. The study revealed that more than 50% of the
respondents had very high self perceived efficacy. While statistically
significant difference was recorded among the self-perceived efficacy of
lecturers by courses, the reverse is the case between male and female
course tutors. The findings further indicated that gender and qualification
were predictors of self perceived efficacy of lecturers in the area of
provision of instructional materials. Similarly, courses taught and
qualification of respondents predict the self perceived efficacy in the areas
of enforcing discipline and ability to create conducive learning climate.
Finally, the study established that gender predicts mode of instruction
while the qualification of lecturers influenced their decision making.
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Key words: self efficacy, motivation, skills instruction, learning climate.