The Role of Social Cognitive Career Theory in Information Technology based Academic Performance

Positive academic efficacy beliefs elevate educational expectations that lead to academic success (Bandura, 1997; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of the variables: past performance, computer self-efficacy, outcome expectations, academic grade goal, and academic performance within social cognitive career theory’s model of performance (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). The study focused on the effects of social cognitive variables on academic performance in an information technology course. Participants were 193 undergraduate students (82 women and 111 men) who completed a background questionnaire, the Information Technology Proficiency Exam, the Computer Self-Efficacy scale, and the Technology Outcome Expectations scale. Based on path model results, the findings suggest that students’ academic performance is related to past performance. Consistent with theory, the findings suggest that academic performance is influenced by computer self-efficacy via the establishment of an academic grade goal. In the present study, the past performance variable failed to predict academic performance when impacted by outcome expectations.