Three-dimensional modeling self-efficacy: An examination of psychometric properties of a domain-specific instrument in engineering graphics education

Self-efficacy positively mediates performance, persistence, and academic outcomes, and its measures arc known to have strong levels of predictive validity in educational environments. Although investigations into self-efficacy are present in engineering education, there are few studies within the sub-discipline of engineering graphics. Self-efficacy researchers are consistent in the literature that measures of the construct must be domain-specific. To date, little examination into a self-efficacy instrument specific to engineering graphics exist. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Three-Dimensional Modeling Self-Efficacy instrument specifically developed for engineering graphics and presents the methods and findings of a psychometric investigation of that instrument using a population of 503 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory engineering graphics course. This investigation includes reliability metrics, correlational analysis. exploratory factor analysis. and regression analysis. The Three-Dimensional Modeling Self-Efficacy instrument examined in this study was found to have strong evidence of reliability and validity, and exploratory factor analysis revealed a single factor structure underlying the instrument. The Three-Dimensional Modeling Self-Efficacy instrument also appears to have evidence of predictive validity for student final course outcomes.