Student motivation and engagement have been the focus of extensive research for
many years (e.g., Anderman & Maehr, 1994). Studies show that there is a clear connection
between motivation and engagement, self-belief and academic performance (Bong, Cho,
Ahn, & Kim, 2012). It is also evident that self-belief is a strong determinant of academic
achievement and a predictor of success, highlighting its fundamental role in the learning
process (Wesson & Derrer-Rendall, 2011). Thus, it is essential that educators possess a
sound understanding of how the development of students’ self-belief is affected by
educational contexts and experiences.
This paper reports on a study examining Year 7 students’ perceptions of their
mathematical ‘confidence’ (referred to as ‘self-belief’ in this paper) and the educational
experiences and contexts they believe influence its development. The study utilises
selected data from a larger project, which explored middle year (Years 5-7) students’
motivation and engagement in mathematics, to provide a foundation for understanding
participants’ mathematical self-belief in more detail.