Chemistry Self-efficacy and Self-regulation as Predictors of Chemistry Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions in Secondary Schools in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is considered a potent remedy to the unemployment challenges of developing countries. The current study investigated students’ learning environment perception, self-efficacy and self-regulation as predictors of entrepreneurial intention among secondary school chemistry students in North-Central Nigeria. The correlational research involved a targeted population of 37,468 SSII chemistry students. A sample of 1,104 was drawn from the population using the multistage sampling technique. Three instruments were used to collect data, Secondary School Students’ Chemistry Self-efficacy Questionnaire (SSSCSEQ), Chemistry Students’ Self-Regulation Questionnaire (CSSRQ) and Chemistry Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (CSEIQ). The instruments were pilot tested and the scores were used to establish the reliability of the instruments. Cronbach’s alpha values 0.91, 0.847 and 0.88 obtained for the instruments SSSCSEQ, CSSRQ and CSEIQ respectively indicated that four instruments had good reliability. Data collected were analyzed using linear and multiple regression analyses to answer research questions 1-3 and test null hypotheses 1-3 at p<0.05. The results showed that self-efficacy significantly predicted intention and self-regulation also predicted students’ entrepreneurial intention. Multiple regression analysis also showed that learning environment perception, self-efficacy and self-regulation combined significantly predicted students’ entrepreneurial intention. The study conclusions led to the recommendations that students’ chemistry self-efficacy should be enhanced in classrooms, by outlining for students the potential of chemistry for innovation and economic growth, to nurture their entrepreneurial mindset, enhance the self-regulation ability of chemistry students to help develop their entrepreneurial interests for initiating and nursing their enterprise, embedding entrepreneurial education into chemistry curriculum, among others.