Impact of using interactive materials on student beliefs and self-efficacy in a materials science classroom

This study investigated the impact of interactive course materials on engineering students’ confidence and self-efficacy in problem-solving within a retention-critical materials science course. The research assessed students’ attitudes, beliefs, and academic performance for 218 sophomore-level engineering students across four academic terms at a rural university, employing a 13-question Likert scale instrument administered at six checkpoints throughout each term. The research hypothesised that engagement with interactive content would positively influence problem-solving self-efficacy, enhance confidence levels, and improve academic achievement. Overall, findings revealed that students’ problem-solving self-efficacy did not conclusively increase or decrease when utilising the interactive web-native textbook. These results provide empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of interactive digital learning resources that does not conclusively increase or decrease student learning experiences, academic performance, and self-efficacy development in engineering education, with important implications for inclusive pedagogical practice.