Changes in Children's Agency Beliefs and Control Expectancy in Classes with and without a Special Emphasis in Finland from Grade Four to Grade Six

Abstract

This study examined changes in pupils’ agency beliefs and control expectancy from grade four to grade six, and whether they were associated with studying in a class with a special emphasis on a subject as compared to studying in a class without emphasis. After controlling for the effects of mother’s education, prior school achievement, and gender, we found that the average pattern of change varied for different action-control beliefs, and that class membership did not moderate these changes. Mother’s education, pupils’ prior school achievement, and gender all predicted class membership, but their effects on action-control beliefs varied depending on the type of belief. Implications for educational policy will be discussed.