Perceived self-efficacy, or students' personal beliefs about their capabilities to learn or perform behaviors at designated levels, plays an important role in their motivation and learning. Self-efficacy is a key mechanism in social cognitive theory, which postulates that achievement depends on interactions between behaviors, personal factors, and environmental conditions. Self-efficacy affects choice of tasks, effort, persistence, and achievement. Sources of self-efficacy information include personal accomplishments, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and physiological indicators. At the outset of learning activities, students have goals and a sense of self-efficacy for attaining them. Self-evaluations of learning progress sustain self-efficacy and motivation. Research on academic learning is summarized, showing how modeling, goal setting, and self-evaluation affect self-efficacy, motivation, and learning. Suggestions for applying these ideas to teaching are provided.