Calibrated Self-Efficacy: Predict Your Made Shots

Before each set of shots from five spots around the basket, each student predicts how many they'll make and then checks. Students work with Bandura's sources of self-efficacy and analyze whether they overestimate or underestimate themselves.

How to play

1. Mark five spots with cones around each basket and explain the four sources of self-efficacy: past performance, modeling, verbal persuasion and physical and emotional state (4 min).
2. Set 1: each student predicts their makes on five shots per spot, shoots and records the difference between prediction and result (7 min).
3. Partner intervention: the partner demonstrates a shot (modeling) and gives specific encouragement based on what they saw (persuasion) (4 min).
4. Set 2 with a new prediction and check (6 min).
5. Analysis on the worksheet: who overestimated or underestimated and which source gave them the most confidence (4 min).

Rules

• Take turns shooting, and collect rebounds once the shooter finishes the set.
• Partner messages must be based on something observed, not empty praise.
• Nobody compares their makes with anyone else's out loud.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: shoot from the wheelchair from closer spots with a size 5 ball.
• Visual impairment: a classmate taps the post for orientation, and a high-contrast ball is used.
• Low self-esteem: the partner always starts with something achieved before giving a correction.

Learning goals

• Judge one's own competence in a skill accurately.
• Identify the sources of self-efficacy in practice.
• Adjust expectations based on personal data.

Equipment for a class of 25

• basketballs: 12
• cones: 30
• worksheets: 30

Teacher tip

With six baskets, five students per basket can take turns without long waits. The gap between prediction and result is more interesting than the number of makes.

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