A Study on Preservice Teachers' Learning and Their Beliefs about Learning in an Introductory Educational Psychology Course

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how preservice teachers' learning about learning theories influences their beliefs about learning within the context of an introductory educational psychology course. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate preservice teachers' learning experiences and beliefs about learning. As the findings indicate, preservice teachers had stronger beliefs in constructivism, less strong beliefs in cognitive theory, and the least strong beliefs in behaviorism from the beginning to the end of the semester. In other words, their existing beliefs were more oriented toward a learner-centered versus a teacher-centered perspective. Change in preservice teachers' beliefs about learning requires a catalyst, and this catalyst was not provided by the instructor. These existing beliefs were being reinforced throughout the course because the instructor did not provide any critical examination or questioning of constructivist theory nor provide other obvious benefits to other theories. In the end, this research offers two implications for (a) teaching an effective educational psychology course and (b) learning from this course and research.