Abstract
The primary role of educators is to best serve and support students’ learning. To this end, the epistemological beliefs they hold are immensely influential, governing (both explicitly and implicitly) educators’ assumptions about how students learn, which determines the curriculum design and instructional methods utilized to support that learning. Over the years, two prominent and influential epistemological theories have developed – the cognitive perspective, which focuses on learners’ mental processes, and the sociocultural perspective, which focuses on learners’ participation in social practices within a particular context – with each providing their own unique contributions to the field of education. Using the example of the learning goal of students’ mastery of English for passing the TOEFL, the purpose of this paper is to explore how these two perspectives view knowing and learning, and the implications of this for motivating engagement and assessing learning. By drawing on and utilizing a synthesis of the cognitive and sociocultural perspectives, educators can align their learning outcomes with the most pedagogically-appropriate approach possible, to best support overall student learning and academic success.
Highlights
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that concerns itself with the origins and nature of knowledge (Merriam-Webster.com, 2021)
This is due to the fact that epistemological beliefs govern educators’ approach to nearly everything they do – from their view of what “knowing” and learning entail, to their curriculum design, instructional practices, and motivational strategies, to their expectations and assessment of student learning outcomes, and to even their beliefs in the role students should play in the learning process (Soleimani, 2020)
Effort, meaningful experience, and successful encoding, the learner will have created a highly-developed cognitive framework consisting of vast amounts of both English language and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test knowledge and experience that can be applied to the successful undertaking of the test
Summary
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that concerns itself with the origins and nature of knowledge (Merriam-Webster.com, 2021). With regard to student learning, the epistemological beliefs educators hold have been shown to be an important predictor of pedagogical outcomes (Schraw & Olafson, 2003). Different epistemological beliefs have resulted in the development of numerous educational theories, many of which hold divergent assumptions and predictions about student learning. Two prominent and influential theories stand out, each providing unique contributions to the field of education – the cognitive perspective, which focuses on learners’ mental processes, and the sociocultural perspective, which focuses on learners’ participation in social practices within a particular context (Danish & Gresalfi, 2018). Recognizing the differences between these perspectives and knowing which approach(es) to use, when, and for what purposes is pertinent for educators to best teach and serve their students
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