Combination of interventions can change students’ epistemological beliefs

Robert Thompson,Xihui Wang,Calvin S. Kalman,Mandana Sobhanzadeh,Ahmed Ibrahim

doi:10.1103/physrevstper.11.020136

Abstract

This study was based on the hypothesis that students’ epistemological beliefs could become more expertlike with a combination of appropriate instructional activities: (i) preclass reading with metacognitive reflection, and (ii) in-class active learning that produces cognitive dissonance. This hypothesis was tested through a five-year study involving close to 1000 students at two institutions, in four physics courses. Using an experimental design, data from student interviews, writing product assessments, and the Discipline-Focused Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (DFEBQ) we demonstrate that the beliefs of novice science learners became more expertlike on 2 of the 4 DFEBQ factors. We conclude that a combination of an activity that gets students to examine textual material metacognitively (Reflective Writing) with one or more types of in-class active learning interventions can promote positive change in students’ epistemological beliefs.

Highlights

Data from student interviews, writing product assessments, and the Discipline-Focused Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (DFEBQ) we demonstrate that the beliefs of novice science learners became more expertlike on 2 of the 4 DFEBQ factors
The Montreal and BC study over a period of three years (Table I) investigated the hypothesis that 1st year students of physics would experience a more effective learning environment and achieve strong improvement in their learning style through the use of a metacognitive pedagogical exercise, Reflective writing (RW), in combination with interactive pedagogical exercises, C3G, and Argumentative essays (AE)
Our results based upon 426 students’ responses indicated that students who experienced the full suite of activities become more expertlike after the one-semester intervention, beginning to see physics knowledge as interconnected and evolving, which can be better learned by relating the material to their prior knowledge and their life experience

Summary

Introduction

Changes in items of information that produce or restore consistency are referred to as dissonance-reducing changes” [6] This is precisely the situation of the typical student in the gateway physics course in mechanics. At the same time they have strong beliefs that knowledge is conveyed by authorities (instructor and textbook) At Concordia University, a university with a substantial graduate school, classes were relatively large sections (over 100 students each) of a typical calculus-based course in mechanics. At Langara College, a community college, there were relatively small classes (32 students each) of a typical algebra-based introductory course in mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. All sections at one institution, experimental and control groups, were taught by the same instructor, who was not part of the research team that studied the students

Objectives

Results

Conclusion