Epistemological Beliefs of Preservice Teachers

Aşkın Baydar

doi:10.5539/hes.v10n3p44

Abstract

This study examined the epistemological beliefs of preservice teachers, from na&iuml;ve to sophisticated, from five different departments of the faculty of education in a Turkish university. By using the adapted form of the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire, social studies, science, Turkish, mathematics, and classroom preservice teachers were surveyed and their epistemological belief levels were determined in terms of department and gender variables. Epistemological beliefs were examined in three dimensions: beliefs that pertain to learning depending on effort, beliefs that pertain to learning depending on ability, and beliefs that pertain to there being only one unchanging truth. The analysis indicated that generally all in departments, preservice teachers have sophisticated beliefs regarding the first two dimensions of the questionnaire. For the third dimension, they seem be at medium level. The results show that for the second dimension females have more sophisticated beliefs than males. For the other two dimensions there was no significant difference between females and males. A significant difference was found only for the first dimension and only between mathematics and classroom preservice teachers.

Highlights

An increasing amount of research about epistemological beliefs have examined “how individuals come to know, the theories and beliefs they hold about knowing, and the manner in which such epistemological premises are a part of the cognitive processes of thinking and reasoning” (Hofer, 2000, p.378)
Epistemological beliefs were examined in three dimensions: beliefs that pertain to learning depending on effort, beliefs that pertain to learning depending on ability, and beliefs that pertain to there being only one unchanging truth
The first factor “beliefs that pertain to learning depending on effort (BLDE)” consists of 18 items, the second factor “beliefs that pertain to learning depending on ability (BLDA)” consists of 9 items, and the third factor “beliefs that pertain to there being only one unchanging truth (BOUT)” consists of 7 items

Summary

Introduction

An increasing amount of research about epistemological beliefs have examined “how individuals come to know, the theories and beliefs they hold about knowing, and the manner in which such epistemological premises are a part of the cognitive processes of thinking and reasoning” (Hofer, 2000, p.378). The research on personal epistemology “includes beliefs about the definition of knowledge, how knowledge is constructed, how knowledge is evaluated, where knowledge resides, and how knowing occurs” (Hofer, 2001, p.355). Perry classified epistemological beliefs in four categories. According to this classification, individuals approach knowledge with a dualistic perspective. Ideas are true or false, received from authority. This view generally changes when individuals realize different point of views and the possibility of uncertainty. One view can be better than another; knowledge can be ideas that come from authority, non-authority, absolute or nonabsolute resources. “Perry proposed that epistemological belief change is possible but synchronous; one cannot reach a higher stage by skipping any stages in between” “Perry proposed that epistemological belief change is possible but synchronous; one cannot reach a higher stage by skipping any stages in between” (Tanasse & Wang, 2010, p. 1239)

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Conclusion