Examining the epistemological beliefs and problem solving skills of preservice teachers during teaching practice

Abstract

This study aims to examine the development of preservice teachers' epistemological beliefs and problem solving skills in the process of teaching practice. Participants of this descriptive study were senior students from Gazi University's Faculty of Vocational Education (n=189). They completed the Epistemological Belief Scale and Problem Solving Inventory before and after the teaching practice. The results revealed that preservice teachers' most sophisticated epistemological belief was ‘Belief that learning depends on effort’. The problem solving approach in which teachers were most competent was the ‘evaluative’, ‘planned’, and ‘reserved’ approach. Epistemological beliefs were found to become more sophisticated with the help of teaching practice; the belief that learning depends on ability particularly became more sophisticated. Preservice teachers whose epistemological beliefs were less sophisticated were affected pdositively by the teaching practice. Further, the preservice teachers who believed that learning depended on effort were found to be thoughtful, selfconfident, planning, and evaluative.