Abstract
Epistemic beliefs are individual beliefs about knowledge and knowledge acquisition. Studies have proved that epistemic beliefs influence learning processes and outcomes. These studies, however, concentrate on academic and general educational contexts. They exclude vocational settings and, hence, focus on domains which are not compatible with the dual system in Germany. They do not investigate the influence of epistemic beliefs on professional competences. Thus, the relevance of epistemic beliefs for learners in vocational education and training in Germany remains unclear. Based on the requirements of a knowledge society, the demands of professional competence, and the findings of empirical studies, this paper argues that epistemic beliefs are relevant for learners in vocational education and training. It presents a model for describing epistemic beliefs, and challenges the assumption of a general usefulness of sophisticated beliefs. It is argued that the utility of a specific perspective on knowledge and knowledge acquisition should be evaluated along the demands of a certain situation of action. This argument is illustrated by the results of a textbook analysis.
Published Version
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