Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire Research Articles

Epistemological Beliefs of Preservice Teachers

This study examined the epistemological beliefs of preservice teachers, from naïve 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.

Dimensionality and Predictive Validity of Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire among Philippine Pre-service Teachers

Dimensionality and Predictive Validity of Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire among Philippine Pre-service Teachers

EFL Teachers’ Moral Dilemma and Epistemic Beliefs

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between English teachers’ epistemological beliefs and moral dilemma. In doing so, 70 English teachers were selected from different language institutes and were included in the research sample. The instruments used to collect the data included the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ) and the Defining Issues Test (DIT). The collected data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation method and descriptive statistics in SPSS software. The findings revealed that the participants believed that knowledge improves with experience over time, and that there was also an innate ability to acquire knowledge. They also displayed conflicting views about the simplicity/complexity of knowledge. The analysis of different stages of moral development in the views of the English teachers showed an ascending trend in the moral development from stage 2 (the focus on personal interests) through stage 6 (appeal to intuitive moral principles/ideals). Besides, significant differences were found among different stages of moral development as assessed by the EFL teachers and also in terms of the impact of different moral reasoning schemas on the participants when making judgments about different moral dilemmas.

Creencias epistemológicas de estudiantes de pedagogía: validación del cuestionario y análisis de diferencias

This study describes epistemological beliefs from students in the Degree of Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona (Spain), and analyzes differences inthese beliefs according to their year of study, gender, and age. To do so, the psychometric properties (construct validity and internal consistency) of SchommerEpistemological Questionnaire (1990) were estimated. 229 students participated.Results show that the reliability of the instrument is moderate (a = .653), and the factorial structure revealed validates the epistemological model proposed by Schommer. Furthermore, the results indicate that final year student beliefs aremore sophisticated than first year student beliefs in respect to learning ability andto the structure and certainty of knowledge. Differences were also found owningto the student’s gender, but not to age.

Student's Epistemological Beliefs and the Perception about University Professor. A Study with Science Students

In this work we analyse the university professors ratings and their epistemological beliefs. We sampled 133 students from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain) who are studying Health Sciences. For the study we used the following questionnaires: Characteristics of University Teaching Quality from the students point of view (De- Juanas) and Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (Schommer). The results show that gender has no influence on the perception of students about teachers or epistemological beliefs. We found relationships between students’ beliefs about knowledge and its valoration on a number of teaching work dimensions

Associations Between Epistemological Beliefs and Moral Reasoning: Evidence from Accounting

We investigated associations between moral reasoning and epistemological beliefs in an accounting context using the sample of 140 senior accounting students from a public university in Midwestern U.S. We found no significant correlations between accounting students’ principled reasoning about Thorne’s ethical dilemmas and their beliefs about knowledge measured by administering Schommer epistemological questionnaire. We conducted post-hoc power analysis and present the evidence that the lack of associations should not be attributed to the lack of power. Overall, our results suggest that reflective thinking and moral reasoning represent separate dimensions of cognitive process which develop at a different pace. Thus, a stand-alone course of ethics in accounting education is warranted since higher moral reasoning does not automatically follow from extended technical education and improved critical thinking skills.

Predicting change in epistemological beliefs, reflective thinking and learning styles: A longitudinal study

Although extensive research has examined epistemological beliefs, reflective thinking and learning approaches, very few studies have looked at these three theoretical frameworks in their totality. This research tested two separate structural models of epistemological beliefs, learning approaches, reflective thinking and academic performance among tertiary students over a period of 12 months. Participants were first-year Arts (N=616; 271 females, 345 males) and second-year Mathematics (N=581; 241 females, 341 males) university students. Students' epistemological beliefs were measured with the Schommer epistemological questionnaire (EQ, Schommer, 1990). Reflective thinking was measured with the reflective thinking questionnaire (RTQ, Kember et al., 2000). Student learning approaches were measured with the revised study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F, Biggs, Kember, & Leung, 2001). LISREL 8 was used to test two structural equation models - the cross-lag model and the causal-mediating model. In the cross-lag model involving Arts students, structural equation modelling showed that epistemological beliefs influenced student learning approaches rather than the contrary. In the causal-mediating model involving Mathematics students, the results indicate that both epistemological beliefs and learning approaches predicted reflective thinking and academic performance. Furthermore, learning approaches mediated the effect of epistemological beliefs on reflective thinking and academic performance. Results of this study are significant as they integrated the three theoretical frameworks within the one study.

Relationships among Preservice Science Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs, Epistemological World Views, and Self‐efficacy Beliefs

This study discusses preservice elementary science teachers’ (PSTs) epistemological beliefs and the relationships among their epistemological beliefs, epistemological world views, and self‐efficacy beliefs. Four hundred and twenty‐nine PSTs who were enrolled in five large universities completed the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ), the Epistemological World Views Scale, andthe Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument. Factor analysis results revealed four factors for the SEQ. These factors were Innate Ability, Simple Knowledge, Certain Knowledge, and Omniscient authority. Multiple regression analysis suggests that for “Innate Ability” factor scores, three of the predictor variables—self‐efficacy, outcome expectancy, and world view—contributed significantly to the model. For “Simple Knowledge,” only one predictor variable—epistemological world view—contributed significantly to the model. For “Certain Knowledge” factor scores, only one predictor variable—outcome expectancy—contributed significantly to the model. None of the predictor variables significantly contributed to the “Omniscient Authority” factor scores. Results revealed that in Turkish culture, PSTs’ epistemological beliefs support the multidimensional theory. In addition, while PSTs developed more sophisticated beliefs in some of the SEQ dimensions, they had less sophisticated beliefs in other dimensions. Also PSTs indicated that, when they want to teach science with student‐centered methods, they believed that they would be successful only if their students memorize the scientific concepts and facts.

The relationship between epistemological beliefs, implicit theories of intelligence, and self‐regulated learning among Norwegian postsecondary students

More empirical work is needed to examine the dimensionality of personal epistemology and relations between those dimensions and motivational and strategic components of self-regulated learning. In particular, there is great need to investigate personal epistemology and its relation to self-regulated learning across cultures and academic contexts. Because the demarcation between personal epistemology and implicit theories of intelligence has been questioned, dimensions of personal epistemology should also be studied in relation to implicit theories of intelligence. The primary aim was to examine the dimensionality of personal epistemology and the relation between those dimensions and implicit theories of intelligence in the cultural context of Norwegian postsecondary education. A secondary aim was to examine the relative contribution of epistemological beliefs and theories of intelligence to motivational and strategic components of self-regulated learning in different academic contexts within that culture. The first sample included 178 business administration students in a traditional transmission-oriented instructional context; the second, 108 student teachers in an innovative pedagogical context. The dimensionality of the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire was examined through factor analyses, and the resulting dimensions were examined in relation to implicit theories of intelligence. We performed multiple regression analyses, separately for the two academic contexts, to try to predict motivational (i.e. self-efficacy beliefs, mastery goal orientation, and interest) and strategic (i.e. self-regulatory strategy use) components of self-regulated learning with epistemological beliefs and implicit theories of intelligence. Considerable cross-cultural generalizability was found for the dimensionality of personal epistemology. Moreover, the dimensions of personal epistemology seemed to represent constructs separate from the construct of implicit theories of intelligence. Differences in the predictability of the epistemological dimensions were found for the two samples. For the student teachers, belief about knowledge construction and modification was a better predictor of self-regulated learning. For the business administration students, belief about the certainty of knowledge played a more important role in self-regulated learning. Epistemological beliefs predict self-regulated learning among Norwegian postsecondary students and play more important roles than implicit theories of intelligence. Relations between epistemological beliefs and self-regulated learning may vary with academic context.

Are students' beliefs about knowledge and learning associated with their reported use of learning strategies?

Although considerable research has examined beliefs and learning outcomes (e.g. Schommer, 1990, 1993a, 1993b; Schommer & Dunnell, 1997), little has looked at the relationship between beliefs and the actual learning process. This research examines the relationship between beliefs about learning and knowledge, and reports of learning strategy-use relevant for successful text comprehension. Participants were 81 Norwegian university students who had studied from 1 to 4 years in a range of disciplines. Students' beliefs about knowledge and learning were measured with the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ; Schommer, 1998b). Learning strategies particularly useful for text-based learning were measured with the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991). A correlational analysis between measures and full regression analyses of how beliefs influence strategy selection were performed. Beliefs about how thoroughly knowledge is integrated in networks (simple) and how fixed the ability to learn is from birth (fixed) contributed significantly to reported strategy use: Simple to rehearsal and organizational strategies, fixed to elaboration and critical thinking strategies, and a combination of simple and fixed to strategies relevant to the thoughtful monitoring of learning tasks. Beliefs about how certain knowledge is (certain) and how quickly learning can be expected to occur (quick) were not found to contribute to reported learning- strategy use in any significant way. Some, but not all, beliefs about knowledge and learning offer insight into students' reported use of learning strategies relevant for reading course literature.

Beliefs about Schooled Knowledge: Domain Specific or Domain General?

This study explored the domain specificity of students' beliefs about academic knowledge in three related studies. Using a four-factor model as an initial framework, a series of domain-specific items about mathematics and history was developed. In Study I, these items were administered to 182 undergraduates, and the psychometric properties and underlying factor structure were examined via exploratory factor analysis. In Study II, the modified instrument, the Domain-Specific Beliefs Questionnaire (DSBQ), was administered to 633 students and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. A subsample of participants' responses on the DSBQ was also compared to responses on Schommer's epistemological questionnaire. Study III involved a second confirmatory factor analysis using data from a new sample (n = 523). Those data were examined for potential gender differences. Overall, the results of this investigation suggested that students possess certain domain-specific beliefs about knowledge in mathematics and history. Further, a significant moderate relationship between the DSBQ and Schommer's questionnaire provided some evidence of domain-generality in undergraduates' epistemological beliefs.

Epistemological Beliefs and Thinking About Everyday Controversial Issues

The authors investigated the relationship between individuals' beliefs about the nature of knowledge and the nature of learning (epistemological beliefs) and their thinking about everyday controversial issues. Adults (N = 174) ranging in age from 17 to 71 years old with a mean age of 38 completed the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (M. Schommer, 1990), which assessed their beliefs in the certainty and organization of knowledge and the speed and control of learning. After they had completed the questionnaire, they responded to a series of questions about two controversial issues that had been discussed in the local newspaper. Regression analyses indicated that the more the participants believed in complex and tentative knowledge, the more likely they were to take on multiple perspectives, be willing to modify their thinking, withhold ultimate decisions until all information was available, and acknowledge the complex, tentative nature of everyday issues. Epistemological beliefs that are heavily influenced by a higher level of education appear to relate to thinking beyond the classroom, and introducing controversial issues into the curriculum may reciprocally foster the development of epistemological beliefs.