Melissa Duffy | University of South Carolina (original) (raw)

Papers by Melissa Duffy

Journal of Surgical Education, 2019

OBJECTIVE: Certain personality traits assessed during interviews have been shown to negatively pr... more OBJECTIVE: Certain personality traits assessed during interviews have been shown to negatively predict performance in residency. An informal needs assessment at our institution suggested that it would be particularly important to identify traits associated with maladaptive narcissism (i.e., entitlement, difficulty accepting criticism, and arrogance). The objective of this study was to evaluate an interview station designed to identify narcissistic personality traits among applicants to our general surgery residency program. DESIGN : An interview station was developed in which applicants were provided negative feedback as a simulated evaluation. Two interviewers (1 staff surgeon, 1 senior resident) interviewed 48 applicants at this station. The 48 participants were also asked to complete the Narcissism Personality Index (NPI-40), which assesses adaptive and maladaptive facets of narcissism. NPI-40 scores were compared to the interview station scoresheet, which included numerical rating scales and a subjective "red flag" system used to identify concerns related to professionalism or personality. RESULTS: Linear regression demonstrated a significant correlation between red flags on the negative feedback station and a high maladaptive proportion of narcissism on the NPI-40 (p = 0.02). The numerical interview score and the proportion of maladaptive narcissism score did not reach significance (p = 0.05). There was a high inter-rater reliability between interviewers' numerical scores (r = 0.89) and in determining red flags (s = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: We designed an interview station that successfully identified general surgery residency interviewees displaying high proportions of maladaptive narcissistic traits. Despite an objective scoring process, subjective opinion of interviewers was more valuable in identifying these applicants. Our findings suggest that the written comments of surgeons in interview stations designed to identify applicants with difficulty accepting negative feedback may provide valuable information that is not captured by the numerical scoring process. (J Surg Ed 000:1À12.

Frontiers in Psychology

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for learning across tasks, domains, and contexts. Despi... more Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for learning across tasks, domains, and contexts. Despite its importance, research shows that not all learners are equally skilled at accurately and dynamically monitoring and regulating their self-regulatory processes. Therefore, learning technologies, such as intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs), have been designed to measure and foster SRL. This paper presents an overview of over 10 years of research on SRL with MetaTutor, a hypermedia-based ITS designed to scaffold college students’ SRL while they learn about the human circulatory system. MetaTutor’s architecture and instructional features are designed based on models of SRL, empirical evidence on human and computerized tutoring principles of multimedia learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational systems for metacognition and SRL, and research on SRL from our team and that of other researchers. We present MetaTutor followed by a synthesis of key research findings on the effectiv...

Educational Technology Research and Development, 2016

Research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) on learning exists, but there is a paucit... more Research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) on learning exists, but there is a paucity of empirical work that explores the role that positive emotions play in supporting learning in such settings. To address this gap, this study compared undergraduate students' emotions and learning outcomes during a guided historical tour using mobile AR applications. Data was collected in a laboratory (Study 1; N = 13) and outdoors (Study 2; N = 18) from thirty-one undergraduate students at a large North American university. Our findings demonstrated that learners were able to effectively and enjoyably learn about historical differences between past and present historical locations by contextualizing their visual representations, and that the two mobile AR apps were effective both in and outside of the laboratory. Learners were virtually situated in the historical location in Study 1 and physically visited the location in Study 2. In comparing results

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, 2018

Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of s... more Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of similar-sounding study terminology and inconsistent use of study terms. This domain is in need of a study lexicon so that researchers can consistently use terms and definitions across and within studies to more clearly define their research. This review discusses frequently used study terms (e.g., strategies, tactics, behavior), discrepancies in their definitions, and their relations to theoretical frameworks. We propose a hierarchy of study terminology based on a review of the study terms used in prior research and discuss implications for future research. Des décennies de publications de recherche sur l’étude de l’enseignement supérieur ont donné lieu à une pléthore de terminologies d’étude similaires sur le plan phonétique et à l’utilisation irrégulière de termes d’étude. Ce secteur a grandement besoin d’un lexique de termes d’étude afin que les chercheurs puissent utiliser de manière uniforme des termes et définitions entre études et au sein d’une même étude pour mieux définir leur recherche. Cet examen se penche sur les termes d’étude fréquemment utilisés (par exemple, les stratégies, tactiques, comportements), les divergences au niveau de leurs définitions et leurs relations avec les cadres théoriques. Nous proposons une hiérarchie de terminologie d’étude basée sur un examen des termes d’étude utilisés dans des recherches antérieures et discutons des implications sur les recherches à venir.

International Education Research, 2016

We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by mea... more We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by measuring teachers' espoused beliefs about teaching statistics and observing their teaching practices. We then explored whether students' beliefs became more aligned with the epistemic climate of the classroom over time. Post-secondary students' beliefs were measured at the beginning and end of the semester. To measure the epistemic climate, teachers completed self-reports of their beliefs about teaching and learning, and participated in two semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the semester. Moreover, several classroom observations were conducted over the course of the semester. Analyses of the data revealed that for one group of students in one class, their beliefs were well aligned with the classroom climate and remained stable over time whereas for the other group of students, their beliefs shifted over time to align with the classroom climate.

Advances in Medical Education, 2016

Emotions serve an important role in learning and performance, yet their role in medical education... more Emotions serve an important role in learning and performance, yet their role in medical education has been largely overlooked. In this chapter, we examine how multiple research methodologies and measures can be used to detect and analyze emotions within authentic medical learning environments. Our goal is to highlight conceptual, methodological, and practical considerations that should be attended to by researchers, educators, and medical professionals interested in examining the role of emotions within medical education. Findings from our literature review and empirical work suggest that appraisal models that treat emotions as multi-componential (e.g., control-value theory) can provide a fruitful framework for examining links between emotions and learning. In terms of measuring emotions, self-report can be useful with respect to scalability and capturing subjective experience, whereas behavioral and physiological measures provide continuous data streams and are less susceptible to cognitive or memory biases. Other factors researchers and health sciences professionals should take into consideration when selecting a measure of emotion include: efficiency; level of granularity; and person-centered versus group-level analyses. Recent work suggests that multiple measures of emotions can be integrated into affect-aware learning technologies to aid instructional design by detecting, tracing, and modeling emotional processes during learning.

The Journal of Experimental Education, 2015

The purpose of this study was to empirically scrutinize Muis, Bendixen, and Haerle's (2006) Theor... more The purpose of this study was to empirically scrutinize Muis, Bendixen, and Haerle's (2006) Theory of Integrated Domains in Epistemology framework. Secondary, college, undergraduate, and graduate students completed self-reports designed to measure their domain-specific and domain-general epistemic beliefs for mathematics, psychology, and general knowledge, respectively. Following completion of the questionnaires, students participated in an interview that further probed their epistemic beliefs to better understand the nature of their beliefs. Results from our study suggest students' beliefs across domains are somewhat related but still unique to that particular domain. Moreover, analysis of the interviews revealed that students espouse general knowledge beliefs and domain-specific beliefs. Interestingly, students expressed absolutist beliefs about mathematics, but were multiplist in their stances toward psychology and general knowledge. When asked to provide examples that came to mind when reporting their beliefs, students frequently drew on their classroom experiences to explain why they held specific beliefs. We discuss theoretical implications.

Psychology of Music, 2014

Despite some evidence that performing musicians tend to have distinct personality characteristics... more Despite some evidence that performing musicians tend to have distinct personality characteristics, there is little understanding of how specific positions in bands might be correlated with certain traits. Moreover, there is the possibility that such correlations are exaggerated via stereotypic social perception. In an online sample of popular musicians (including 87 bassists, 48 drummers, 115 guitarists, and 30 vocalists), we evaluated (a) differences in self-reported personality characteristics along the Big Five dimensions; and (b) perceptions of each kind of musician in terms of social category membership (e.g., “What are guitar players like?”). Singers were significantly more extraverted than bassists, and more open to experience than drummers. Whereas there were few differences among other musicians in self-reported personality, the various categories evinced stereotypes that were moderated by participants’ own positions in the band. For example, bass players were generally see...

Learning and Instruction, 2015

Two studies were conducted to examine kindergarten students' perceptions of technology use in the... more Two studies were conducted to examine kindergarten students' perceptions of technology use in the classroom, and the effects of receiving immediate feedback versus no feedback while using this technology on their attitudes, emotions, engagement, and learning outcomes in the context of literacy skills development. To assess students' perceptions of technology use in the classroom, structured interviews were conducted. Students then used various tablet applications (apps) that provided or did not provide feedback across various literacy tasks. A repeated measures design was used for both studies. In Study 1, 31 students (16 girls) were interviewed and tested over two sessions in April (8th month of school). In Study 2, a new sample of 33 students (16 girls) was interviewed and tested in two sessions in October (2nd month) and again in two sessions in April. Analysis of interviews revealed that students enjoyed receiving positive feedback, but did not like the negative feedback they received when their answers were incorrect. Analyses of quantitative data revealed that, for Study 1, technology-mediated feedback resulted in lower levels of enjoyment but higher levels of achievement compared to when no feedback was provided. For Study 2, technology-mediated feedback resulted in more boredom and less engagement in October compared to when no feedback was given. By April, however, feedback resulted in less boredom and higher levels of achievement compared to no feedback. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.

Educational Researcher, 2020

Individuals generally revise their misconceptions when corrected with carefully designed educatio... more Individuals generally revise their misconceptions when corrected with carefully designed educational materials. However, early reports suggest that correcting COVID-19 misconceptions may be especially challenging, which may be due to conflicts with individuals’ moral values and emotions. This study explores the mechanisms and boundaries of correction effectiveness. Those highest in moral concerns for group cohesion or for individual freedoms were more likely to affectively or cognitively reject corrective information. Corrections of COVID-19 misconceptions should be carefully framed to connect with the morality of recipients and anticipate their emotional and cognitive reactions.

Computers in Human Behavior, 2015

In this study, we examined the influence of achievement goals and scaffolding on self-regulated l... more In this study, we examined the influence of achievement goals and scaffolding on self-regulated learning (SRL) and achievement within MetaTutor, a multi-agent intelligent tutoring system. Eighty-three (N=83) undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either a control or prompt and feedback condition and engaged in a one-hour learning session with MetaTutor to learn about the human circulatory system. Process and product data were collected from all participants prior to, during, and following the session. MANCOVA analyses revealed that students in the prompt and feedback condition deployed more SRL strategies and spent more time viewing relevant science material compared to students in the control condition. Results also revealed a significant interaction between achievement goals and condition on achievement outcomes, such that learners adopting a dominant performance-approach demonstrated higher achievement in the prompt and feedback condition. Findings are discussed in relation to the role of motivation in self-regulated learning within computer-based learning environments. Implications for the design of pedagogical agents are also discussed.

Canadian Psychology, 2018

Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of s... more Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of similar-sounding study terminology and inconsistent use of study terms. This domain is in need of a study lexicon so that researchers can consistently use terms and definitions across and within studies to more clearly define their research. This review discusses frequently used study terms (e.g., strategies, tactics, behavior), discrepancies in their definitions, and their relations to theoretical frameworks. We propose a hierarchy of study terminology based on a review of the study terms used in prior research and discuss implications for future research.

In this chapter we discuss beliefs about knowledge and learning within the context of pre-service... more In this chapter we discuss beliefs about knowledge and learning within the context of pre-service teacher education. We begin the chapter by discussing links between constructivist instruction, epistemic beliefs, and learning, as well as theoretical frameworks underlying belief change. We then examine whether constructivist beliefs can be fostered through constructivist pedagogy by presenting a study that compares the epistemic and learning beliefs of education majors (pre-service teachers) to non-education majors. The findings of this research are discussed, as well as the challenges of fostering constructivist beliefs, practical considerations for preservice teacher training, and theoretical implications for belief development and change.

International Education Research, 2016

We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by mea... more We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by measuring teachers’ espoused beliefs about teaching statistics and observing their teaching practices. We then explored whether students’ beliefs became more aligned with the epistemic climate of the classroom over time. Post-secondary students’ beliefs were measured at the beginning and end of the semester. To measure the epistemic climate, teachers completed self-reports of their beliefs about teaching and learning, and participated in two semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the semester. Moreover, several classroom observations were conducted over the course of the semester. Analyses of the data revealed that for one group of students in one class, their beliefs were well aligned with the classroom climate and remained stable over time whereas for the other group of students, their beliefs shifted over time to align with the classroom climate.

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2013

Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and ... more Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and depth of processing.

Journal of Surgical Education, 2019

OBJECTIVE: Certain personality traits assessed during interviews have been shown to negatively pr... more OBJECTIVE: Certain personality traits assessed during interviews have been shown to negatively predict performance in residency. An informal needs assessment at our institution suggested that it would be particularly important to identify traits associated with maladaptive narcissism (i.e., entitlement, difficulty accepting criticism, and arrogance). The objective of this study was to evaluate an interview station designed to identify narcissistic personality traits among applicants to our general surgery residency program. DESIGN : An interview station was developed in which applicants were provided negative feedback as a simulated evaluation. Two interviewers (1 staff surgeon, 1 senior resident) interviewed 48 applicants at this station. The 48 participants were also asked to complete the Narcissism Personality Index (NPI-40), which assesses adaptive and maladaptive facets of narcissism. NPI-40 scores were compared to the interview station scoresheet, which included numerical rating scales and a subjective "red flag" system used to identify concerns related to professionalism or personality. RESULTS: Linear regression demonstrated a significant correlation between red flags on the negative feedback station and a high maladaptive proportion of narcissism on the NPI-40 (p = 0.02). The numerical interview score and the proportion of maladaptive narcissism score did not reach significance (p = 0.05). There was a high inter-rater reliability between interviewers' numerical scores (r = 0.89) and in determining red flags (s = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: We designed an interview station that successfully identified general surgery residency interviewees displaying high proportions of maladaptive narcissistic traits. Despite an objective scoring process, subjective opinion of interviewers was more valuable in identifying these applicants. Our findings suggest that the written comments of surgeons in interview stations designed to identify applicants with difficulty accepting negative feedback may provide valuable information that is not captured by the numerical scoring process. (J Surg Ed 000:1À12.

Frontiers in Psychology

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for learning across tasks, domains, and contexts. Despi... more Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for learning across tasks, domains, and contexts. Despite its importance, research shows that not all learners are equally skilled at accurately and dynamically monitoring and regulating their self-regulatory processes. Therefore, learning technologies, such as intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs), have been designed to measure and foster SRL. This paper presents an overview of over 10 years of research on SRL with MetaTutor, a hypermedia-based ITS designed to scaffold college students’ SRL while they learn about the human circulatory system. MetaTutor’s architecture and instructional features are designed based on models of SRL, empirical evidence on human and computerized tutoring principles of multimedia learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational systems for metacognition and SRL, and research on SRL from our team and that of other researchers. We present MetaTutor followed by a synthesis of key research findings on the effectiv...

Educational Technology Research and Development, 2016

Research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) on learning exists, but there is a paucit... more Research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) on learning exists, but there is a paucity of empirical work that explores the role that positive emotions play in supporting learning in such settings. To address this gap, this study compared undergraduate students' emotions and learning outcomes during a guided historical tour using mobile AR applications. Data was collected in a laboratory (Study 1; N = 13) and outdoors (Study 2; N = 18) from thirty-one undergraduate students at a large North American university. Our findings demonstrated that learners were able to effectively and enjoyably learn about historical differences between past and present historical locations by contextualizing their visual representations, and that the two mobile AR apps were effective both in and outside of the laboratory. Learners were virtually situated in the historical location in Study 1 and physically visited the location in Study 2. In comparing results

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, 2018

Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of s... more Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of similar-sounding study terminology and inconsistent use of study terms. This domain is in need of a study lexicon so that researchers can consistently use terms and definitions across and within studies to more clearly define their research. This review discusses frequently used study terms (e.g., strategies, tactics, behavior), discrepancies in their definitions, and their relations to theoretical frameworks. We propose a hierarchy of study terminology based on a review of the study terms used in prior research and discuss implications for future research. Des décennies de publications de recherche sur l’étude de l’enseignement supérieur ont donné lieu à une pléthore de terminologies d’étude similaires sur le plan phonétique et à l’utilisation irrégulière de termes d’étude. Ce secteur a grandement besoin d’un lexique de termes d’étude afin que les chercheurs puissent utiliser de manière uniforme des termes et définitions entre études et au sein d’une même étude pour mieux définir leur recherche. Cet examen se penche sur les termes d’étude fréquemment utilisés (par exemple, les stratégies, tactiques, comportements), les divergences au niveau de leurs définitions et leurs relations avec les cadres théoriques. Nous proposons une hiérarchie de terminologie d’étude basée sur un examen des termes d’étude utilisés dans des recherches antérieures et discutons des implications sur les recherches à venir.

International Education Research, 2016

We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by mea... more We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by measuring teachers' espoused beliefs about teaching statistics and observing their teaching practices. We then explored whether students' beliefs became more aligned with the epistemic climate of the classroom over time. Post-secondary students' beliefs were measured at the beginning and end of the semester. To measure the epistemic climate, teachers completed self-reports of their beliefs about teaching and learning, and participated in two semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the semester. Moreover, several classroom observations were conducted over the course of the semester. Analyses of the data revealed that for one group of students in one class, their beliefs were well aligned with the classroom climate and remained stable over time whereas for the other group of students, their beliefs shifted over time to align with the classroom climate.

Advances in Medical Education, 2016

Emotions serve an important role in learning and performance, yet their role in medical education... more Emotions serve an important role in learning and performance, yet their role in medical education has been largely overlooked. In this chapter, we examine how multiple research methodologies and measures can be used to detect and analyze emotions within authentic medical learning environments. Our goal is to highlight conceptual, methodological, and practical considerations that should be attended to by researchers, educators, and medical professionals interested in examining the role of emotions within medical education. Findings from our literature review and empirical work suggest that appraisal models that treat emotions as multi-componential (e.g., control-value theory) can provide a fruitful framework for examining links between emotions and learning. In terms of measuring emotions, self-report can be useful with respect to scalability and capturing subjective experience, whereas behavioral and physiological measures provide continuous data streams and are less susceptible to cognitive or memory biases. Other factors researchers and health sciences professionals should take into consideration when selecting a measure of emotion include: efficiency; level of granularity; and person-centered versus group-level analyses. Recent work suggests that multiple measures of emotions can be integrated into affect-aware learning technologies to aid instructional design by detecting, tracing, and modeling emotional processes during learning.

The Journal of Experimental Education, 2015

The purpose of this study was to empirically scrutinize Muis, Bendixen, and Haerle's (2006) Theor... more The purpose of this study was to empirically scrutinize Muis, Bendixen, and Haerle's (2006) Theory of Integrated Domains in Epistemology framework. Secondary, college, undergraduate, and graduate students completed self-reports designed to measure their domain-specific and domain-general epistemic beliefs for mathematics, psychology, and general knowledge, respectively. Following completion of the questionnaires, students participated in an interview that further probed their epistemic beliefs to better understand the nature of their beliefs. Results from our study suggest students' beliefs across domains are somewhat related but still unique to that particular domain. Moreover, analysis of the interviews revealed that students espouse general knowledge beliefs and domain-specific beliefs. Interestingly, students expressed absolutist beliefs about mathematics, but were multiplist in their stances toward psychology and general knowledge. When asked to provide examples that came to mind when reporting their beliefs, students frequently drew on their classroom experiences to explain why they held specific beliefs. We discuss theoretical implications.

Psychology of Music, 2014

Despite some evidence that performing musicians tend to have distinct personality characteristics... more Despite some evidence that performing musicians tend to have distinct personality characteristics, there is little understanding of how specific positions in bands might be correlated with certain traits. Moreover, there is the possibility that such correlations are exaggerated via stereotypic social perception. In an online sample of popular musicians (including 87 bassists, 48 drummers, 115 guitarists, and 30 vocalists), we evaluated (a) differences in self-reported personality characteristics along the Big Five dimensions; and (b) perceptions of each kind of musician in terms of social category membership (e.g., “What are guitar players like?”). Singers were significantly more extraverted than bassists, and more open to experience than drummers. Whereas there were few differences among other musicians in self-reported personality, the various categories evinced stereotypes that were moderated by participants’ own positions in the band. For example, bass players were generally see...

Learning and Instruction, 2015

Two studies were conducted to examine kindergarten students' perceptions of technology use in the... more Two studies were conducted to examine kindergarten students' perceptions of technology use in the classroom, and the effects of receiving immediate feedback versus no feedback while using this technology on their attitudes, emotions, engagement, and learning outcomes in the context of literacy skills development. To assess students' perceptions of technology use in the classroom, structured interviews were conducted. Students then used various tablet applications (apps) that provided or did not provide feedback across various literacy tasks. A repeated measures design was used for both studies. In Study 1, 31 students (16 girls) were interviewed and tested over two sessions in April (8th month of school). In Study 2, a new sample of 33 students (16 girls) was interviewed and tested in two sessions in October (2nd month) and again in two sessions in April. Analysis of interviews revealed that students enjoyed receiving positive feedback, but did not like the negative feedback they received when their answers were incorrect. Analyses of quantitative data revealed that, for Study 1, technology-mediated feedback resulted in lower levels of enjoyment but higher levels of achievement compared to when no feedback was provided. For Study 2, technology-mediated feedback resulted in more boredom and less engagement in October compared to when no feedback was given. By April, however, feedback resulted in less boredom and higher levels of achievement compared to no feedback. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.

Educational Researcher, 2020

Individuals generally revise their misconceptions when corrected with carefully designed educatio... more Individuals generally revise their misconceptions when corrected with carefully designed educational materials. However, early reports suggest that correcting COVID-19 misconceptions may be especially challenging, which may be due to conflicts with individuals’ moral values and emotions. This study explores the mechanisms and boundaries of correction effectiveness. Those highest in moral concerns for group cohesion or for individual freedoms were more likely to affectively or cognitively reject corrective information. Corrections of COVID-19 misconceptions should be carefully framed to connect with the morality of recipients and anticipate their emotional and cognitive reactions.

Computers in Human Behavior, 2015

In this study, we examined the influence of achievement goals and scaffolding on self-regulated l... more In this study, we examined the influence of achievement goals and scaffolding on self-regulated learning (SRL) and achievement within MetaTutor, a multi-agent intelligent tutoring system. Eighty-three (N=83) undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either a control or prompt and feedback condition and engaged in a one-hour learning session with MetaTutor to learn about the human circulatory system. Process and product data were collected from all participants prior to, during, and following the session. MANCOVA analyses revealed that students in the prompt and feedback condition deployed more SRL strategies and spent more time viewing relevant science material compared to students in the control condition. Results also revealed a significant interaction between achievement goals and condition on achievement outcomes, such that learners adopting a dominant performance-approach demonstrated higher achievement in the prompt and feedback condition. Findings are discussed in relation to the role of motivation in self-regulated learning within computer-based learning environments. Implications for the design of pedagogical agents are also discussed.

Canadian Psychology, 2018

Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of s... more Decades of research publications on studying in higher education have resulted in a plethora of similar-sounding study terminology and inconsistent use of study terms. This domain is in need of a study lexicon so that researchers can consistently use terms and definitions across and within studies to more clearly define their research. This review discusses frequently used study terms (e.g., strategies, tactics, behavior), discrepancies in their definitions, and their relations to theoretical frameworks. We propose a hierarchy of study terminology based on a review of the study terms used in prior research and discuss implications for future research.

In this chapter we discuss beliefs about knowledge and learning within the context of pre-service... more In this chapter we discuss beliefs about knowledge and learning within the context of pre-service teacher education. We begin the chapter by discussing links between constructivist instruction, epistemic beliefs, and learning, as well as theoretical frameworks underlying belief change. We then examine whether constructivist beliefs can be fostered through constructivist pedagogy by presenting a study that compares the epistemic and learning beliefs of education majors (pre-service teachers) to non-education majors. The findings of this research are discussed, as well as the challenges of fostering constructivist beliefs, practical considerations for preservice teacher training, and theoretical implications for belief development and change.

International Education Research, 2016

We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by mea... more We examined the epistemic climate of statistics classrooms across two different classrooms by measuring teachers’ espoused beliefs about teaching statistics and observing their teaching practices. We then explored whether students’ beliefs became more aligned with the epistemic climate of the classroom over time. Post-secondary students’ beliefs were measured at the beginning and end of the semester. To measure the epistemic climate, teachers completed self-reports of their beliefs about teaching and learning, and participated in two semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the semester. Moreover, several classroom observations were conducted over the course of the semester. Analyses of the data revealed that for one group of students in one class, their beliefs were well aligned with the classroom climate and remained stable over time whereas for the other group of students, their beliefs shifted over time to align with the classroom climate.

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2013

Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and ... more Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and depth of processing.