Epistemological Beliefs of Undergraduate Students as Function of Gender and Academic Level (original) (raw)
Related papers
Online Submission, 2013
This is an investigation of the students' beliefs about the nature of knowledge or epistemological beliefs, and the relation of these beliefs on their learning approaches. Students chosen as samples of the study were from both public and private higher institutions of learning in Malaysia. The instrument used in the study consists of 49 items measuring students' epistemological beliefs and 20 items on their learning approaches. Items on epistemological belief were adapted and modified from Schommer's Epistemological Questionnaire (1990) and Schraw, Bendixen and Dunkle (2000) Epistemic Beliefs Inventory that assesses students' beliefs about simple knowledge, certain knowledge, quick learning, and fixed ability to learn. Items on learning approaches were adapted from Bigg's forty-two-item Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ), designed for tertiary-level students. The instrument was administered to 1405 students of higher institutions of learning both public and private. Differences in epistemological beliefs among students of these higher institutions, ethnic and between genders were examined.
The aim of this study is to investigate the epistemological beliefs of university students according to their genders, classes, fields of Study, academic success and learning styles. This study was carried out with 246 females and 242 males, in total 488 university students. The data was collected through Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ), Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) and Personal Information Form. According to the findings, the epistemological beliefs do not differ depending on the gender of the students. According to the grade levels, it was found out that two beliefs, one of which is that “Learning depends on the effort” and the other one is that “There is one unchanging truth”, differ. However; the belief concerning that “learning depends on ability” does not differ. It was seen that the common interaction between the gender and the grade level did not differ significantly in the sub-dimensions of the beliefs concerning that “learning depends on effort” and of the beliefs concerning that “learning depends on ability; whereas it differs meaningfully in the sub-dimension of the beliefs that “There is one unchanging truth”. Results showed that the males in the second grade believed that there is more than one unchanging truth. It was realized that the epistemological beliefs of the students differ according to their fields of study; however, they do not differ according to the common effect of the academic success and the field of Study. It was understood that the students from the field of social sciences in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that “learning depends on effort”; the students from the field of health in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that “learning depends on ability”; the students from the field of science-techniques were more developed/mature in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that “There is one unchanging truth”. It was determined that a great majority of university students have “Assimilating” and “Converging” learning styles. It was seen that there is not a meaningful difference in the sub-dimension of the beliefs concerning that “learning depends on effort” in terms of different learning styles. On the other hand, it was realized that there is a meaningful difference in the sub-dimensions of the beliefs concerning that “learning depends on ability” and of the beliefs that “There is one unchanging truth” in favour of the students who have “Diverging” learning styles. It was suggested for the further studies to investigate the epistemological beliefs of the university instructors and the personal characteristics (locus of control, learned helplessness) of the students.
Ways of Knowing and Epistemological Beliefs: Combined effect on academic performance
Educational Psychology, 2006
To obtain a more complete understanding of personal epistemology this study examines two epistemic paradigms-ways of knowing (specifically connected knowing and separate knowing) and epistemological beliefs (specifically beliefs about knowledge structure, knowledge stability, learning speed, and learning ability). Participants were 107 college students who completed questionnaires that assessed ways of knowing and epistemological beliefs. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that men score significantly higher on separate knowing. Path analyses revealed that the effects of ways of knowing on academic performance are mediated by belief in the speed of learning.
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012
The purpose of this study was to determine undergraduates' epistemological beliefs in terms of gender, domain and grade differences. The participants of the study were composed of 750 undergraduates studying in different departments. To determine the epistemological beliefs of the participants of the study, data were collected using "Epistemological Beliefs Scale", originally developed by Schommer (1990) and Turkish bilingual equivalence, validity and reliability of which carried out by Deryakulu and Büyüköztürk, (2002), was used. Analyses of t-test were conducted to determine the epistemological beliefs of undergraduates in terms of their gender, domains and grades. The results reveal that significant differences were found in undergraduates' epistemological beliefs in terms of gender and domain. These findings and implications for educational researchers and the significance of such individual differences in epistemological beliefs were discussed.
An Investigation on Epistemological Beliefs of University Students
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012
The purpose of this research is to investigate epistemological belief in university students in terms of several variables such as faculty type, department, class level, family education statues, world views, newspaper types, reading habits. The sample of research consists of 321 university students several departments at two faculty of Usak university. In study, findings show that there are significance differences between epistemological beliefs of university students and their faculties, departments, family education statues, religiousity levels, and reading book habits.
The Investigation of the Epistemological Beliefs of University
2012
The aim of this study is to investigate the epistemological beliefs of university students according to their genders, classes, fields of Study, academic success and learning styles. This study was carried out with 246 females and 242 males, in total 488 university students. The data was collected through Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ), Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) and Personal Information Form. According to the findings, the epistemological beliefs do not differ depending on the gender of the students. According to the grade levels, it was found out that two beliefs, one of which is that "Learning depends on the effort" and the other one is that "There is one unchanging truth", differ. However; the belief concerning that "learning depends on ability" does not differ. It was seen that the common interaction between the gender and the grade level did not differ significantly in the sub-dimensions of the beliefs concerning that "learning depends on effort" and of the beliefs concerning that "learning depends on ability; whereas it differs meaningfully in the sub-dimension of the beliefs that "There is one unchanging truth". Results showed that the males in the second grade believed that there is more than one unchanging truth. It was realized that the epistemological beliefs of the students differ according to their fields of study; however, they do not differ according to the common effect of the academic success and the field of Study. It was understood that the students from the field of social sciences in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that "learning depends on effort"; the students from the field of health in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that "learning depends on ability"; the students from the field of science-techniques were more developed/mature in the sub-dimension of the belief concerning that "There is one unchanging truth". It was determined that a great majority of university students have "Assimilating" and "Converging" learning styles. It was seen that there is not a meaningful difference in the sub-dimension of the beliefs concerning that "learning depends on effort" in terms of different learning styles. On the other hand, it was realized that there is a meaningful difference in the sub-dimensions of the beliefs concerning that "learning depends on ability" and of the beliefs that "There is one unchanging truth" in favour of the students who have "Diverging" learning styles. It was suggested for the further studies to investigate the epistemological beliefs of the university instructors and the personal characteristics (locus of control, learned helplessness) of the students.
A Comparative Study on Epistemological Beliefs Among Adolescent's Students
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2022
Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. Epistemological Beliefs are learner's personal philosophy concerning acquisition of knowledge, which can change over time depending upon one's personal life experiences. In these days and age, obstacles to reaching further knowledge have been removed by means of developments in information and communication technologies which have also promoted contemporary themes and content. Due to these developments people can now access any information at any time using these online media tools. One of the most important factors in achieving such accumulated knowledge is epistemological beliefs. A study was conducted in order to study the attitude of epistemological beliefs in terms of gender and family structure among students of secondary and higher secondary schools. The study consisted of 120 students out of which 64 were females and 56 were males. The present study tries to understand the change that has occurred among students in regards to their epistemological beliefs in the current era.
Epistemological Beliefs: Its Relationship with Learning Styles, Learning Approaches, and Achievement
Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences, 2018
The study aimed to assess the relationship among epistemological beliefs, learning styles, learning approaches and achievement of the University students. One hundred University students participated and responded the Epistemological Belief Questionnaires (EVQ) and Learning Style Inventory (LSI), and MANOVA used to find out the relationship among the variables. It resulted that ability has significant relationship with learning styles and learning approaches, and there was significant relationship between learning styles and interest, but no significant relationship among learning approaches, interest, and achievements of students. It was also resulted that there existed no significant relationship among the epistemological beliefs, learning styles, learning approaches and achievement of the University students. Quick learning, slow learning, traditional approach, constructivist approach, and achievement have no significant relationship with ability. Similarly, interest, previous knowledge, effort, IQ, environment have no significant relationship with quick learning, slow learning, traditional approach, constructivist approach and achievement of the university students.
Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, 2013
This study investigates the relationship between epistemic beliefs and academic performance among a group of high school students in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Despite some contradictions, the general trend in the literature is that more mature students usually outperform students with naïve epistemic beliefs. We hypothesized that this relationship is reciprocal and learning strategies and task demands play a key role in building the schemas of epistemic beliefs. Accordingly, the requirements of traditional teaching and assessment methods might lead students to adopt less advanced epistemic beliefs that might be consistent with traditional learning strategies and task demands. To test this hypothesis, we compared the epistemic beliefs of high, average, and low level students (n = 165) in the traditional, developing educational system in UAE. Students were classified according to their performance on two formats of assessment; the regular exams and the continuous evaluation, using Arabic, standardized version of Epistemic beliefs Inventory prepared by Schraw et al, (2002). For the two assessment formats, the results were inconsistent with the traditional findings in the literature as advanced and medium students got higher scores (immature beliefs) than low level students on most epistemic beliefs, with the exception of the beliefs in Innate Ability (IA), where weak students got higher epistemic beliefs than advanced or medium level students. The results were discussed as an indication that academically better students were more able to adapt to the system requirement by adopting naïve epistemic beliefs. Also, the results were discussed within the Arab/Emirati cultural context.