An integrated analysis of secondary school students’ conceptions and beliefs about learning

Abstract

Students' conceptions and beliefs about learning are constructs that have been proposed in two independent lines of research, phenomenographic and metacognitive, and analysed using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, respectively. The present research examines and integrates in a single study both constructs and methodologies. Data were collected through an open-ended task (Tynjäla, 1997) and an epistemological questionnaire (Schommer, 1990), administered to a sample of 1,200 secondary students. Three major statistically significant findings emerged. First, students' conceptions of learning and epistemological beliefs changed from simplistic to more complex as they progressed through school. Second, the two constructs were linked to each other. The most advanced category on the 'dimension of depth' of learning conceptions corresponded to the highest scores at the complex pole of the belief system. Third, learning conceptions as well as epistemological beliefs were predictors of academic performance. The more capable students were of constructing meaning, the better their academic achievement appeared to be. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed with regard to further research, classroom instruction, and the value of combining both research methodologies in order to deepen our understanding of students' learning experience.

Ideal versus school learning: Analyzing Israeli secondary school students’ conceptions of learning

“…In contrast to this agreement about depth, researchers seem to disagree about the hypothesis that these conceptions may also vary along the dimension of time (Cano & Cardelle-Elawar, 2004). Perry (1968) was first to address this issue in his pioneering work on students' perceptions.…”

Analysis of Variables that Affect Teaching Learning Approaches and Epistemological Beliefs of Pre-Service Teachers by Structural Equation Model

“…When belief that knowledge is subject to effort increases, the constructivist approach also increases. Similarly, in literature, many researchers have stated that there is a significant relationship between sophisticated epistemological beliefs and in-depth or constructivist teaching learning approaches (Aypay, 2011b;Cano, 2005;Cano & Cardelle-Elawar, 2004;Kember & Gow, 1989;Phan, 2008). This relation between epistemological beliefs and constructivist teaching learning approach may be explained by considering philosophical basis of constructivist beliefs.…”

La creencia epistemológica constructivista sobre el conocimiento científico varía en función del año de formación en los estudiantes de Medicina pero no en los estudiantes de otras carreras de la salud

“…Ambos parámetros indican una madurez epistemológica, la cual se relaciona con alto rendimiento escolar y mayores puntajes de selección universitaria. Así nuestros datos coinciden con aquellos estudios que muestran una relación directa entre mayor sofisticación en las creencias epistemológicas y mejor rendimiento académico 3,18,20,[29][30][31] .…”