Practical Applications of the Research on Epistemological Beliefs

The first year university experience: using personal epistemology to understand effective learning and teaching in higher education

“…A growing number of researchers, including Chai et al (2006) and Nist and Holschuch (2005) are advocating conscious and regular attention to students' epistemological perceptions to help them move towards more mature epistemological beliefs. This suggests that the nature of teaching and learning that takes place in undergraduate courses may need to be re-conceptualised.…”

“…For this study, scenario-based interviews developed from the work of Stacey et al (2005) were used, as many students have difficulty reflecting on the somewhat abstract topic of personal epistemology. Scenarios were also used by Nist and Holschuch (2005) to help students to focus on epistemological beliefs. They noted that the provision of a scenario depicting an individual engaged in a learning experience allowed participants to more easily express their beliefs.…”

Exploring epistemological beliefs and learning approaches in context: A sociocultural perspective

“…The work of Schommer indicates, alternatively, the notion that the dimensions of personal epistemology identified may be more or less independent, but each can be represented along a continuum from less sophisticated to more sophisticated beliefs (Schommer, 1990;Schommer-Aikins, 2002). In general, however, central to the study of personal epistemology is the emphasis on: (i) the nature of knowledge (what one believes knowledge is), and (ii) the nature or process of knowing (how one comes to know) (Hofer, 2001;Nist & Holschuh, 2005). The nature of knowledge includes the dimensions certainty of knowledge and simplicity of knowledge, and the process of knowing includes the dimensions source of knowledge and justification of knowledge (See Table 1) (Hofer, 2004;Hofer & Pintrich, 1997).…”

Developing Relational Epistemology Through Relational Pedagogy: New Ways of Thinking About Personal Epistemology in Teacher Education

“…There is a substantial body of research that suggests that interventions which focus explicitly on the referential elements by engaging students in a process of reflection on their own beliefs may assist in the development of epistemological beliefs (Brownlee et al, 2001;Cano, 2005;Lyons, 1990;McLean, 2001;Nist & Holschuh, 2005;Schommer, 1994;Stacey et al, 2005). Students "who demonstrate more naive core beliefs about knowing on entry into tertiary studies may need individual instruction in the nature of knowledge, as well as study strategies.…”