How Students’ Epistemological Beliefs in the Domain Of Physics and Their Conceptual Change are Related?
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to determine high school students’ epistemological beliefs in the domain of physics and to explore and explain the possible relationship between their beliefs and their conceptual change in physics by taking the students’ learning strategies into account. A multi-case study design was used for the research in order to focus on the epistemological beliefs-conceptual change relationship within several examples. The research was conducted with 17 tenth-grade students studying in an urban high school. Various instruments were used for the study. The following
conclusions can be drawn from the study. First, high school students’ level of epistemological beliefs in the domain of physics is very close to sophistication. Second, there is a positive association between students’ physics epistemological beliefs and their learning gains. Third, sophisticated domain-specific epistemological beliefs especially in the dimensions of simplicity of knowledge and quick learning are prerequisite but not adequate for conceptual change. When these beliefs are existed together with advanced learning strategies, knowledge revision is accomplished and
scientific knowledge is acquired.
References
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Buehl, M. M., & Alexander, P. A. (2005). Motivation and performance differences in students' domain-specific epistemological belief profiles. American Educational Research Journal, 42(4), 697-726.
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Hofer, B. K. (2000). Dimensionality and disciplinary differences in personal epistemology. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 378-405.
Hogan, K., & Fisherkeller, J. (1996). Representing students’ thinking about nutrient cycling in ecosystems: Bidimensional coding of a complex topic. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 33(9), 941-970.
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May, D. B., & Etkina, E. (2002). College physics students’ epistemological self-reflection and its relationship to conceptual learning. American Journal of Physics, 70 (12), 1249-1258.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Ogan-Bekiroglu, F., & Sengul-Turgut, G. (2011). Students’ general and physical epistemological beliefs: A twofold phenomenon. Research in Science and Technology Education, 29 (3), 291- 314.
Qian, G., & Alvermann, D. (1995). Role of epistemological beliefs and learned helplessness in secondary school students' learning science concepts from text. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87(2), 282-292.
Paulsen, M. B., & Wells, C. T. (1998). Domain differences in the epistemological beliefs of college students. Research in Higher Education, 39(4), 365-384.
Pintrich, P. R. (1999). Motivational beliefs as resources for and constrains on conceptual change. In W. Schnotz, S. Vosniadou, & M. Carretero (Eds.), New perspectives on conceptual change (pp. 33–50). Oxford: Elsevier.
Pintrich, P. R., Marx, R. W., & Boyle, R. A. (1993). Beyond cold conceptual change: The role of motivational beliefs and classroom contextual factors in the process of conceptual change. Review of Educational Research, 63, 167-199.
Posner, G. J., Strike, K. A., Hewson, P. W., & Gertzog, W. A. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Science Education, 66(2), 211- 217.
Roth, W. M., & Roychoudhury, A. (1994). Physics students’ epistemologies and views about knowing and learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(1), 5-30.
Schommer, M. (1990). Effects of beliefs about the nature of knowledge on comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(3), 498-504.
Sinatra, G.M., Southerland, S.A., McConaughy, F., & Demastes, J. (2003). Intentions and beliefs in students’ understanding and acceptance of biological evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 510-528.
Songer, N. B., & Linn, M. C. (1991). How do students’ views of science influence knowledge integration? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28, 761-784.
Stathopoulou, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2007a). Exploring the relationship between physics-related epistemological beliefs and physics understanding. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32, 255-281.
Stathopoulou, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2007b). Conceptual change in physics and physics-related epistemological beliefs: A relationship under scrutiny. In S. Vosniadou, A. Baltas & X. Vamvakoussi (Eds), Reframing the conceptual change approach in learning and ınstruction (pp. 145-163). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier.
Thoermer, C., & Sodian, B. (2002). Science undergraduates’ and graduates’ epistemologies of science: The notion of interpretive frameworks. New Ideas in Psychology, 20, 263-283.
Tsai, C. C. (1998). An analysis of scientific epistemological beliefs and learning orientations of Taiwanese eighth graders. Science Education, 82, 473-489.
Toulmin, S. (1972). Human understanding: The collective use and evolution of concepts. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Wood, J. M. (2007). Understanding and computing Cohen’s Kappa: A tutorial. WebPsychEmpiricist. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://wpe.info/papers_table.html.
Windschitl, M. & Andre, T. (1998). Using computer simulations to enhance conceptual change: The roles of constructivist instruction and student epistemological beliefs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35 (2), 145-160.
Yang, F. Y. (2005). Student views concerning evidence and the expert in reasoning a socioscientific issue and personal epistemology. Educational Studies, 31(1), 65-84.
Youn, I. Yang, K., & Choi, I. (2001). An analysis of the nature of epistemological beliefs: Investigating factors affecting the epistemological development of South Korean high school students. Asia Pacific Education Review, 2, 10-21.
Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research in education: An introduction to theory and methods. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Braten, I., & Stromso, H. I. (2004). Epistemological beliefs and implicit theories of intelligence as predictors of achievement goals. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29, 371-388
Buehl, M. M., & Alexander, P. A. (2005). Motivation and performance differences in students' domain-specific epistemological belief profiles. American Educational Research Journal, 42(4), 697-726.
Driver, R., Leach, J., Millar, R., & Scott, P. (1996). Young people’s images of science. Buckingham, UK: Open University.
Hammer, D. (1994). Epistemological beliefs in introductory physics. Cognition and Instruction,12 (2), 151-183.
Hewson, P. W. (June, 1992). Conceptual change in science teaching and teacher education. Paper presented at a meeting on Research and Curriculum Development in Science Teaching. Madrid, Spain.
Hofer, B. K. (2000). Dimensionality and disciplinary differences in personal epistemology. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 378-405.
Hogan, K., & Fisherkeller, J. (1996). Representing students’ thinking about nutrient cycling in ecosystems: Bidimensional coding of a complex topic. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 33(9), 941-970.
Kaymak, E. (2010). Examination of the relationship between students’ epistemological beliefs and their conceptual change. Unpublished master thesis. Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kruglanski, A. W. (1989). Lay epistemic and human knowledge: Cognitive and motivational bases. New York: Plenum Press.
Mason, L. (2002). Developing epistemological thinking to foster conceptual change in different domains. In M. Limon & L. Mason (Eds.), Reconsidering conceptual change: Issues in theory and practice (pp. 301-335). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
May, D. B., & Etkina, E. (2002). College physics students’ epistemological self-reflection and its relationship to conceptual learning. American Journal of Physics, 70 (12), 1249-1258.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Ogan-Bekiroglu, F., & Sengul-Turgut, G. (2011). Students’ general and physical epistemological beliefs: A twofold phenomenon. Research in Science and Technology Education, 29 (3), 291- 314.
Qian, G., & Alvermann, D. (1995). Role of epistemological beliefs and learned helplessness in secondary school students' learning science concepts from text. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87(2), 282-292.
Paulsen, M. B., & Wells, C. T. (1998). Domain differences in the epistemological beliefs of college students. Research in Higher Education, 39(4), 365-384.
Pintrich, P. R. (1999). Motivational beliefs as resources for and constrains on conceptual change. In W. Schnotz, S. Vosniadou, & M. Carretero (Eds.), New perspectives on conceptual change (pp. 33–50). Oxford: Elsevier.
Pintrich, P. R., Marx, R. W., & Boyle, R. A. (1993). Beyond cold conceptual change: The role of motivational beliefs and classroom contextual factors in the process of conceptual change. Review of Educational Research, 63, 167-199.
Posner, G. J., Strike, K. A., Hewson, P. W., & Gertzog, W. A. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Science Education, 66(2), 211- 217.
Roth, W. M., & Roychoudhury, A. (1994). Physics students’ epistemologies and views about knowing and learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(1), 5-30.
Schommer, M. (1990). Effects of beliefs about the nature of knowledge on comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(3), 498-504.
Sinatra, G.M., Southerland, S.A., McConaughy, F., & Demastes, J. (2003). Intentions and beliefs in students’ understanding and acceptance of biological evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 510-528.
Songer, N. B., & Linn, M. C. (1991). How do students’ views of science influence knowledge integration? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28, 761-784.
Stathopoulou, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2007a). Exploring the relationship between physics-related epistemological beliefs and physics understanding. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32, 255-281.
Stathopoulou, C., & Vosniadou, S. (2007b). Conceptual change in physics and physics-related epistemological beliefs: A relationship under scrutiny. In S. Vosniadou, A. Baltas & X. Vamvakoussi (Eds), Reframing the conceptual change approach in learning and ınstruction (pp. 145-163). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier.
Thoermer, C., & Sodian, B. (2002). Science undergraduates’ and graduates’ epistemologies of science: The notion of interpretive frameworks. New Ideas in Psychology, 20, 263-283.
Tsai, C. C. (1998). An analysis of scientific epistemological beliefs and learning orientations of Taiwanese eighth graders. Science Education, 82, 473-489.
Toulmin, S. (1972). Human understanding: The collective use and evolution of concepts. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Wood, J. M. (2007). Understanding and computing Cohen’s Kappa: A tutorial. WebPsychEmpiricist. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://wpe.info/papers_table.html.
Windschitl, M. & Andre, T. (1998). Using computer simulations to enhance conceptual change: The roles of constructivist instruction and student epistemological beliefs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35 (2), 145-160.
Yang, F. Y. (2005). Student views concerning evidence and the expert in reasoning a socioscientific issue and personal epistemology. Educational Studies, 31(1), 65-84.
Youn, I. Yang, K., & Choi, I. (2001). An analysis of the nature of epistemological beliefs: Investigating factors affecting the epistemological development of South Korean high school students. Asia Pacific Education Review, 2, 10-21.
Published
2017-02-28
How to Cite
KAYMAK, Ercan; BEKIROĞLU, Feral Ogan.
How Students’ Epistemological Beliefs in the Domain Of Physics and Their Conceptual Change are Related?.
European Journal of Physics Education, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 1, p. 31-46, feb. 2017.
ISSN 1309-7202.
Available at: <https://eu-journal.org/index.php/EJPE/article/view/80>. Date accessed: 06 may 2024.
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