Constructivism and Personal Epistemology Development

• In Event: 61.030 - Epistemic Cognition Across Multiple Texts and Contexts

Abstract

Students’ beliefs about knowledge, or their personal epistemology, is a critical component of the learning process. Researchers need to understand how situational factors, such as the classroom environment, shape personal epistemology development. The current study tested whether a constructivist epistemic climate supported epistemic change with students in two classroom environments (traditional, constructivist). While the constructivist classroom did not seem to produce the intended effects, evidence suggested that perceptions of constructivism did predict changes in personal epistemology. Furthermore, students’ initial epistemic beliefs predicted how the classroom environment was perceived by the students. This study supports an interactive model between students’ personal epistemology and epistemic climate while discussing some of the challenges of changing epistemic beliefs through classroom interventions.

Authors

• Michael M. Barger, Duke University

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Dorian Canelas

• Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Michigan State University