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PHYSICS TEACHERS’ EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS: CORE AND PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS

Year 2024, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 942 - 955, 30.05.2024
https://doi.org/10.24315/tred.1403302

Abstract

This study aims to examine physics teachers’ beliefs about knowledge, science, teaching and learning science to understand the relationship among four belief systems. Participants were 59 high school physics teachers, who were interviewed once through a semi-structured interview protocol. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through constant comparative method to categorize teachers’ beliefs in different levels: traditional, transitional, and constructivist and quantify the nominal data for descriptive, correlational statistics, and structural equation modeling. The results indicated that teachers mostly held transitional beliefs about knowledge and science while their beliefs were constructivist on teaching and learning science. There was a significant relationship between beliefs about knowledge and science as core beliefs and between beliefs about teaching and learning science as peripheral beliefs, positive correlation was found between core and peripheral beliefs. These findings offer a report as a guide to address teachers’ beliefs through the design of future professional development programs.

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted through taking ethical approval from the researchers’ university to collect data and keep the participants’ confidentiality. Ethical form is available upon request.

References

  • Bahcivan, E. (2014). Examining relationships among Turkish preservice science teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning, scientific epistemological beliefs and science teaching efficacy beliefs. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 13(6), 870–882. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/14.13.870
  • Belo, N. A., van Driel, J. H., van Veen, K., & Verloop, N. (2014). Beyond the dichotomy of teacher-versus student-focused education: A survey study on physics teachers' beliefs about the goals and pedagogy of physics education. Teaching and teacher education, 39, 89-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2013.12.008
  • Bråten, I., & Ferguson, L. E. (2015). Beliefs about sources of knowledge predict motivation for learning in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50, 13-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.04.003
  • Bråten, I., & Strømsø, H. I. (2006). Epistemological beliefs, interest, and gender as predictors of Internet-based learning activities. Computers in Human Behavior, 22(6), 1027-1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2004.03.026
  • Brownlee, J. (2001). Knowing & Learning in Teacher Education: A Theoretical Framework of Core & Peripheral Epistemological Beliefs. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education & Development, 131-155.
  • Brownlee, J. L., Scholes, L., Walker, S., & Johansson, E. (2016). Critical values education in the early years: Alignment of teachers’ personal epistemologies and practices for active citizenship. Teaching and teacher education, 59, 261-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.06.009
  • Buehl, M. M., Alexander, P. A., & Murphy, P. K. (2002). Beliefs about schooled knowledge: Domain specific or domain general?. Contemporary educational psychology, 27(3), 415-449. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.2001.1103
  • Buehl, M. M., & Beck, J. S. (2015). The relationship between teachers’ beliefs and teachers’ practices. International handbook of research on teachers’ beliefs, 1, 66-82.
  • Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. P. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. SAGE Cross, D. I (2009). Alignment, cohesion, and change: Examining mathematics teachers’ belief structures and their influence on instructional practices. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 12, 325-346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-009-9120-5
  • Enderle, P., Grooms, J., Sampson, V., Sengul, O., & Koulagna, Y. (2022). How the co-design, use, and refinement of an instructional model emphasizing argumentation relates to changes in teachers’ beliefs and practices. International Journal of Science Education, 44(14), 1-27.
  • Feucht, F. C. (2017). The epistemic climate of Mrs M’s science lesson about the woodlands as an ecosystem. In Schraw, G., Brownlee, J. L., Olafson, L., & Vander Veldt Brye, (Eds.) Teachers’ personal epistemologies: Evolving models for informing practice, 55-84. IAP.
  • Fives, H., & Buehl, M. M. (2012). Spring cleaning for the “messy” construct of teachers’ beliefs: What are they? Which have been examined? What can they tell us?. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, T. Urdan, S. Graham, J. M. Royer, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook, Vol. 2. Individual differences and cultural and contextual factors (pp. 471–499). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13274-019
  • Grieshaber, S., & McArdle, F. (2014). Ethical dimensions and perspectives on play. Sage handbook of play and learning in early childhood, 103-114.
  • Henderson, C., Beach, A., & Finkelstein, N. (2011). Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of research in science teaching, 48(8), 952-984. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20439
  • Hofer, B. K., & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning. Review of educational research, 67(1), 88-140. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543067001088
  • Hofer, B. K. (2000). Dimensionality and disciplinary differences in personal epistemology. Contemporary educational psychology, 25(4), 378-405. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1026
  • Kuhn, D. (1991). The skills of argument. Cambridge University Press.
  • Luft, J. A., & Roehrig, G. H. (2007). Capturing science teachers’ epistemological beliefs: The development of the teacher beliefs interview. The Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education.
  • MEB (2011). 21. yy öğrenci profili. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Eğitimi Araştırma ve Geliştirme Dairesi Başkanlığı.

FİZİK ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN EPİSTEMOLOJİK İNANÇLARI: TEMEL VE ÇEVRESEL BOYUTLAR

Year 2024, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 942 - 955, 30.05.2024
https://doi.org/10.24315/tred.1403302

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, fizik öğretmenlerinin dört inanç sistemi arasındaki ilişkiyi anlamak için bilgi, fen, öğretme ve öğrenme bilimlerine ilişkin inançlarını incelemektir. Katılımcılar 59 lise fizik öğretmenidir ve yarı yapılandırılmış bir görüşme protokolü aracılığıyla öğretmenlerle bir kez görüşülmüştür. Görüşmeler, öğretmenlerin inançlarını geleneksel, geçişsel ve yapılandırmacı olmak üzere farklı düzeylerde kategorize etmek ve tanımlayıcı, korelasyonel istatistikler ve yapısal eşitlik modellemesi uygulamak için yazıya dökülmüş ve karşılaştırmalı yöntemle analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, öğretmenlerin bilgi ve bilime ilişkin inançlarının çoğunlukla geçişsel inançlara sahip olduklarını, fen öğretimi ve öğrenimine ilişkin inançlarının ise yapılandırmacı olduğunu göstermiştir. Temel inançlar olarak bilgi ve bilime ilişkin inançlar arasında, çevresel inançlar olarak fen öğretimi ve öğrenimine ilişkin inançlar arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunurken, çekirdek ve çevresel inançlar arasında pozitif korelasyon bulunmuştur. Bu bulgular, gelecekteki mesleki gelişim programlarının tasarımı yoluyla öğretmenlerin inançlarını ele almak için bir rehber olarak bir rapor sunmaktadır.

References

  • Bahcivan, E. (2014). Examining relationships among Turkish preservice science teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning, scientific epistemological beliefs and science teaching efficacy beliefs. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 13(6), 870–882. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/14.13.870
  • Belo, N. A., van Driel, J. H., van Veen, K., & Verloop, N. (2014). Beyond the dichotomy of teacher-versus student-focused education: A survey study on physics teachers' beliefs about the goals and pedagogy of physics education. Teaching and teacher education, 39, 89-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2013.12.008
  • Bråten, I., & Ferguson, L. E. (2015). Beliefs about sources of knowledge predict motivation for learning in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50, 13-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.04.003
  • Bråten, I., & Strømsø, H. I. (2006). Epistemological beliefs, interest, and gender as predictors of Internet-based learning activities. Computers in Human Behavior, 22(6), 1027-1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2004.03.026
  • Brownlee, J. (2001). Knowing & Learning in Teacher Education: A Theoretical Framework of Core & Peripheral Epistemological Beliefs. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education & Development, 131-155.
  • Brownlee, J. L., Scholes, L., Walker, S., & Johansson, E. (2016). Critical values education in the early years: Alignment of teachers’ personal epistemologies and practices for active citizenship. Teaching and teacher education, 59, 261-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.06.009
  • Buehl, M. M., Alexander, P. A., & Murphy, P. K. (2002). Beliefs about schooled knowledge: Domain specific or domain general?. Contemporary educational psychology, 27(3), 415-449. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.2001.1103
  • Buehl, M. M., & Beck, J. S. (2015). The relationship between teachers’ beliefs and teachers’ practices. International handbook of research on teachers’ beliefs, 1, 66-82.
  • Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. P. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. SAGE Cross, D. I (2009). Alignment, cohesion, and change: Examining mathematics teachers’ belief structures and their influence on instructional practices. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 12, 325-346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-009-9120-5
  • Enderle, P., Grooms, J., Sampson, V., Sengul, O., & Koulagna, Y. (2022). How the co-design, use, and refinement of an instructional model emphasizing argumentation relates to changes in teachers’ beliefs and practices. International Journal of Science Education, 44(14), 1-27.
  • Feucht, F. C. (2017). The epistemic climate of Mrs M’s science lesson about the woodlands as an ecosystem. In Schraw, G., Brownlee, J. L., Olafson, L., & Vander Veldt Brye, (Eds.) Teachers’ personal epistemologies: Evolving models for informing practice, 55-84. IAP.
  • Fives, H., & Buehl, M. M. (2012). Spring cleaning for the “messy” construct of teachers’ beliefs: What are they? Which have been examined? What can they tell us?. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, T. Urdan, S. Graham, J. M. Royer, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook, Vol. 2. Individual differences and cultural and contextual factors (pp. 471–499). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13274-019
  • Grieshaber, S., & McArdle, F. (2014). Ethical dimensions and perspectives on play. Sage handbook of play and learning in early childhood, 103-114.
  • Henderson, C., Beach, A., & Finkelstein, N. (2011). Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of research in science teaching, 48(8), 952-984. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20439
  • Hofer, B. K., & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning. Review of educational research, 67(1), 88-140. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543067001088
  • Hofer, B. K. (2000). Dimensionality and disciplinary differences in personal epistemology. Contemporary educational psychology, 25(4), 378-405. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1026
  • Kuhn, D. (1991). The skills of argument. Cambridge University Press.
  • Luft, J. A., & Roehrig, G. H. (2007). Capturing science teachers’ epistemological beliefs: The development of the teacher beliefs interview. The Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education.
  • MEB (2011). 21. yy öğrenci profili. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Eğitimi Araştırma ve Geliştirme Dairesi Başkanlığı.
There are 19 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ozden Sengul 0000-0002-7127-7897

Early Pub Date May 25, 2024
Publication Date May 30, 2024
Submission Date December 11, 2023
Acceptance Date April 15, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2024 Volume: 14 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Sengul, O. (2024). PHYSICS TEACHERS’ EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS: CORE AND PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS. Trakya Eğitim Dergisi, 14(2), 942-955. https://doi.org/10.24315/tred.1403302