The Development of Middle School, High School, and University Level Students’ Beliefs about Knowledge and Learning
AUTHOR : 김수정, 김혜온
INFORMATION : page. 1~22 / 2010 Vol.17 No.2
ABSTRACT
Major studies, over the last few decades, which have addressed students' beliefs about knowledge and learning, have tended to quite limited in their focus. The construct of the beliefs about knowledge and learning, which prior studies have dealt with, are not consistent and few studies exist below college level. This study aimed to clarify the conceptual framework of the beliefs about knowledge and learning and to uncover any developmental tendencies in such beliefs in adolescence. 1139 students(372 middle school, 392 high school, and 375 college level) completed a questionnaire(Schommer's Epistemological Belief Questionnaire). Factor analysis was performed in this study and yielded four factors, which are as follows: Learning Methods and Effort, Innate Ability, Certain Knowledge, and Learner's Control. A F-test revealed group differences in their beliefs in learning methods and effort, innate ability, certain knowledge among middle school students, high school students, and college students. In addition, there is an interactional effect of school level and gender when it comes to beliefs. The higher school level students were less likely to believe in innate ability, and certain knowledge and more likely to believe in learning methods and effort. However, boys in high school were more likely to believe in innate ability than girls and boys in middle school and college. There were no group differences in the beliefs in learner's control.
Key words : development of beliefs about knowledge and learning, Learning method and effort, Innated ability, Certain knowledge, Learner's control