Personal epistemology in preservice teachers: Belief changes throughout a teacher education course

Abstract

There is strong evidence to show that beliefs about knowing and knowledge held by individuals (personal epistemologies) influence preservice teachers' learning strategies and learning outcomes (Muis, 2004). However, we know very little about how preservice teachers' personal epistemologies change as they progress through their teacher education programs. The current study provides the first longitudinal data of changes in personal epistemologies for preservice teachers. This study investigated (a) the relationship between personal epistemologies and beliefs about learning, and (b) changes in personal epistemologies and beliefs about learning for a group of preservice teachers as they progressed through the first 3 years of a 4-year Bachelor of Education. The study reports on two phases of data collection. Preservice teachers completed the Epistemological Beliefs Survey (EBS; Kardash & Wood, 2000) in 2007 when they commenced their course (Phase 1) and then again in 2009 when they were in the 3rd year of their course (Phase 2). On completion of the survey, randomly selected preservice teachers were invited to participate in Phase 1 and Phase 2 follow-up interviews. Both the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that there were changes in preservice teachers' personal epistemologies between course entry and the third year of their course. Specifically, results indicated that most of the preservice teachers demonstrated a change towards more sophisticated personal epistemologies over time. Importantly, these changes may be related to more effective, deeper approaches to learning. Results are discussed in terms of the implications for teaching and teacher education.