Students accepting evolution are likely to rely on science as cognitive authority (i.e. science textbooks and science teachers). In contrast, those not accepting are likely to rely on religion as cognitive authority (i.e. religious texts and religious leaders). A thematic analysis based on existing quantitative and qualitative studies has been…

Educational research should aim at improving educational practice by analysing the world of Education to understand it and make it better. It should be a critical, reflective and professionally oriented activity. Educational research should have three objectives: to explore issues and find answers to questions (for academics), to share policy…

The study aimed to assess the relationship among epistemological beliefs, learning styles, learning approaches and achievement of the University students. One hundred University students participated and responded the Epistemological Belief Questionnaires (EVQ) and Learning Style Inventory (LSI), and MANOVA used to find out the relationship among…

Essentialism is an approach assuming that people and things have natural and essential common characteristics which are inherent, innate and unchanging. Thus, it is regarded as an educational philosophy. However, having the common essence and the same essentials at the same levels can lead to undesired practices in real life too. Even nouns and…

Individuals' subjective beliefs about knowledge is defined as an epistemology. Epistemological beliefs of individuals has the potential in developing the curriculum. A motivational approach that attempts to explain the purpose of learners' participation in teaching activities is called goal orientation. Learners' goals of participating in teaching…

Middle school is a critical time in students' learning of mathematics, something a Learning Management System (LMS) is designed to help parents support. What remains unknown is how parents use an LMS to monitor their children's progress in mathematics. This qualitative case study explored how parents from one midAtlantic middle school with 543…

The objective of this paper is to present two preservice secondary mathematics teachers' beliefs about teaching Geometric Transformations (GTs) using Geometer?s Sketchpad (GSP). The study comprised of series of five task-based interviews with each of two participants, who were senior undergraduate preservice teachers, at a medium-sized public…

Students' epistemologies play a crucial role in helping them construct knowledge. In addition, studying epistemological beliefs is important because they influence students' motivation and affect students' selection of learning strategies (Schommer, Crouse, & Rhodes, 1992; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997). The purpose of this study is to…

This is an investigation of the students' beliefs about the nature of knowledge or epistemological beliefs, and the relation of these beliefs on their learning approaches. Students chosen as samples of the study were from both public and private higher institutions of learning in Malaysia. The instrument used in the study consists of 49 items…

In this paper I reviewed and analyzed three important constructs--beliefs, knowledge, and practices in mathematics teacher education. I carried out a literature review of teacher beliefs and practice, and beliefs and change in mathematics education in to order draw some pedagogical and research implications. I was able to draw three themes from…

The present study investigated the contribution of epistemological beliefs about learning and Asian values on pre-service teachers' value for education. The relationship of epistemological beliefs and valuing education is based on Schwartz and Bilsky's (1987; 1990) theory of human values. The participants were 362 pre-service teachers from…

Paulsen and Wells (1998) stated that, "it seems unlikely that substantial differences in epistemological beliefs across domains would persist in studies of faculty or other more advanced experts," (p. 380). This statement implies the existence of an upper limit or ceiling effect in the epistemological beliefs among experts. Faculty…

Chinese society has a unique view of teaching and learning that has evolved from its long history and is heavily embedded in its social and cultural roots. However, no systematic effort has been made to outline how cultural factors such as values and beliefs influence learning. This paper identifies traditional Chinese values and beliefs in…