In a best-evidence synthesis of studies that examine change in teacher candidates' conceptions and practices during their teacher education course work, too few researchers provide evidence for the linkage between candidates' beliefs and their learning. To address this problem, a mixed-design study explored on the micro-level (i.e., a lesson) the connections between differential learning among four teacher candidates and their beliefs. Specifically, concept maps, a postmapping questionnaire, stimulated recall interviews, and a short answer assessment revealed connections between candidates' beliefs and their learning. Analysis of these data provided evidence that candidates' beliefs were good predictors of those candidates who learned the most and the least. Implications for future research concerning the beliefs that teacher candidates bring to teacher education, and how various instructional approaches influence these beliefs, are discussed. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/SM)