Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The first year university experience: using personal epistemology to understand effective learning and teaching in higher education

  • Published:
Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Personal epistemological beliefs, or beliefs about knowing, provide a way in which to understand learning in a range of educational contexts because they are considered to act as filters for all other knowledge and beliefs. In particular, they provide a useful framework for investigating learning and teaching for first year students in tertiary education, who are typically considered to hold less sophisticated epistemological beliefs. Using semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the nature of beliefs about knowing and learning of 35 first year teacher education and creative writing students at a large metropolitan university in Australia. The interview analysis indicated that a relationship existed between individuals’ core beliefs about knowing and their beliefs about learning. This relationship has implications for the way in which we support first year students’ learning as they transition into university and progress through their courses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. “CI” refers to Creative Industries students; “P” refers to Primary teacher education student; “EC” refers Early Childhood students.

References

  • Alexander, P. A., & Dochy, F. J. (1995). Conceptions of knowledge and beliefs: A comparison across varying cultural and educational communities. American Educational Research Journal, 32(2), 413–442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxter Magolda, M. B. (1994). Post-college experiences and epistemology. The Review of Higher Education, 18(1), 25–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2004). Evolution of a constructivist conceptualisation of epistemological reflection. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 31–42. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3901_4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxter Magolda, M., & Terenzini, P. (2004). Learning and teaching in the 21st century: Trends and implications for practice. American College Personnel Association. Retrieved October 5, 2004, from http://www.acpa.nche.edu/srsch/magolda_terenzini.html.

  • Belenky, M. F., Clinchy, B. M., Goldberger, N. R., & Tarule, J. M. (1986). Women’s ways of knowing: The development of self, voice and mind. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg, B. (2007). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32(3), 347–364. doi:10.1007/BF00138871.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee, J. (2001). Knowing and learning in teacher education: A theoretical framework of core and peripheral epistemological beliefs. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education & Development, 4(1), 167–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee, J., Boulton-Lewis, G., & Purdie, N. (2001). Core beliefs about knowing and peripheral beliefs about learning: Developing an holistic conceptualisation of epistemological beliefs. Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 2, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee, J., Boulton-Lewis, G., & Purdie, N. (2002). Core beliefs about knowing and peripheral beliefs about learning: Developing an holistic conceptualisation of epistemological beliefs. Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 2, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chai, C. S., Khine, M. S., & Teo, T. (2006). Epistemological beliefs on teaching and learning: A survey among pre-service teachers in Singapore. Educational Media International, 43(4), 285–298. doi:10.1080/09523980600926242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K., & Elliott, R. (2000). Exploratory study of epistemological beliefs of Hong Kong teacher education students: Resolving conceptual and empirical issues. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 28(3), 225–234. doi:10.1080/713650691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2000). The handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Entwistle, N., Skinner, D., Entwistle, D., & Orr, S. (2000). Conceptions and beliefs about “good teaching”: An integration of contrasting research areas. Higher Education Research & Development, 19(1), 5–26. doi:10.1080/07294360050020444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forrester, B. (2006). An exploration of epistemological understanding and participation in online knowledge building communities. Unpublished Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto, Toronto.

  • Gill, M., Ashton, P., & Algina, J. (2004). Changing preservice teachers’ epistemological beliefs about teaching and learning in mathematics: An intervention study. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29(2), 164–185. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2004.01.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammer, D. (2003). Tapping epistemological resources for learning physics. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(1), 53–91. doi:10.1207/S15327809JLS1201_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammer, D., & Elby, A. (2002). On the form of personal epistemology. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 169–190). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, L., Drew, S., & Smith, M. (2006). The first year experience: A review of the literature for the higher education academy. York, England: The Higher Education Academy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofer, B. (2002). Personal epistemology as a psychological and educational construct: An introduction. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 3–14). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofer, B. (2004a). Introduction: Paradigmatic approaches to personal epistemology. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 1–3. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3901_1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofer, B. (2004b). Epistemological understanding as a metacognitive process: Thinking aloud during online searching. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 43–55. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3901_5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kardash, C. M., & Wood, P. (2000). An individual item factoring of epistemological beliefs as measured by self-reporting surveys. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • King, P., & Kitchener, K. (2002). The reflective judgment model: 20 years of research on epistemic cognition. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 37–62). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause, K. (2006). On being strategic about the first year. Keynote paper presented at First Year Forum, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

  • Kuhn, D., & Udell, W. (2001). The path to wisdom. Educational Psychologist, 36(4), 261–264. doi:10.1207/S15326985EP3604_6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, D., & Weinstock, M. (2002). What is epistemological thinking and why does it matter? In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 121–144). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marton, F., Dall’Alba, G., & Beatty, E. (1993). Conceptions of learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 19, 277–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J., & Shanahan, M. (2004). Developing metalearning capacity in students: Actionable theory and practical lessons learned in first-year economics. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 41(4), 443–458. doi:10.1080/1470329042000277020.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, W. S. (2002). Understanding learning in a postmodern world: Reconsidering the Perry scheme of intellectual and ethical development. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 17–36). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muis, K. (2004). Personal epistemology and mathematics: A critical review and synthesis of research. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 317–378. doi:10.3102/00346543074003317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, K. J., Kift, S. M., Humphreys, J. K., & Harper, W. E. (2006). A blueprint for enhanced transition: Taking an holistic approach to managing student transition into a large university. In Proceedings First Year in Higher Education Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. Retrieved month, 00, 2000, from http://www.fyhe.qut.edu.au/past_papers/2006/Papers/Kift.pdf.

  • Nist, S. L., & Holschuch, J. P. (2005). Practical applications of the research on epistemological beliefs. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 35, 84–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pajares, M. F. (1992). Teacher’s beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 62(3), 307–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry, W. G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years. Holt, Rinehart and Winston: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry, W. G. J. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In A. W. Chickering (Ed.), The modern American college (pp. 76–116). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, F. (2001). A research note on accounting students’ epistemological beliefs, study strategies, and unstructured problem-solving performance. Issues in Accounting Education, 16(1), 21–39. doi:10.2308/iace.2001.16.1.21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pintrich, P. (2002). Future challenges and directions for theory. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 389–414). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Säljö, R. (1979). Learning in the learner’s perspective: Some common sense conceptions. (Rep. No. 76). Gothenburg, Sweden: Gothenburg University, Institute of Education.

  • Schommer, M. A. (1993). Comparisons of beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning among postsecondary students. Research in Higher Education, 34(3), 355–370. doi:10.1007/BF00991849.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schommer-Aikens, M. (2002). An evolving theoretical framework for an epistemological beliefs system. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychological beliefs about knowledge and knowing (pp. 103–118). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schommer-Aikens, M., & Easter, M. (2006). Ways of knowing and epistemological beliefs: Combined effect on academic performance. Educational Psychology, 26(3), 411–423. doi:10.1080/01443410500341304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schommer-Aikinsmer-Aikens, M. (2004). Explaining the epistemological belief system: Introducing the embedded systemic model and coordinated research approach. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 19–29. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3901_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schraw, G., & Sinatra, G. M. (2004). Epistemological development and its impact on cognition in academic domains. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29(2), 95–102. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2004.01.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stacey, P. S., Brownlee, J., Thorpe, K., & Class EAB016. (2005). Measuring and manipulating epistemological beliefs in early childhood pre-service teachers. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 1, 6–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, R. E., Cafarelli, A., Lund, R., Schurdell, D., & Bischel, S. (1996). A developmental constructivist approach to pre-service teachers’ ways of knowing. Teaching and Teacher Education, 12(4), 413–427. doi:10.1016/0742-051X(95)00050-T.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unger, R. K., Draper, R. D., & Pendergrass, M. L. (1986). Personal epistemology and personal experience. The Journal of Social Issues, 42(2), 67–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins, D., & Akande, A. (1994). Approaches to learning of Nigerian secondary school children: Emic and etic perspectives. International Journal of Psychology, 29(2), 165–182. doi:10.1080/00207599408246540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Learning Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Jo Brownlee, Sue Walker, Sandra Lennox & Beryl Exley

  2. Faculty of Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Sharyn Pearce

  3. Faculty of Education, School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia

    Jo Brownlee

Authors
  1. Jo Brownlee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sue Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sandra Lennox
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Beryl Exley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sharyn Pearce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jo Brownlee.

Appendices

Appendix A: Interview scenarios

Creative industries scenario

Amanda has just started working at the Brisbane writer’s festival. It is part of her workplace unit as assessment. This is an experience in which Amanda is doing a vocational placement in the writing and publishing industry.

In her first week, she has already been asked by her workplace supervisor, Bill, to stay back three times until after 10 p.m. to complete work. She has had to interview several writers and then transcribe these interviews for publication the next day as segments of the daily festival newsletter. This is far more than she was led to believe she should be doing in her first work placement assessment.

Do you think that this was the right action by the workplace supervisor in this situation?

  • Sometimes people talk about there being “right answers” or “truth” in creative writing professional practice. What are your views?

  • Do you agree with the idea that there are no right answers in creative writing professional practice?

  • Do think that anybody’s opinion is as good as another?

Amanda confronted Bill. Bill raised his voice and said “Amanda, if you want to get on around here you know you have to do the hard yards. You have to be highly motivated to succeed in business—any motivational text book will tell you that. You need to work long hours honing your craft or you will get no where”. Amanda felt intimidated by the aggressive stance taken by Bill and was too nervous to raise further objections with Bill. She was unsure about the right way to manage this situation but she remembered reading about how interpersonal conflicts are best managed by being assertive but not aggressive. She thought to herself, “These conflict resolution experts must be right, mustn’t they? It doesn’t feel right though. I am so confused I don’t even feel like I can express an opinion now, let alone being assertive with Bill”

  • What do you think is going on in Amanda’s mind?

  • Could the textbooks be wrong?

  • Do you trust the opinions of experts?

How do you learn?

  • How do you go about learning something that would help you to be a good creative writer? [Probe for: Can you tell me how you go about learning? Probe the process and processing of information when learning?]

  • How do you know when you have learnt something?

  • So can you tell me what you think learning is?

  • What are the most important ways in which your current course is helping you to learn about child care practice?

Primary teacher education scenario

What do you believe is good practice in primary teaching?

Beliefs about children’s learning

How do you think children learn?

  • Can you think of an experience you have had with a child where you really noticed that he or she had learnt something?

  • How do you know when a child has learnt something?

In a multi-age primary class, the students were working in groups of five brainstorming suggestions for their upcoming presentation on water conservation in the home. The class teacher, Ms Edwards, allocated students to mixed-ability groups. She wanted all groups to be ‘equal’. Each group had a range of achievement levels, and because the school was located within a refugee resettlement area, each group included two refugee students who had been in Australia for between 2 and 4 years and spoke varying degrees of conversational and academic English.

During the group work session, Ms Edwards circulated between the groups, asking them what their initial plans were and ensuring all group members were contributing. As she approached the group who were working in the withdrawal room, she noted three students leaning over the chart paper, mapping out possibilities and engaged in animated discussion, and the two refugee students sitting to one side talking in their mother tongue without as much as a pencil and paper to write with. She furrowed her brow and glared at them to show her disapproval of their work practices. Without asking them to explain themselves, she scolded the group for not working together. Then, without saying anything else, she pulled the two refugee students by their upper arm and relocated them to the group. She then said, ‘Stay with the group’.

The group of children looked at one another, and one of the more confident members spoke up, ‘Excuse me Ms Edwards, but we had broken into smaller groups. We three were designing the backdrop posters and those two were planning out a comedy skit.’ Ms Edwards reiterated her preference for all group members to work together and to do that they had to stay together.

Do you think that this was the right action by the teacher in this situation? What would you do?

  • Sometimes people talk about there being “right answers” or “truth” in primary teaching. What are your views?

  • Do you agree with the idea that there are no right answers in primary teaching?

  • Do think that anybody’s opinion is as good as another?

Ms Edwards left the working space and continued to move onto other groups. The students agreed that they would cease working in sub-groups and instead would all work on the skit. One student took the role of scribe and the other four offered suggestions. After 15 min, Ms Edwards returned to the group. She noted the five students appeared to be working together, but upon approaching, realised three students were talking in English and the two refugee students were talking in their mother-tongue. This time she scolded the two refugee students, ‘Are you actually working?’ They both stated they were trying to remember a water saving strategy they had seen at their Aunt’s home over the holidays. ‘We can contribute better if we discuss things in our mother-tongue first, then translate into English for group discussion’. Ms Edwards redressed them, ‘I’ve told you to only use English when you’re working in groups. All the experts say that you learn English better if you use it as much as you can. The other students need to know what you’re thinking Use only English in group work. Do you understand?’ The two refugee students were too scared to argue with Ms Edwards any further. They wanted to tell her that they were going to share their strategy with the group when they were satisfied they had recalled it correctly. However, they agreed with Ms Edwards that they needed to get more practise with their English and wouldn’t use their mother-tongue in group work again. Ms Edwards and the research must be right. She was the teacher and teachers know best.

  • What do you think is going on in the students’ minds?

  • Could the teacher be wrong? Could the research be wrong?

  • Do you trust the opinions of experts?

How do you learn?

  • How do you go about learning something that would help you to be a good primary teacher? [Probe for: Can you tell me how you go about learning? Probe the process and processing of information when learning?]

  • How do you know when you have learnt something?

  • So can you tell me what you think learning is?

  • What are the most important ways in which your current course is helping you to learn about primary teaching?

Early childhood teacher education scenario

What do you believe is good practice in child care?

Beliefs about children’s learning

How do you think children learn?

  • Can you think of an experience you have had with a child where you really noticed that he or she had learnt something?

  • How do you know when a child has learnt something?

Scenario

Daniel Kennedy is 4 years old and he has just arrived with his Mum at his child care centre. He is generally very sociable and plays immediately with the other children when dropped off. Today, however, he holds onto Mum’s leg, cries loudly, and will not let her go. Mum is becoming upset by this and some other children begin to cry. Mrs Bennett, the centre director, takes hold of Daniel and says, “Just go quickly.” His mother does so and Daniel became more upset and hits Mrs Bennett.

Do you think that this was the right action by the centre director in this situation? What would you do?

  • Sometimes people talk about there being “right answers” or “truth” in child care practice. What are your views?

  • Do you agree with the idea that there are no right answers in child care practice?

  • Do think that anybody’s opinion is as good as another?

Daniel’s behaviour did not improve throughout the morning. It escalated when he bit another child. The group leader began talking to Daniel about this incident. However, Mrs Bennett who happened to be in the room thought that this was insufficient. She took Daniel by the arm and took him to the naughty mat and told him to stay there. The group leader was worried about Daniel and tried to speak to Mrs Bennett.

Mrs Bennett said, “Experts say that you must be firm with children every time and use time out. It will make him behave better.” The group leader was too nervous to raise her objections with Mrs Bennett. She was unsure about the right way to manage a child in this situation but she remembered reading things like what Mrs Bennett was saying in textbooks. She thought to herself, “Experts must be right, mustn’t they? It doesn’t feel right though.”

  • What do you think is going on in the group leader’s mind?

  • Could the textbooks and Mrs Bennett be wrong?

  • Do you trust the opinions of experts?

How do you learn?

  • How do you go about learning something that you think is important to know that would help you to be a good group leader? [Probe for: Can you tell me how you go about learning? Probe the process and processing of information when learning?]

  • How do you know when you have learnt something?

  • So can you tell me what you think learning is?

  • What are the most important ways in which your current course is helping you to learn about child care practice?

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brownlee, J., Walker, S., Lennox, S. et al. The first year university experience: using personal epistemology to understand effective learning and teaching in higher education. High Educ 58, 599–618 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9212-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9212-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation