Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Pages: 1000-1020

Journal: International Journal of Science Education

Volume number: 44

Issue number: 6

ISSN: 0950-0693

eISSN: 1464-5289

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2022.2059821

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 
The school context, like other influences, affects the development of students' epistemic beliefs (EBs), with theoretical conceptualizations suggesting a distinction between EBs related to professional and school science. However, empirical studies rarely address this distinction, and instruments separately assessing these EBs are not available. We address this research gap by providing a new questionnaire that is based on the established instrument by Conley et al. (2004) and which uses pairs of analogous items referring to the contexts of professional and school science. We succeeded in simultaneously assessing students' EBs with reliable scales that allow for direct comparisons. Cross-sectional data is reported from a cohort study (N = 405) in grades 6 (n = 132), 8 (n = 167) and 10 (n = 106) that showed higher agreement with the scales related to professional science as well as higher agreement in higher grade levels. We further discuss methodological aspects of scale-formation, and highlight promising implementations of our questionnaire that future research could benefit from.

Harvard Citation style: Voitle, F., Heuckmann, B., Kampa, N. and Kremer, K. (2022) Assessing students' epistemic beliefs related to professional and school science, International Journal of Science Education, 44(6), pp. 1000-1020. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2022.2059821

APA Citation style: Voitle, F., Heuckmann, B., Kampa, N., & Kremer, K. (2022). Assessing students' epistemic beliefs related to professional and school science. International Journal of Science Education. 44(6), 1000-1020. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2022.2059821