Epistemological Beliefs of Upper Primary School Teachers and Their Teaching Practices

Nigussu, Tilahun

dc.contributor.author	Nigussu, Tilahun
dc.date.accessioned	2018-01-13T05:21:38Z
dc.date.available	2018-01-13T05:21:38Z
dc.date.issued	2018-01-13
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/8454
dc.description.abstract	The purpose of this study was tofind out the dominant epistemological beliefs of teachers and to examine differences in epistemological beliefs as a result of some variables like sex; years of teaching experience and subject area of teachers. Moreover, it was aimed at assessing whether teachers' beliefs concord with their classroom practices or not. The study group composed of 216 second cycle elementary school teachers teaching in all (17) government owned schools in Bahir Dar City Administration. Data were collected using Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (Schommer, 1990), classroom observation and semi structured interview. The results revealed that teachers seem to be generally constructivists in their epis.temological beliefs. However, the results further disclosed that teachers were naive epistemologically in their beliefs of certainty of knowledge which signifies that they believe knowledge is unchanging and certain (which is a naive epistemology). Nevertheless, they were found to be sophisticated in terms of source, control, organization and speed of knowledge acquisition. In other words, they believed that knowledge is constructed or derived bY,; reason than handed down by omniscient authority; not simple and compartmentalized but it is complex and highly integrated; the ability to learn is acquired through experience than is innate and fixed at birth and knowledge acquisition is gradual but not quick or not-at-all. No significant difference was found in epistemological beliefs pf teachers as a result of sex and the nature of subjects they teach. On the other-hand, experience of teachers in the teaching <profession was found to have significant effect on the beliefs teachers held. Novice teachers had more sophisticated beliefs than more experienced ones. Interview and classroom observations revealed that teachers' beliefs were not in -, harmony with their classroom practices. Contrary to their beliefs, their classrooms were .dominated by teacher-centered traditional lecture methods in which teachers talk and students listen. The evidence from this study indicates that to make teachers to be confident and innovative users of active learning strategy, they should be provided with sufficient facilities they require. Empowering teachers with the necessary skills they require for proper ""'- implementation of interactive teaching and learning is another important point -... that needs to be taken into consideration. It was suggested that conducting a further study tu confirm whether the curriculum was designed to suit student centered approach is very relevant. Failure to do so may jeopardize the quality of education offered at schools which would ultimately affect the social, economical, =and psychojogical health of the society that are the major precursors of development. ~	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.subject	psychology	en_US
dc.title	Epistemological Beliefs of Upper Primary School Teachers and Their Teaching Practices	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US