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2006-07-25 (Vol 3, No 7)

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PROFILE CHANGE IN PRESERVICE SCIENCE TEACHER¡¯S EPISTEMOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL BELIEFS ABOUT CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING: IMPLICATIONS FOR SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING

(Doctoral Dissertation Abstract)

This study investigated preservice teachers¡¯ understandings of the ontology and epistemology underlying constructivist notions of learning, and the implications that changes in ontological beliefs and epistemological commitments had on preservice teachers¡¯ conceptions of themselves as teachers and their conceptions of students as learners. Multiple views of constructivism formed the basis for much of the instruction that was presented throughout these preservice teachers¡¯ education program, as revealed by faculty interview data. For the 16 preservice teachers included in this study, the epistemological and ontological characteristics for each teacher's developing views of learning were identified through four in-depth interviews. Data from interviews were used to construct a constructivist profile for each preservice teacher's views of learning (i.e., a profile composed of his or her views on the nature of reality (ontology), reason for justifying knowledge (epistemology), and conceptions of science teaching and learning). Changes in the profiles for each individual were documented over the time span of this study. Of the sixteen participants in the study, five significantly changed ontological and epistemological beliefs and eleven did not. Profile changes for the five who did change also resulted in changes in their conceptions of science teaching and learning (CSTL).
This study demonstrated that the notion of a constructivist profile containing ontological beliefs, epistemological commitments, and pedagogical beliefs could be aligned with conceptions of science teaching and learning. It also demonstrated implications that changes in components for an educational constructivist profile have for a preservice teacher's view of themselves as teacher. However, changes in ontological and epistemological beliefs are not easy, nor are they easily internalized (Chinn & Brewer, 1993; Chi, 1992). On the positive side, when change did occur, these changes were attributed to the coursework associated within this preservice teacher education program that attempted to advance constructivist philosophies--or a program designed to develop a constructivist perspective on teaching and learning. Teaching about constructivist philosophies, as this program did, helped some preservice teachers develop conceptions of teaching and learning that were well grounded philosophically.
The overall conclusion drawn from this research is that preservice teachers can develop 'constructivist' notions of teaching that are consistent with and founded upon philosophical principles. For teacher educators attempting to change preservice teachers views on teaching, preservice teacher education programs should challenge their student's ontological beliefs and epistemological commitments if they expect to see changes in how science is taught and learned. For researchers, this study offers insights into the reasons that preservice teachers give for changes in their thinking about learning to teach. The implications of this research are that preservice teachers should be aware of coexisting categories of their ¡®learning-to-teach¡¯ profiles, and that teacher educators should provide these preservice teachers with instruction designed to affect change in their ontological and epistemological beliefs as well as change preservice teachers¡¯ profiles towards increasing constructivist views of teaching/learning and restricting other undesirable categories. Continued examination of changes in preservice teachers¡¯ beliefs towards educational constructivism, or any other version of constructivism, would provide important information about the extent to which these views can be applied in their science classrooms.
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By
Youngsun Kwak, Ph.D.
The Ohio State University, 2001
Professor Michael E. Beeth, Advisor

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