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Testing an epistemological belief instrument that reflects a multidimensional model
Walter, Robyn K.
Walter, Robyn K.
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2000-08
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Abstract
Recently Schommer, Mau, and Brookhart (1999) attempted to assess middle
school students' epistemological beliefs using a 30-item epistemological
beliefs questionnaire that was designed by Schommer specifically for use with
middle school students. A three-factor model of epistemological beliefs was
found. In contrast, a four-factor epistemological beliefs model has been found
with high school students, college students, and older adults using a 63-item
version of the epistemological beliefs questionnaire (Schommer, 1990; 1993b;
1998). The purpose of this research was to determine if the three-factor
epistemological beliefs model found in the Schommer et al. (1999) study
accurately assessed middle school students' epistemological beliefs or if the
·questionnaire lacks appropriate psychometric properties to detect the fourth
factor. Using the 30-item epistemological beliefs questionnaire, a total of 901
students from two Midwestern high schools participated in order to
determine whether the 30-item epistemological beliefs questionnaire had
similar psychometric qualities compared to the original 63-item
epistemological beliefs questionnaire (Schommer, 1990). It was expected that
the data from this research would elicit the same four-factor epistemological
belief structure found previously among high school students (Schommer,
1993b) and the epistemological belief factors would predict grade point
averages (GP A). The data gathered from the high school population using the
30-item Attitudes About Education epistemological beliefs questionnaire
elicited a four-factor structure of personal epistemology and three
epistemological belief factors_ were found to predict GP A. Results indicate that
~he 30-item questionnaire elicits similar results among high school students
as the 63-item questionnaire.
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Thesis (M.Ed.)--Wichita State University, College of Education, Dept. of Administration, Counseling, Educational and School Psychology
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Wichita State University