Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationships between lower-secondary
education teachers’ epistemological beliefs and their conceptions about teaching and
learning. The sample of this descriptive study is comprised of 184 lower-secondary
school teachers. As data collection tools, the Epistemological Belief Questionnaire
(EBQ) and the Teaching and Learning Conception Scale were used. In the analysis of
the data, descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way variance analysis (ANOVA) and
multiple regression analysis were employed. The findings of the study revealed that
the teachers’ level of beliefs about the sub-dimensions of Authority/Expert Knowledge
and Learning Effort/Process was found to be high, their level of beliefs about the subdimension
named as Innate/Fixed Ability was found to be medium and their level of
beliefs about the sub-dimension of Certainty of Knowledge is low. Though the
teachers mostly prefer constructivist conception to shape their instructional practices,
they also have a considerable orientation towards the adoption of traditional
conception. Moreover, it was concluded that the teachers’ epistemological beliefs are a
significant predictor of their preferences for constructivist and traditional teaching and
learning conceptions.
