Changes in epistemological beliefs among undergraduate students: Programme components and learning experiences

With an aim to map out the development and the learning process for undergraduate students enrolled in a 4-year teacher education programme, a longitudinal study investigating changes in the students’ epistemological beliefs conducted. The study involved 197 undergraduate students. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to examine the students’ epistemological beliefs and influences from the undergraduate teacher education programme that are related to these changes. Questionnaire data across the four-year period were analyzed to tap possible changes in the epistemological beliefs of students. The anaylsis of qualitative data from interview identified critical elements of the undergraduate programme which contribute to these changes. Implications for the design of undergraduate professional programmes are drawn based on the findings.