The structure and nature of epistemological beliefs: Implications from literature review and syntheses of research findings

This paper examines the structure and nature of epistemological beliefs through literature review and synthesis of research findings. Previously reported studies conducted in the United States, Chile, Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan were analyzed and compared in terms of the cultural values across differing contexts, methodologies and results. Subsequently, a plausible structure of epistemological beliefs was proposed to cater for varied epistemological belief dimensions identified in different contexts. Further, the nature of epistemological beliefs, whether beliefs are domain dependent or independent; and their relation with approaches to learning and conceptions about teaching and learning were discussed and implications were drawn for the future direction of research.
本論文透過文獻回顧和結合研究結果以細看知識信念的結構和性質。文章比較及分析美國、智利、比利時、荷蘭、日本、韓國、香港及臺灣各地的研究報告，包括研究結果、方法和不同地區文化價值觀，並由此推論、建議一個知識信念的結構，容納在不同文化背景研究所得相異知識信念的維度。文章亦討論知識信念的性質，例如知識信念是否取決或獨立於學科，知識信念與學習取向，和教與學概念的關係，並啟示未來研究的方向。 Copyright © 2006 Hong Kong Psychological Society.