Investigating the Relationships Among Elementary School Students Epistemological Beliefs Metacognition and Constructivist Science Learning Environment

2010-03-01
TOPÇU, MUSTAFA SAMİ
Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül
The research questions addressed in this study were: what types of epistemological beliefs do elementary students have; what types of metacognition do elementary students have; and what are the relationships among students’ perceived characteristics of constructivist learning environment, metacognition, and epistemological beliefs. A total of 626 students enrolled in sixth, seventh, and eight grades of nine elementaryPUBLIC schools located in Ankara, Turkey constituted the participants of this study. Constructivist learning environment survey (CLES), Junior metacognitive awareness inventory (Jr. MAI), and Schommer epistemological belief questionnaire (EB) were administered to students. Factor Analysis of Jr. MAI revealed both knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition items were loaded into one factor. Confirmatory factor analysis of EB revealed a four factor structure namely innate ability, quick learning, omniscient authority, and certain knowledge. Regression analyses revealed that metacognition and omniscient authority were significant predictors of personal relevance dimension of CLES. Metacognition was found as the only predictor of the student negotiation. Innate ability and metacognition significantly contributed to uncertainty. This study revealed that the elementary students with different mastery levels hold different epistemological beliefs and multi-faceted nature of elementary school students’ metacognition was seemed to be supported with this study. It was found that metacognition contributed to model more than epistemological beliefs for all three dimensions of CLES.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION

Suggestions

Exploring representation of nature of science aspects in science textbooks
Yamak, Yeliz; Çakıroğlu, Jale; Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education (2009)
The aim of this study was to examine middle school science textbooks according to some criteria in terms of nature of science (NOS). A total of three middle school science textbooks in 6th, 7th and 8th grade and two biology units were analyzed in each textbook. In the 6th grade science textbooks, “Reproduction, Development and Growth in Living Beings”and “Systems in Our Body” units, in the 7th grade science textbook, “Systems in Our Body” and “Human and Environment” units, in the 8th grade science textbook,...
Using technology in preventing and remedying seventh grade students' misconceptions in forming and solving linear equations
Erek, Görkem; Erbaş, Ayhan Kürşat; Department of Educational Sciences (2008)
The purposes of this study was to investigate seventh-grade students’ misconceptions related to forming and solving equations and examine the role of technology use in preventing and remedying these misconceptions. A group of 18 seventh grade students was given a diagnostic test before they started the equations unit to determine their misconceptions related to the topic. Students studied equations for 6 weeks and half of the instruction took place in the computer lab where they used various electronic mani...
The contribution of cognitive and metacognitive strategy use to seventh grade students' science achievement
Akyol, Gülsüm; Öztekin, Ceren; Department of Educational Sciences (2009)
The purposes of the study were to examine the differences in the level of students’ cognitive and metacognitive strategy use and to investigate the contribution of cognitive and metacognitive strategy use (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation) to 7th grade students’ science achievement. This study also interested in exploring the relationships between students’ background characteristics (gender, prior knowledge, socioeconomic status) and the variables i...
The Contribution of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use to Students Science Achievement
Akyol, Gülsüm; Öztekin, Ceren; Sungur, Semra (Informa UK Limited, 2010-01-01)
This study examined the differences in the level of 7th-grade Turkish students' cognitive and metacognitive strategy use (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation) in science and investigated the contribution of cognitive and metacognitive strategy use to students' science achievement. The present study also explored the relationships between students' background characteristics (gender, prior knowledge, socioeconomic status) and their cognitive and metacogn...
Exploring the development of pre-service science teachers’ views on nature of science in inquiry-based laboratory instruction
Özgelen, Sinan; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül; Department of Educational Sciences (2010)
The purposes of this study were to explore understanding of preservice science teachers’ (PSTs) nature of science (NOS) views during the explicit-reflective and inquiry-based laboratory instruction and investigate PSTs’ perspectives and experiences related to learning NOS aspects in the science laboratory course. This study was carried out during the Laboratory Application in Science II course. A total of 45 PSTs participated to the study. The design of the study was qualitative and exploratory in nature. I...
Citation Formats
M. S. TOPÇU and Ö. Yılmaz Tüzün, “Investigating the Relationships Among Elementary School Students Epistemological Beliefs Metacognition and Constructivist Science Learning Environment,” JOURNAL OF SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION, pp. 255–273, 2010, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/35073.