TY - JOUR
T1 - Knowledge is knowledge is knowledge? The relationship between personal and scientific epistemologies
AU - Tabak, Iris
AU - Weinstock, Michael P.
PY - 2005/1/1
Y1 - 2005/1/1
N2 - In this paper, we explore cross‐domain versus domain‐specific scientific epistemological understanding. Research about relationships between such understandings shows mixed results. The ambiguities may result from the instruments used. Unlike most studies, we combined instruments from the personal‐ and science‐epistemology research traditions. Students in Grades 6 to 9 in a science‐centred school completed adaptations of the Epistemological Thinking Assessment (ETA) (Kuhn, Cheney, and Weinstock, 2000) and the Views of Science‐Technology‐Society (VOSTS) (Aikenhead and Ryan, 1992) instruments. Regular‐school students in Grades 7 and 9 also completed the ETA. Developmental patterns on the ETA emerged as expected in both schools. However, the science‐centred students’ views of knowledge in the social and physical domains seem more differentiated and sophisticated. Their performance on the VOSTS tended toward higher scores, although lower than expected. There was no significant relationship between performance on the ETA and on the VOSTS. The findings propose domain‐specific aspects of epistemological understanding and development.
AB - In this paper, we explore cross‐domain versus domain‐specific scientific epistemological understanding. Research about relationships between such understandings shows mixed results. The ambiguities may result from the instruments used. Unlike most studies, we combined instruments from the personal‐ and science‐epistemology research traditions. Students in Grades 6 to 9 in a science‐centred school completed adaptations of the Epistemological Thinking Assessment (ETA) (Kuhn, Cheney, and Weinstock, 2000) and the Views of Science‐Technology‐Society (VOSTS) (Aikenhead and Ryan, 1992) instruments. Regular‐school students in Grades 7 and 9 also completed the ETA. Developmental patterns on the ETA emerged as expected in both schools. However, the science‐centred students’ views of knowledge in the social and physical domains seem more differentiated and sophisticated. Their performance on the VOSTS tended toward higher scores, although lower than expected. There was no significant relationship between performance on the ETA and on the VOSTS. The findings propose domain‐specific aspects of epistemological understanding and development.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011501239&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14926150509556664
DO - 10.1080/14926150509556664
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85011501239
SN - 1492-6156
VL - 5
SP - 307
EP - 328
JO - Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
JF - Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
IS - 3
ER -