Hong Kong teacher education students' epistemological beliefs and approaches to learning

Research in Education, May 2003 by Chan, Kwok-wai

A sample of 292 Hong Kong teacher education students were asked to complete two questionnaires, one on epistemological beliefs and the other on study approaches. Multivariate analyses showed that the epistemological beliefs and study approaches of the students were independent of age (except Authority/Expert knowledge and Deep Approach), gender and electives. Correlational analysis indicated that epistemological beliefs were related to study approaches. Beliefs in Innate/Fixed ability, Authority/ Expert knowledge and Certainty knowledge were positively related to Surface approach, Surface motive and Surface strategy in learning whereas belief in Learning effort/Process was positively related to Deep approach, Deep motive and Strategy in learning. A negative relation was identified between belief in Authority/Expert knowledge and Deep approach, Motive and Strategy. The results support the suggestions in the literature that epistemological beliefs are related to metacognitive activities, and implications are drawn for teaching and learning as well as future research.

Key words Epistemological beliefs, Study approaches, Motives, Strategies.

Students' motivation to learn and learning processes are always the major concerns of school teachers and college professors. Educators have theorised different models and engaged in research to help understand the nature of students' motivation and learning processes. One commonly cited model in teaching and learning literature is the 3P model of classroom learning, outlined by Dunkin and Biddle in 1974 (Biggs and Moore, 1993), which relates the main components in classroom learning in terms of the three Ps: Presage (students' characteristics and teaching context), Process (task processing) and Product (nature of outcome). Among students' characteristics associated with learning, students' motivation and their approaches, hence strategies to learn, are considered important elements and have been much researched.

Studies of learning strategies show an important interplay of the cognitive, affective and metacognitive components in students' self-regulated learning (e.g. Vermunt, 1988, 1989). Students' belief in abilities and learning is also found to be an influential element of motivation and achievement (Dweck and Leggett, 1988). The relation of students' belief and motivation to learn has become one of the current research topics, and the study of epistemological beliefs has drawn the interest of a number of researchers.

Students' approaches to learning

Researchers have done numerous studies of students' study approaches since the late 1970s. Basically, two approaches to learning have been identified: the 'surface' approach and the 'deep' approach (Marton and Saljo, 1976). A surface approach describes the intention to reproduce information in compliance with externally imposed task demands, while a deep approach involves the intention to understand. A number of instruments or inventories have been developed to measure study approaches. These include Biggs's Learning Process Questionnaire (LPQ) and Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) (Biggs, 1987); Entwistle's Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) (Entwistle and Ramsden, 1983) and the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory (RASI) (Entwistle and Tait, 1994). Biggs's LPQ is for measuring the study approaches of high-school students and SPQ is for tertiary students. Later Biggs (1993) reported having extracted a third factor in factor analysis studies, and he termed the third factor the 'achieving' approach. The 'achieving' approach is based on the ego enhancement of aiming at the achievement of high grades. Like the surface approach, the focus is not task-centred but on the recognition gained from top performance. The strategy is to organise time, workplace and syllabus coverage cost-effectively, with much use of cue seeking, systematic use of study skills, planning ahead and allocating time according to task importance. Following the work of Biggs, studies of a similar nature have been conducted by other researchers in different cultures (e.g. Watkins and Hattie, 1985; Watkins and Ismail, 1994). Researchers have found an association between the study approaches of students and the teacher's instructional processes and form of assessment (Campbell et al., 1996; McKay and Kember, 1997). Past studies suggest that Asian students rely on rote learning and a surface approach while Western students such as those from Australia employ deep learning strategies or approaches to learning (Watkins and Hattie, 1985; Watkins and Ismail, 1994; Watkins et al., 1991). However, in a later study of Hong Kong Chinese students' study approaches, researchers introduced a new concept of learning called 'deep memorisation' (referred to by Tang) as a way to enhance understanding (Chalmers and Volet, 1997; Kember, 1996; Marton et al.., 1997; SadlerSmith and Tsang, 1998). Subsequently Biggs argued that the perceptions of Westerners who took rote learning by Chinese students as a surface approach to study might be inappropriate. Instead, rote learning as adopted by Chinese students might be an adaptive strategy in coping with assessments and in enhancing understanding (Watkins and Biggs, 1996). Such an argument would require further investigation for clarification.