Exploring the Relationship Between High School Students’ Physics-Related Personal Epistemologies and Self-regulated Learning in Turkey

Abstract

This article reports on an empirical exploration of the relations and strengths among Turkish grades 9-11 students' (n = 209) personal epistemologies (justification of knowledge, certainty of knowledge, source of knowledge, development of knowledge), self-regulated learning (extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation), and achievement in physics (course grades). Established instruments were used to collect data on these students' beliefs about knowledge and components of self-regulated learning (SRL) such as goal orientations (extrinsic and intrinsic motivation) and learning strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive regulation. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that students' personal epistemologies directly influenced their motivation (extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientations), rehearsal and organization strategies, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Furthermore, students' personal epistemologies indirectly (mediated through motivation beliefs) influenced rehearsal, elaboration and organization strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Students' ideas about knowledge and knowing about the source and development of knowledge significantly contributed to students' self-regulatory skills and physics course grade. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Epilogue for the IJSME Special Issue: Metacognition for Science and Mathematics Learning in Technology-Infused Learning Environments

“…Researchers collected quantitative data such as selfefficacy , metacognitive self-regulation (Chen & Chiu, 2015), and metacognitive strategies (Alpaslan et al, 2015). Qualitative data were also collected and analyzed to support findings such as worksheets and open-ended questions (van Velzen, 2015).…”

“…For instance, Alpaslan, Yalvac, Loving and Willson (2015) utilized Muis's model to explore the relation among students' personal epistemologies, achievement goals, learning strategies, and achievement using self-report instruments. In contrast, Chen, Huang and Chou's (2015) study applied the COPES model (Winne & Hadwin, 1998) to design metacognitive scaffolding for experimental goal setting and planning of physics laboratory activities using a questionnaire associated with worksheets to examine learners' goal setting, planning, and self-efficacy.…”

Dokuzuncu Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Biyoloji ve Fizik Derslerindeki Kaynak Yönetimi Stratejilerin İncelenmesi

“…Daha önce yapılan çalışmalar öğrenciler fizik dersinde özellikle deneysel ve laboratuvar çalışmaları gibi akran işbirliğini kapsayan öğretim yöntemlerine yönelik olumlu görüşler bildirmişlerdir (Özek, Gönen, Maskan, Kavak, & Aşkın, 2003). Fakat öğrencilerin fizik dersindeki bilgilerin kesin ve değişmez olarak görmeleri (Topçu, 2013), fizik dersini daha çok formül ezberleme olarak tanımlamaları (Redish & Steinberg, 1999) ve fizik çalışırken daha çok ezberleme üzerine öğrenme stratejisi seçmeleri (Alpaslan, Yalvac, Loving, & Willson, 2016), öğrencilerin fizik dersine tek başına çalışmayı seçmelerine neden olabilir.…”

Students' Metacognition Skills in Physics Problem Solving Based on Epistemological Beliefs

“…Beliefs about the nature of knowledge (called epistemological beliefs) have been linked to numerous aspects of learning, particularly among college and high school students [2]. Students' epistemological beliefs in general related to some aspects of the learning, such as conceptual change [3], intrinsic motivation [4] [5], and academic achievement [6].…”