Beliefs about knowledge and knowing of Thai University students : dimensions and developemnt of personal epistemology.
Issued Date
2007
Resource Type
Language
eng
Rights
Mahidol University
Suggested Citation
Fujiwara, Takayoshi, Phillips, Brian J. (2007). Beliefs about knowledge and knowing of Thai University students : dimensions and developemnt of personal epistemology.. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/35017
Title
Beliefs about knowledge and knowing of Thai University students : dimensions and developemnt of personal epistemology.
Author(s)
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was (a) to investigate the structure and
nature of beliefs about knowledge and knowing of Thai university students and
(b) to examine whether these beliefs are different among students with different
periods of years spent at the university, i.e., first-year and graduating students.
Methods: A 39-item questionnaire, covering the five hypothetical dimensions
proposed by Schommer, was administered to 830 students in a Thai university,
of which 398 were first-year students and 432 had just completed their
undergraduate programs. The participants were asked to indicate how they agree
or disagree to 39 statements on knowledge and knowledge acquisition.
Results: Through principal component analysis, five factors of personal
epistemology were extracted: Nature and Speed of Learning, Source and Nature
of Knowledge, Nature of Successful Learning, Structure of Knowledge, and
Stability of Knowledge. The dimensional structure was very complicated, and
items covering different hypothetical dimensions were grouped together under
one factor. The graduates had significantly epistemologically more developed
beliefs about knowledge than the first-year students.
Conclusion: The first finding seems to support the dimensional structure of the
personal epistemology held by Thai university students, yet still much more
empirical research is necessary to investigate Thai and other Asian students. The
second finding suggests that the undergraduate education facilitates the
development of perspectives toward knowledge and knowing, provided that these
two groups of students share similarities in many aspects. A valid questionnaire
instrument needs to be developed considering the socio-cultural contexts of the
participants and its psychometric validity.
Description
Research Seminar on Research for MUIC Development, Mahidol University International College, Thailand. January 19, 2007