Dimensional Structure and variations of personal epistemology : beliefs about knowledge and learning of Thai University students.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was (a) to investigate the dimensions of the personal epistemology of Thai university students and (b) to examine whether there is any significant difference between groups of students majoring in different disciplines in terms of their personal epistemological perspectives. Methods: A total of 899 first-year undergraduate students in a Thai university completed a questionnaire, devised from Schommer’s original versions, asking the respondents to indicate how they agree or disagree to 39 statements on knowledge and leaning. Results: Through principal component analysis, four factors of personal epistemology were extracted: Nature of Learning, Nature and Source of Knowledge, Nature of Intelligence and Speed of Learning. However, the structure was not clear cut, and very complicated. Items expected to measure different hypothetical dimensions of these beliefs were merged into one factor. In terms of the four epistemological factors, significant differences were identified between groups of students intending to major in different disciplines. Students majoring in medicine had significantly more epistemologically developed perspectives than prospective engineering majors. Conclusions: The findings seem to endorse that the personal epistemology held by Thai university students has a dimensional structure, but at the same time indicate the complexity of this construct. They also suggest that students’ past educational experiences affect their personal epistemology. This study clarifies that a revised questionnaire needs to be developed considering the socio-cultural contexts of the participants, as already observed by the previous studies investigating Asian students.