Personal epistemology of Thai university students: cultural influence on the development of beliefs about knowledge and knowing.

Abstract

The objective of this study is: (a) to investigate the structure of personal epistemology of Thai university students, and (b) to examine whether there is a significant difference in their personal epistemology between groups of students with different secondary educational backgrounds. A questionnaire, asking participants to indicate how they agree or disagree to statements on knowledge and knowing, was administered to first-year students at a university in Thailand. Through factor analysis, three dimensions were identified: Fixed Ability, Stable Knowledge, and Simple Knowledge. However, the factor structure was complex, and the items representing different conceptual dimensions were merged into the same factors. This finding appears to confirm a dimensional structure of the Thai university students’ personal epistemology, yet it requires further investigations to clarify the nature of relatively independent dimensions. Significant differences were identified among groups of students differing in educational backgrounds. The students graduated from schools abroad and international schools were significantly more epistemologically developed than those graduated from local Thai schools. Similarly the students intending to major in science had significantly more epistemologically developed beliefs than the prospective arts and business majors. These results suggest that culture through education influences the development of perspectives toward knowledge and knowing.