Second-Order Latent Growth Models with Shifting Indicators

Second-order latent growth models assess longitudinal change in a latent construct, typically employing identical manifest variables as indicators across time. However, the same indicators may be unavailable and/or inappropriate for all time points. This article details methods for second-order growth models in which constructs’ indicators shift over time

At the Crossroads of Epistemology and Motivation: Modeling the Relations between Students' Domain-Specific Epistemological Beliefs, Achievement Motivation, and Task Performance

Within the educational literature, students' epistemological beliefs (i.e., beliefs about the nature of knowledge) have been examined in relation to a variety of cognitive learning outcomes (e.g., strategy use and academic performance). However, relatively few investigations have explored the relations between students' epistemological beliefs and achievement motivation. In this investigation, a model of the potential relations between epistemological beliefs, achievement motivation, and learning outcomes was proposed and a portion of the model was tested. Specifically, I focused on the domain-specific epistemological beliefs, ability beliefs, expectancies for success, achievement value, intentions, and task performance of college students. Four-hundred and eighty-two students completed measures designed to assess students' a) beliefs about the structure, stability, and source of knowledge, b) ability beliefs, c) expectancies for success, d) achievement values, and e) intentions to engage in future tasks relative to history and mathematics. Students also completed a learning task related to history and mathematics. The learning task involved reading a two-part passage that described the history and mathematics of statistical regression. After reading each portion of the passage, participants reported the strategies they used. Students also completed knowledge tests designed to assess what they learned. Separate confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the structure of students' epistemological beliefs, ability beliefs and expectancies for success, and achievement values. Findings supported the domain-specific and multidimensional nature of epistemological beliefs and suggested the presence of underlying domain-general beliefs. Additionally, previous findings with respect to the structure of students' ability beliefs, expectancies for success, and achievement values were replicated (e.g., Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). Separate structural equation models were applied to the history and mathematics data to assess the proposed relations between epistemological beliefs, achievement motivation, and learning outcomes. Evidence supported many of the hypothesized relations. For instance, students' epistemological beliefs significantly influenced their competency beliefs, achievement values, and some forms of strategy use. Relations between competency beliefs, achievement values, task performance, and intentions were also confirmed. These findings indicate the need for additional research examining the relations between epistemological beliefs and motivation and highlight the practical significance of students' epistemological beliefs

Teachers’ Beliefs, in the Context of Policy Reform

Teachers’ beliefs shape their practice. Beliefs, conceptions held with enough personal conviction to be considered true, serve as helpful heuristics for teachers embedded in the complex, ever-changing contexts of classrooms and schools. Three sets of beliefs appear essential to teaching practice, namely, beliefs about teaching, knowledge (epistemic beliefs), and students’ ability. Empirical research about these beliefs is reviewed in light of current U.S. policy documents of curriculum standards, the Common Core State Standards initiative and the Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Teachers’ beliefs filter, frame, and guide their perceptions and implementation of the new curriculum standards. Recommendations to policy makers, educational leaders, and teacher educators include allowing teachers to examine and reflect on their beliefs in light of reforms

Exploring Differences in Practicing Teachers’ Valuing of Pedagogical Knowledge Based On Teaching Ability Beliefs

In this investigation, we assessed 443 teachers’ beliefs with the Teaching Ability Belief Scale (TABS) and the Importance of Teaching Knowledge Scale (ITKS). Using cluster analysis, we identified four groups of teachers based on their responses to the TABS reflecting Innate, Learned, Hybrid, and Requires Polish perspectives on the ability to teach. A comparative analysis, using the identified clusters, indicated differences in teachers’ valuing of teaching knowledge across the clusters. Teachers in the Learned cluster valued knowledge of theory significantly more so than other groups

What Do Teachers Believe? Developing a Framework for Examining Beliefs About Teachers\u27 Knowledge and Ability

Influenced by work on teacher beliefs, personal epistemology, teachers\u27 knowledge, implicit theories, and motivation, we conducted a two-part investigation exploring preservice and practicing teachers\u27 beliefs about teaching knowledge and teaching ability. Study I qualitatively examined 53 preservice and 57 practicing teachers\u27 beliefs about teaching, in order to: (1) ensure that the voices of teachers were made prevalent in the development of a framework aimed at understanding their beliefs and (2) facilitate the development of a quantitative measure to assess these beliefs. Results indicated that participants valued several aspects of teaching knowledge and held complex beliefs related to the implicit theories of teaching ability. Study I concludes with a framework for developing an instrument to assess teachers\u27 beliefs. Study II describes two instruments developed to assess the beliefs identified in Study 1. Using responses from 351 preservice teachers, exploratory factor analysis procedures identified factors reflective of emergent themes from Study I

Exploring Teachers\u27 Beliefs About Teaching Knowledge: Where Does It Come from? Does It Change?

The authors analyzed the open-ended responses of preservice (n = 53) and practicing (n = 57) teachers in terms of themes related to beliefs regarding the source and stability of teaching knowledge. Findings indicate that participants hold a range of beliefs regarding these constructs. Six themes related to the source of teaching knowledge emerged: formal education, formalized bodies of knowledge, observational learning, collaboration with others, enactive experiences, and self-reflection. For beliefs about the stability of teaching knowledge, individuals expressed beliefs about the amount, direction, and quality of knowledge change with regard to various aspects of knowledge (e.g., content knowledge, use and integration of technology, knowledge of development and pedagogy). The authors relate their findings to the existing literature and discuss the implications of the identified beliefs for future research as well as teacher education, development, and practice

Examining the Factor Structure of the Teachers\u27 Sense of Efficacy Scale

The authors examined the factor structure of the long and short forms of the Teachers\u27 Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; M. Tschannen-Moran & A. Woolfolk-Hoy, 2001) for practicing (n = 102) and preservice teachers (n = 270), comparing the responses to both forms of the TSES, and looked for differences in teachers\u27 efficacy with respect to experience and grade level taught. They found the 3-factor structure - efficacy for classroom management, instructional practices, and student engagement - to be appropriate for practicing teachers, but they found a single efficacy factor to be appropriate for preservice teachers. The long and short forms of the TSES produced similar means and reliability information, suggesting that either form is appropriate for use with preservice or practicing teachers. Last, they found that teachers with 10 or more years of teaching experience and those teaching at the elementary level reported significantly higher levels of efficacy than did preservice teachers or those teaching at the middle or high school levels, respectively

Teaching as Persuasion

A design experiment was undertaken to explore the effects of science lessons, framed as persuasion, on students\u27 knowledge, beliefs, and interest. Sixth and seventh graders participated in lessons about Galileo and his discoveries focusing on the personal costs and public controversies surrounding those discoveries. In selected classrooms, lessons were teacher led, while others were student led. Participants\u27 knowledge, beliefs, and interest were compared to peers in other science classes. There were significant differences between persuasion and comparison classrooms on all variables. However, teacher-led lessons were more effective at changing students\u27 knowledge, whereas student-led lessons had more impact on students\u27 beliefs

Teachers\u27 Epistemic Cognition in Classroom Assessment

Epistemic cognition represents aspects of teachers\u27 thinking focused on issues related to knowledge, which may have particular relevance for classroom assessment practices given that teachers must discern what their students know and then use this information to inform instruction. We present a model of epistemic cognition in teaching with a focus on teachers\u27 classroom assessment practices. We argue that teachers\u27 epistemic cognition is inherently more complex than current models developed for learners. Further, we suggest that teachers\u27 epistemic cognition can be supported through the development of reflexivity as an epistemic virtue and that the 3R-EC framework for reflexivity represents one protocol for engaging in reflexive practice that targets epistemic cognition. We close the article with implications for teacher development and with recommendations for further theory and research