We, as a culture, tend to lump students into broad categories to describe their relationships with mathematics, such as ‘good at math’ or ‘hates math.’ This study focuses on five students each of whom could be considered ‘good at math,’ and shows how the beliefs that make up their mathematical identities are actually significantly different. The study examined eight beliefs that affect a student's motivation to do mathematics: confidence, anxiety, enjoyment of mathematics, skill level, usefulness of mathematics, what mathematics is, what it means to be good at mathematics, and how one learns mathematics. These five students' identities, which seemed to be very similar, were so intrinsically different that they could not be readily ranked or compared on a one-dimensional scale. Each student had a unique array of beliefs. For example, the students had strikingly different ideas about the definition of mathematics and how useful it is to the world and to the individual, they had varying amounts of confidence, different aspects that cause anxiety, particular facets that they enjoy and different ways of showing enjoyment. Their commonly held beliefs also varied in specificity, conspicuousness, and importance. Recognizing that there are such differences among seemingly similar students may help teachers understand students better, and it is the first step in knowing how teachers can improve student's relationships with mathematics.

<p>  </p> <p>To fully understand the nature of help, we need to study it from both the helper’s and the recipient’s perspectives, yet the recipient's perspective of help has been often overlooked. This study aimed to identify and measure people’s general beliefs about seeking and receiving help. The first study used thematic analysis to identify broad belief themes from 81 participants’ written thoughts and experiences of help. The five belief themes were then used to generate a pool of items to measure general beliefs about seeking and receiving help. The second study used a split-half sample to assess the factor structure and identify items to remove using EFA and CFA. Ten distinct, though related, subscales of the five belief themes were retained, and these items were then assessed through a content validation study, which supported the definitional correspondence and distinctiveness of the items to their scales. While further validation of the measure needs to be conducted, there is promising evidence of the scale’s content coverage compared to previous scales, reliability, and content validity of the identified subscales. </p>

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ availing and nonavailing epistemic beliefs about teaching and learning, with particular focus on beliefs about visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (VAK) learning styles; the study investigated VAK belief sources and justification, and the ways those beliefs were enacted in classroom practice. 660 teachers in Mississippi were surveyed, with the large majority (94.5%) reporting they believed that students’ learning styles are important for learning. Most teachers had been introduced to the idea in teacher preparation coursework, and few had heard about information suggesting learning styles were not supported by research. Teachers reported that they considered learning styles to be useful for student grouping, assessments, and instructional delivery. Implications for bridging educational psychology research and teacher practices are discussed in light of findings.

One understudied barrier to science education reform concerns teachers’ cognitive processes and how they relate to instructional decision-making. Epistemic cognition—teachers’ beliefs about knowledge and knowledge acquisition and goals for their students’ knowledge acquisition—could provide important insights into the choices science teachers make in the classroom and why they might and might not adopt different instructional practices. Previous research has found mixed results regarding the relationship between beliefs and practice. Uniquely, science teachers encounter epistemic beliefs from both science and education, with potential differences that may need to be negotiated. This study found significant differences between the two belief systems but failed to find differences between biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth science. Three profiles were identified that were significantly different on their epistemic beliefs in the natural sciences and the learning sciences. Those in the naïve profile (highest beliefs in certainty of knowledge, authority as source of knowledge, and attainability of truth) had significantly less self-efficacy than those in the sophisticated profile, which predicted lower frequency of investigative teaching practices and practices promoting an investigative culture. Those in the flexible profile (medium beliefs in certainty of knowledge, authority as source of knowledge, and attainability of truth) used practices promoting an investigative culture significantly less frequently than those in the sophisticated profile. The findings from this study add to the literature on epistemic cognition and its influences. / Educational Psychology

The intent of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to examine the role teachers' beliefs play when making instructional decisions. The population included in-service teachers representing four Career and Technical Education disciplines located within the commonwealth of Virginia. Using a stratified random sample, 622 teachers were selected for the quantitative strand, and employing a system of four contacts, quantitative data were collected from 292 participants. Dweck's Theories of Intelligence scale assessed the nature of in-service teachers' beliefs about intelligence, and the Epistemic Belief Inventory was used to measure their epistemological beliefs. Finally, the participants rated their use of teacher-centered and student-centered teaching methods. In the second phase, qualitative data were collected from nine participants to further understand how in-service teachers' beliefs are related to the teaching practices they use. The quantitative and qualitative data were combined to determine if the descriptions of teaching method used, beliefs about intelligence, and epistemological beliefs aligned with the outcomes of the quantitative questionnaire. Significant correlations existed between the Theories of Intelligence scale and the Epistemic Belief Inventory. A significant positive relationship existed between the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory and the overall teaching practices score, indicating in-service teachers' advanced epistemological beliefs are related to the use of student-centered teaching practices. A regression analysis indicated that teaching discipline, epistemological beliefs, teaching experience, and highest level of education completed predicted the teaching practices in-service teachers' select. The qualitative data supported the claim that beliefs about intelligence and epistemological beliefs influence teaching practices. Six themes emerged from the qualitative data, and the themes were used as a framework for organizing the findings. The researcher acknowledges that teachers possess a variety of beliefs, and those beliefs influence how teachers teach. The researcher recommends that teacher educators attempt to identify the beliefs pre-service teachers hold, and if modifications of beliefs are needed, facilitate interventions to modify those beliefs. While some have labeled the direct relationship between teacher beliefs and teaching practices as "messy", the evidence indicates the two, are in fact, related. / Ph. D.

This research was conducted to determine what the nature of teachers’ educational beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning are, whether there is a relation between their educational beliefs and the way in which they instruct, and if a relation exists, what the nature of such a relation is. Teachers’ educational beliefs about the way in which learners learn and what they are supposed to learn, have a major influence on how the teacher instructs and on how the learners achieve. Educational beliefs are a comprehensive phenomenon and include beliefs about everything. Educational beliefs generally refer to beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning. The construct epistemological beliefs are actually also used in the literature and can be seen as the more restricted construct that only includes beliefs about knowledge and learning. Both constructs are used in this study. The phenomenon of educational beliefs is used concerning the beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning, whilst the phenomenon of epistemological beliefs are used when concerned with the beliefs about knowledge and learning. Educational beliefs vary from naïve to sophisticated. Teachers are characterised according to their educational beliefs about teaching as more teacher–centered or more learner–centered. Teachers who are more teacher–centered have more naïve epistemological beliefs and promote superficial learning, which leads to lower academic performances. Conversely, teachers who are more learner–centered have more sophisticated epistemological beliefs that promote an in depth approach to learning, which leads to higher academic performances. The implementation of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) requires inter alia a learner–centered teaching approach and more sophisticated epistemological beliefs. These requirements of OBE poses a major challenge to teachers with more naive epistemological beliefs, because beliefs develop over years and are deeply rooted and difficult to change. With this study it was found that the participants’ epistemological beliefs could be typified as a system including more and less sophisticated epistemological beliefs, thus they did not only have naïve or sophisticated epistemological beliefs. It was also found that the participants of this study were more learner–centered than teacher–centered. Participants with more naïve epistemological beliefs were more teacher–centered compared to participants who had less naïve, thus more sophisticated epistemological beliefs that were more learner–centered. A relation was found between teachers with more naïve epistemological beliefs and a teacher–centered approach and teachers with less naïve epistemological beliefs (thus more sophisticated epistemological beliefs) and a learner–centered approach. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This research was conducted to determine what the nature of teachers’ educational beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning are, whether there is a relation between their educational beliefs and the way in which they instruct, and if a relation exists, what the nature of such a relation is. Teachers’ educational beliefs about the way in which learners learn and what they are supposed to learn, have a major influence on how the teacher instructs and on how the learners achieve. Educational beliefs are a comprehensive phenomenon and include beliefs about everything. Educational beliefs generally refer to beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning. The construct epistemological beliefs are actually also used in the literature and can be seen as the more restricted construct that only includes beliefs about knowledge and learning. Both constructs are used in this study. The phenomenon of educational beliefs is used concerning the beliefs about teaching, knowledge and learning, whilst the phenomenon of epistemological beliefs are used when concerned with the beliefs about knowledge and learning. Educational beliefs vary from naïve to sophisticated. Teachers are characterised according to their educational beliefs about teaching as more teacher–centered or more learner–centered. Teachers who are more teacher–centered have more naïve epistemological beliefs and promote superficial learning, which leads to lower academic performances. Conversely, teachers who are more learner–centered have more sophisticated epistemological beliefs that promote an in depth approach to learning, which leads to higher academic performances. The implementation of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) requires inter alia a learner–centered teaching approach and more sophisticated epistemological beliefs. These requirements of OBE poses a major challenge to teachers with more naive epistemological beliefs, because beliefs develop over years and are deeply rooted and difficult to change. With this study it was found that the participants’ epistemological beliefs could be typified as a system including more and less sophisticated epistemological beliefs, thus they did not only have naïve or sophisticated epistemological beliefs. It was also found that the participants of this study were more learner–centered than teacher–centered. Participants with more naïve epistemological beliefs were more teacher–centered compared to participants who had less naïve, thus more sophisticated epistemological beliefs that were more learner–centered. A relation was found between teachers with more naïve epistemological beliefs and a teacher–centered approach and teachers with less naïve epistemological beliefs (thus more sophisticated epistemological beliefs) and a learner–centered approach. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The researcher is a member of the South African Police Service, attached to Family violence, Child protection and Sexual Offences Unit in the Eastern Cape, dealing with victims of child sexual abuse. It had come to the researcher’s attention that some children are being sexually abused by family relatives and some are sexually abused by the known people for different reasons which are based on their beliefs and knowledge about child sexual abuse. Most of these cases are of children who are living in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape. The numbers of such cases are increasing in Ngqeleni, Libode, Mqanduli, Mthatha and Lusikisiki; hence the study is based on those areas of the Eastern Cape. The people living in these areas speak isiXhosa. No study known of such has been conducted in this geographic area; it appears that this problem was never brought to light, at all. This matter of child sexual abuse in these areas was never addressed. The aim of the research is to know more about the beliefs and knowledge of isiXhosa-speaking people regarding child sexual abuse in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, and also to look at the strategies and programmes that can be implemented in order to make parents, children and the community at large of isiXhosa-speaking areas aware of child sexual abuse. Purposive sampling was conducted with Forensic Social workers at the South African Police Service, Social workers at Department of Social Development, and Social workers at Umtata Child Abuse Resource Centre, parents dealing with children and community members that are members of Lekgotla. The research done in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape shows that the isiXhosa-speaking people of the rural areas of the Eastern Cape have little knowledge of child sexual abuse and those that indeed do know what to do are obstructed by their beliefs about child sexual abuse; hence they do not report it and some do not consider it as being sexual abuse. The people concerned working in these areas are afraid to report incidents of child abuse, thinking that they will lose their job should they report the incidents to law enforcement agencies or to social workers. The study shows that neither awareness programmes were presented nor any education done in these areas about child sexual abuse. Children in these areas are vulnerable due to ignorance, lack of knowledge, beliefs of their parents and the beliefs of the perpetrators and their lack knowledge. There is a vast need for extended programmes, awareness and education projects to be conducted by the social workers in Government and Non-Government organizations in the remote areas, at school, and in the communities of these areas. Teachers at pre-school and primary school levels and parents need to be educated on child sexual abuse. This study addressed the issue of child sexual abuse looking at the beliefs of isiXhosa-speaking people. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The researcher is a member of the South African Police Service, attached to Family violence, Child protection and Sexual Offences Unit in the Eastern Cape, dealing with victims of child sexual abuse. It had come to the researcher’s attention that some children are being sexually abused by family relatives and some are sexually abused by the known people for different reasons which are based on their beliefs and knowledge about child sexual abuse. Most of these cases are of children who are living in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape. The numbers of such cases are increasing in Ngqeleni, Libode, Mqanduli, Mthatha and Lusikisiki; hence the study is based on those areas of the Eastern Cape. The people living in these areas speak isiXhosa. No study known of such has been conducted in this geographic area; it appears that this problem was never brought to light, at all. This matter of child sexual abuse in these areas was never addressed. The aim of the research is to know more about the beliefs and knowledge of isiXhosa-speaking people regarding child sexual abuse in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, and also to look at the strategies and programmes that can be implemented in order to make parents, children and the community at large of isiXhosa-speaking areas aware of child sexual abuse. Purposive sampling was conducted with Forensic Social workers at the South African Police Service, Social workers at Department of Social Development, and Social workers at Umtata Child Abuse Resource Centre, parents dealing with children and community members that are members of Lekgotla. The research done in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape shows that the isiXhosa-speaking people of the rural areas of the Eastern Cape have little knowledge of child sexual abuse and those that indeed do know what to do are obstructed by their beliefs about child sexual abuse; hence they do not report it and some do not consider it as being sexual abuse. The people concerned working in these areas are afraid to report incidents of child abuse, thinking that they will lose their job should they report the incidents to law enforcement agencies or to social workers. The study shows that neither awareness programmes were presented nor any education done in these areas about child sexual abuse. Children in these areas are vulnerable due to ignorance, lack of knowledge, beliefs of their parents and the beliefs of the perpetrators and their lack knowledge. There is a vast need for extended programmes, awareness and education projects to be conducted by the social workers in Government and Non-Government organizations in the remote areas, at school, and in the communities of these areas. Teachers at pre-school and primary school levels and parents need to be educated on child sexual abuse. This study addressed the issue of child sexual abuse looking at the beliefs of isiXhosa-speaking people. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study aimed to explore Taiwanese piano teachers’ beliefs about good teaching, and their practice, particularly teachers who teach beginners or young children; and to gain understanding of how Taiwanese piano teachers perceive creativity in their teaching. The perceptions of piano teaching of seven Taiwanese teachers were explored through using a qualitative methodology, which included an open questionnaire, two interviews separated by observation of classroom practice, and a reflective diary prepared by the participants which was facilitated by video-stimulated recall. The principal areas and findings of my research were that Taiwanese piano teachers’ beliefs about what constituted good lessons are diverse. These were explored from three perspectives, namely, the characteristics of effective teachers, the components of effective lessons, and effective teaching strategies. The participant teachers’ attitudes towards creativity in teaching were also different, and can be categorised as ranging from fixed and rigid, to flexible and open. They identified several teaching strategies as creative teaching, such as using metaphor, storytelling, and Internet resources. Additionally, their various purposes in using creative teaching were observed to be to develop learners’ musical abilities; for enjoyment; and to impart a specific teaching point. Although the teachers’ own experiences were found to have a positive effect on their teaching beliefs, the influence of these benefits was not always evident in their actual practice. Pupils’ low motivation to learn and insufficient practice were considered as the common challenges and, when reflecting on their own teaching in the second interview and in the diaries, most of the participants focused mainly on analysis of pupils’ playing errors, and tended to believe that repeated practice by the learners was the best approach to improving performance. In contrast, two teachers believed their expertise in both music and teaching could help their learners to deal with learning difficulties. Based on these research results, I conclude that creativity in piano lessons can be understood from two perspectives. The first relates to how teachers perceive their own teaching and whether they are content with what they do or seek to develop their teaching competence; the other is associated with teachers’ own philosophy of the function of education, which affects how teachers develop their teaching.