Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs and Conceptual Change Learning

This article reviews the literature on the relation between secondary school students' conceptual change learning and their epistemological beliefs about science. Researchers have established that students have immature beliefs about the purpose of science, the nature of scientific knowledge, and the notion of scientific facts. Students who hold certain immature beliefs are less likely to acquire an integrated understanding of particular science concepts, and they are also less likely to change their conceptions once they are formed. Several implications of these findings from literature on conceptual change learning are drawn, and instructional strategies are proposed for promoting mature beliefs among secondary school students. Finally, the need for further research on the relation between epistemological beliefs and conceptual change learning is highlighted.