Exploring beliefs about learning and knowledge of students in child care training programs: Beliefs about children’s le

1. Exploring beliefs about learning and knowledge of students in child care training programs: Beliefs about children’s learning and personal epistemology J. Brownlee, D. Berthelsen, & S. Dunbar Centre for Learning Innovation G. M. Boulton-Lewis, Centre for Social Change Research QUT, Queensland, Australia

2. Background • study investigates nature of beliefs about knowing (epistemological beliefs) of students enrolled in a vocational education program designed to prepare them to teach young children in child care programs • actions of effective teachers informed by beliefs about the nature of teaching & learning (Vartuli, 2005) • epistemological beliefs - ways individuals conceive of knowledge (nature of truth) and knowing (process of knowing) (Hofer & Pintrich, 1997) • simple beliefs that knowledge is absolute and transferable from an expert (absolutist) • knowledge based on personal opinions (subjectivism) • knowledge as personally constructed and evidenced-based (evaluativism) (Kuhn & Weinstock, 2002) • Self authorship in higher education (Baxter Magolda, 2004) • epistemological, interpersonal and intrapersonaldimensions

3. The study Sample: • 49 vocational education students from 3 Institutes of TAFE in Australia completing 1st & 2nd year of child care course Data collection: • scenario-based interviews (scenario related to typical child care behaviour management scenario) • questions related to students’ beliefs about knowing and learning Analysis: • Learning analysis • children’s learning and personal learning –categories emerged • EB analysis • categories from pilot study used as rubric- e.g., objectivism, subjectivism, evaluativism(Brownlee, et al.,unpublished manuscript)

4. The interview • Daniel Kennedy is 4 years old and he has just arrived with his Mum at his child care centre. He is generally very sociable and plays immediately with the other children when dropped off. Today, however, he holds onto Mum’s leg, cries loudly, and will not let her go. Mum is becoming upset by this and some other children begin to cry. Mrs Bennett, the centre director, takes hold of Daniel and says, “Just go quickly.” His mother does so and Daniel became more upset and hits Mrs Bennett. • Do you agree with the idea that there are no right answers in child care practice? • Do think that anybody’s opinion is as good as another? • How do you go about learning? How do you know when you have learnt something? • How do you think children learn? How do you know if a child has learnt something?

5. Findings - complex evaluativism • 15 students described complex evaluativism or procedural beliefs about knowing (Clinchy, 2002) in which knowledge was conceived of as tentative, evolving and needing to be backed up with theoretical evidence. • When students described complex evaluativism, they also often included a constructivist view of children’s learning and a view of personal learning as active construction of meaning • refer to examples in handout

6. Findings - practical evaluativism • 16 students espoused practical evaluativism which has a focus on analyzing practices rather than theory • also described children’s learning typically as active and based on observation - no clear indication of children being competent cognitive beings • describe their own learning as understanding in practice or learning as practical in nature - not theoretical in nature but considered implementing best practice in a meaningful way • refer to examples in handout

7. Findings - subjectivism • 14 students held subjectivist epistemological beliefs where knowledge is based on one’s personal opinions • knowledge is intuitive, based on feelings and does not need to be supported with evidence – either practical or theoretical • children’s learning - observation and being active. • no clear indication that children are competent constructors of meaning • focus on repeating what has been observed or simply being active in some way (e.g., investigating, playing) • personal learning as application (although some described understanding of practice and recall) • refer to examples in handout

8. Findings – objectivism • 2 students held objectivist beliefs - no focus on actively evaluating information to develop an evidenced based knowledge base • children’s learning as observing and modeling • personal learning predominantly related to recall of information • refer to examples in handout

9. Discussion • links between EBs and beliefs about children’s learning – implications for interactions with children • subjectivist & practical evaluativist beliefs predominate (n=30) • show an awareness of empathy and the need to acknowledge children, parents and staff perspectives– interpersonal foundation of self-authorship • aware of multiple perspectives but not theory (epistemological dimension of self-authorship) • sense of self - acknowledge that experts’ opinions have to fit with their own opinions (intrapersonal element of self-authorship) • less reliant on texts and more reliant on self which represents a move towards self-authorship • further research needed to provide conceptual platform for promoting critical reflection and deep learning for child care work contexts • encourage students to understand what “works” as well as theoretical reasons for this