The Role of Epistemological Beliefs and Motivational Goals in Ethnically Diverse High School Students' Learning from Science Text

A study examined the relationship between two variable sets: (1) epistemological beliefs (Quick Learning, Simple-Certain Knowledge, and Innate Ability) and performance goals; and (2) conceptual understanding and application reasoning in conceptual change learning. In addition, effects of different kinds of prior knowledge on conceptual change learning were investigated. Subjects were 95 eleventh- and twelfth-grade students enrolled in science classes at an inner-city public high school in New York City. Results from repeated measures ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) indicated that refutational text was effective in facilitating conceptual change learning. Results from canonical correlation analyses demonstrated that beliefs about innate ability contributed the most to conceptual change learning, whereas beliefs about quick learning contributed the least. Findings suggest that beliefs about innate ability are an important factor in conceptual change learning among inner-city high school students. (Contains 38 references and 5 tables of data.) (Author/RS)