Tina Uys Department of Sociology

Diversity of students Diverse types of schooling Diverse financial positions Varies from students with generations of university experience to 1 st generation students Diverse exposure to technology

What do they have in common? Used to external discipline Extensive contact time Limited expectations outside the class room Relatively small classes Lots of free time No conception of 40 hour work week

What do we want to achieve? Promote changes in thinking, especially with regard to beliefs about knowing and learning Critical thinking: ability to identify and evaluate multiple perspectives in an effort to make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives Beliefs about knowledge impact beliefs about learnin g

Beliefs about knowledge Absolutism/objectivism: Knowledge absolute/transferable; facts disconnected from everyday thinking Multiplism/Subjectivism: Knowledge based on personal opinion Evaluativism: Evidence-based critique of multiple perspectives Complex: critique of theoretical knowledge Practical: critique of practical experiences

Conceptions of learning Qualitative: Intention to make meaning Understanding Seeing different perspectives Change as a person Quantitative: Focus on aggregating information Increasing one’s knowledge Acquisition, memorising, recall Application Transitional: Meanings in practical contexts important Practical understanding Sense making

Link between personal epistemology and learning Non-availing beliefs: Views about knowledge that hinder learning Objectivist beliefs – quantitative conceptions of learning Subjectivist beliefs – transitional or quantitative – latter predominant

Link between personal epistemology and learning (2) Availing beliefs: Views about knowledge that help learning Practical evaluativism: conceptions of learning transitional or quantitative with transitional predominant Complex evaluativistic: Qualitative conceptions of learning

What do we want to promote? Assist first year students to move from views of knowledge that state that all opinions are valid (subjectivistic) or that knowledge consists of simple content that need to be mastered (objectivistic) to An understanding of the constructed nature of knowledge as complex, tentative & evidence-based