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Teachers' Beliefs and Classroom Practice

Teachers hold many beliefs and attitudes that affect their attitudes and behaviour in the classroom (Brunning et al., 2004). Teachers' beliefs about the nature of knowledge will impact upon their teaching plans and actions. Hofer (Hofer, 2000; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997) categorised people's beliefs about knowledge (epistemology) into four dimensions.

The least developed epistemological perspective has it that knowledge consists of fixed facts transmitted from external sources. The most developed epistemological perspective is that knowledge is grounded in fluid, interrelated concepts constructed through personal evaluation and integration.

Beliefs about knowledge are directly related to beliefs about learning and teaching. For example, research by Trigwell and Prosser (1996) found that teachers' stated teaching intentions and teaching strategies concurred, and could be arranged along a five-category continuum, ranging from teacher-focused (transmitting information to students) to student-focused (students changing their conceptions).

Teachers' conceptions of teaching are also influenced by their own perceptions of the teaching environment, such as their degree of control over what is taught and how it is taught, and perceptions that the teaching is valued, and that class size is not too large (Prosser & Trigwell, 1997).

Teachers' beliefs affect teacher-student interactions and instructional planning (Brunning et al., 2004). For example, Gibson and Dembo (1984) found that teachers who had high self-efficacy provided less criticism and persisted more in helping struggling students.

Brunning et al. (2004) conclude that teachers' behaviour is most affected by their beliefs about three classroom factors.

• Beliefs about course content. (Teachers plan instruction in ways that are consistent with their assumptions about class material. Teachers who believe in certain knowledge are more likely to focus on didactic instruction and essential course content while de-emphasising discovery in the classroom.)
• Beliefs about students. (Most teachers form strong opinions about students based upon physical characteristics, test scores, class performance, social skills, parent attitudes, and student self-efficacy.)
• Beliefs about teaching. (Teachers plan and implement instruction according to whether they believe in external, teacher-directed, or student-internal knowledge-constructed models.)

Related articles can be found at:
Believing in Your Ability
Attributing the Cause of Events

References
Brunning, R. H., Schraw, G. J., Norby, M. M., & Ronning, R. R. (2004). Cognitive psychology and instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merril Prentice Hall.

Gibson, S. & Dembo, M. H. (1984). 'Teacher efficacy: A construct validation.' Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 569-582.

Hofer, B. K. (2000). 'Dimensionality and disciplinary differences in personal epistemology.' Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 378-405.

Hofer, B. K. & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). 'The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning.' Review of Educational Research, 67(1), 88-140.

Prosser, M. & Trigwell, K. (1997). 'Relations between perceptions of the teaching environment and approaches to teaching.' British Journal of Educational Psychology, 67, 25-35.

Trigwell, K. & Prosser, M. (1996). 'Congruence between intention and strategy in university science teachers' approaches to teaching.' Higher Education, 32, 77-87.