Abstract
Research on personal epistemology is confronted with theoretical issues as there exist conflicting data regarding its coherence, discipline-relation and contextdependence as well as methodological issues regarding the often used questionnaires to measure epistemological beliefs. We claim that it is necessary to distinguish between relatively stable “epistemological beliefs” and situationspecific “epistemological judgments”. In a sequence of interviews with regard to the topic of “certainty of mathematical knowledge”, we show that the usual categories used in questionnaires to measure epistemological beliefs have to be differentiated. We argue that epistemological judgments provide a promising framework to interpret the statements of the interviewees.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Beutelspacher, Albrecht (2001). Pasta all'infinito – Meine italienische Reise in die Mathematik. [My Italian Journey into Mathematics] München: dtv.
Borg, Simon (2010). Language Teacher Research Engagement. In Language Teaching, 43 (4), pp. 391–429.
Borwein, Jonathan, & Devlin, Keith (2011). Experimentelle Mathematik – Eine beispielorientierte Einführung. [Experimental Mathematics – An Introduction] Heidelberg: Spektrum.
Bromme, Rainer; Kienhues, Dorothe; & Stahl, Elmar (2008). Knowledge and epistemological beliefs: An intimate but complicate relationship. In Khine, Myint Swe (Ed.). Knowing, knowledge and beliefs. Epistemological studies across diverse cultures. New York: Springer, pp. 423–441.
Heintz, Bettina (2000). Die Innenwelt der Mathematik. [The Inner World of Mathematics] Wien: Springer.
Hofer, Barbara K. (2000). Dimensionality and Disciplinary Differences in Personal Epistemology. In Contemporary Educational Psychology 25 (2000), pp. 378–405.
Hofer, Barbara K. & Pintrich, Paul R. (1997). The Development of epistemological Theories: Beliefs About Knowledge and Knowing and Their Relation to Learning. In Review of Educational Research 1997, Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 88–140.
Hoffmann, Dirk (2011). Grenzen der Mathematik. [Limits of Mathematics] Heidelberg: Spektrum.
Grigutsch, Stefan; Raatz, Ulrich; & Törner, Günter (1998). Einstellungen gegenüber Mathematik bei Mathematiklehrern. [Attitudes of Mathematics Teachers towards Mathamatics] In Journal für Mathematik-Didaktik 19 (98) 1, pp. 3–45.
KMK – Kultusministerkonferenz (2004). Standards für die Lehrerbildung: Bildungswissenschaften. Beschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz. [Standards for Teacher Education: Educational Sciences. Resolution of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers.] (10.05.2013): http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2004/2004_12_16-Standards-Lehrerbildung.pdf
Muis, Krista R. (2004). Personal Epistemology and Mathematics: A Critical Review and Synthesis of Research. In Review of Educational Research 2004, 74, No. 3, pp. 317–377.
Muis, Krista R.; Franco, Gina M.; & Gierus, Bogusia (2011). Examining Epistemic Beliefs Across Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge in Statistics. In ZDM Mathematics Education (2011), 43, pp. 507–519.
Philipp, Randolph A. (2007). Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs and Affect (Chapter 7). In Lester, Frank K. (Ed.). Second Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning, pp. 257–315
Schoenfeld, Alan H. (1994). Reflections on Doing and Teaching Mathematics (Chapter 3). In Schoenfeld, Alan H. (Ed.). Mathematical Thinking and Problem Solving. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp. 53–69.
Schoenfeld, Alan H. (1992). Learning to Think Mathematically. In Grouws, Douglas A. (Ed.). Handbook for Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. New York: MacMillan, pp. 334–370.
Stahl, Elmar, & Bromme, Rainer (2007). The CAEB: An instrument for measuring connotative aspects of epistemological beliefs. In Learning and Instruction 17 (2007), pp. 773–785.
Stahl, Elmar (2011). The Generative Nature of Epistemological Judgments: focusing on Interactions Instead of Elements to Understand the Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs and Cognitive Flexibility (Chapter 3). In ; Elen, Jan; Stahl, Elmar; Bromme, Rainer, & Clarebout, Geraldine (Eds.). Links Between Beliefs and Cognitive Flexibility – Lessons Learned. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 37–60.
Strauss, Anselm L.; Corbin, Juliet M. (1996). Grounded Theory: Grundlagen Qualitativer Sozialforschung. [Grounded Theory: Basics of Qualitative Social Research.] Weinheim: Beltz.
Tremp, Peter, & Futter, Kathrin (2012). Forschungsorientierung in der Lehre. Curriculare Leitlinie und studentische Wahrnehmungen. [Research Orientation in Teaching. Curricular Guidelines and Students’ Perception.] In Brinker, Tobina, & Tremp, Peter (Eds.). Einführung in die Studiengangentwicklung. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann, pp. 69–79.
Wilson, Robin (2002). Four Colors Suffice. Princeton University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rott, B., Leuders, T., Stahl, E. (2015). Epistemological Judgments in Mathematics: An Interview Study Regarding the Certainty of Mathematical Knowledge. In: Bernack-Schüler, C., Erens, R., Leuders, T., Eichler, A. (eds) Views and Beliefs in Mathematics Education. Freiburger Empirische Forschung in der Mathematikdidaktik. Springer Spektrum, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-09614-4_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-09614-4_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer Spektrum, Wiesbaden
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-09613-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-658-09614-4
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)