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Epistemological beliefs in child care: Implications for vocational education
Author(s) -
Brownlee J.,
BoultonLewis G.,
Berthelsen D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1348/000709907x262503
Subject(s) - viewpoints , psychology , credibility , subjectivism , objectivism , vocational education , meaning (existential) , quality (philosophy) , pedagogy , social psychology , epistemology , art , philosophy , visual arts , psychotherapist
Background . The quality of child care is of social and economic significance worldwide. The beliefs that child care workers hold about knowing and knowledge (epistemological beliefs) influence the quality of their professional work. However, attention to epistemological beliefs is rarely a focus in vocational education programmes. Aim . The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of child care students' epistemological beliefs. Sample(s) . All first‐ and second‐year students completing a Diploma of Children's Services at three separate training institutes in a large metropolitan area in Australia were invited to participate in the study. There were 46 first‐ and 31 second‐year students (77 in total, 71 females). Method . This study used semi‐structured interviews based on a child care scenario to enable students to articulate their epistemological beliefs. A descriptive‐interpretative approach in which interviews were analysed for patterns of meaning was used in the content analysis. The categories, based on the work of Kuhn and Weinstock (2002), included objectivism , subjectivism , and evaluativism . While this proved to be a useful framework, the authors remained open to new categories emerging. This constituted the interpretive component of the analysis. Therefore, the data were analysed using both data‐driven and theory‐led approaches to analysis, which still made it possible to take account of many viewpoints before arriving at the categories of beliefs. The categories were audited by a second researcher to establish trustworthiness and credibility. Results . The findings of this study revealed a range of epistemological beliefs; however, a new way of thinking about evaluativistic beliefs called ‘basic evaluativism’ emerged. This view of knowledge relates to the construction of evidence‐based practice rather than knowledge as is typically the case in evaluativistic beliefs. Conclusions . Implications for the need to address epistemological beliefs in vocational education programmes for child care workers are discussed.