The dimensionality of personal beliefs; the investigation of beliefs based on the field study

Achmad Hidayatullah; Csaba Csíkos; Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa

doi:10.6018/red.540251

Authors

Achmad Hidayatullah Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, Szeged https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7223-6771
Csaba Csíkos University of Szeged https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3328-5535
Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa Population Council, Nairobi, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7236-8408

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/red.540251

Keywords: beliefs, attitudes, performance, parent education, gender

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the dimensionality of personal epistemological beliefs in the mathematics education field (MED) and the primary teacher education field (PME) in the Indonesian context. We also examine the relation of this belief with students' personal backgrounds, parent education, gender, attitude, and academic performance. Two hundred seventy-six students from mathematics teacher education and primary teacher education participated in this study (15 % male and 85% female, mean age = 20.65). A quantitative approach was used in the present study. The finding of this study suggested the dimensionality of personal epistemological beliefs. Mathematics education (MED) students hold stronger beliefs about the certainty of knowledge than primary teacher education (PME) students, the principle in mathematics is unchanging, and most of the truth in mathematics is already found. The influence of these beliefs on academic performance is stronger in MED. In both field studies, personal epistemological beliefs correlate with attitudes toward academic performance. Male and female students are equal in personal epistemological beliefs in MED and PME. Mothers’ education also influences students' beliefs about the source of knowledge in MED.

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