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ABSTRACT
In the area of science education research, studies have attempted to investigate conceptions of learning, approaches to learning, and self-efficacy, mainly focusing on science in general or on specific subjects such as biology, physics, and chemistry. However, few empirical studies have probed students’ earth science learning. This study aimed to explore the relationships among undergraduates’ conceptions of, approaches to, and self-efficacy for learning earth science by adopting the structural equation modeling technique. A total of 268 Taiwanese undergraduates (144 females) participated in this study. Three instruments were modified to assess the students’ conceptions of, approaches to, and self-efficacy for learning earth science. The results indicated that students’ conceptions of learning made a significant contribution to their approaches to learning, which were consequently correlated with their learning self-efficacy. More specifically, students with stronger agreement that learning earth science involves applying the knowledge and skills learned to unknown problems were prone to possess higher confidence in learning earth science. Moreover, students viewing earth science learning as understanding earth science knowledge were more likely to adopt meaningful strategies to learn earth science, and hence expressed a higher sense of self-efficacy. Based on the results, practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Kuan-Ming Shen holds a B.A.E. in primary education from National Tainan Teacher College, Taiwan. He received his master degree at National Pingtung University of Education in 2012. He is currently a doctoral student at National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan. His research interests deal with learner’ beliefs related to science learning.
Dr. Min-Hsien Lee holds a B.Sc. in earth science from National Taiwan Normal University. He completed his doctoral study at National Taiwan Normal University in 2009. He is currently an Associate Professor at Center for Teacher Education and Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan. His research interest deals with learner and teacher beliefs related to science education, personal epistemology, learning environment research and Internet-based learning and teaching. Dr. Lee’s current research focuses on the topics related to Teacher Authority, learner’s conceptions and approaches in the Internet-based and blended learning environment, and the beliefs system regarding scientific epistemic beliefs, learning science and scientific inquiry.
Dr. Chin-Chung Tsai holds a B.Sc. in physics from National Taiwan Normal University. He received a Master of Education degree from Harvard University and completed his doctoral study at Teachers College, Columbia University in 1996. From 1996 to 2006, he joined the faculty of Center for Teacher Education and Institute of Education, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. He is currently a Chair Professor at the Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan. Since July 2009, he has been appointed as the Co-Editor of Computers & Education. His research interests deal largely with constructivism, epistemological beliefs, and Internet-based instruction related to science education.
Dr. Chun-Yen Chang currently serves as National Taiwan Normal University Chair Professor and Director of Science Education Center. Dr. Chang’s major research interests include science education and e-Learning, interdisciplinary science learning and science communication.