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ERIC Number: EJ945050
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Feb
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0959-4752
EISSN: N/A
Students' Conceptions of Knowledge, Information, and Truth
Alexander, Patricia A.; Winters, Fielding I.; Loughlin, Sandra M.; Grossnickle, Emily M.
Learning and Instruction, v22 n1 p1-15 Feb 2012
In this study, everyday conceptions of knowledge, information, and truth were investigated as 161 US undergraduates completed three online tasks that investigated understandings of these foundational constructs. For the first task, respondents graphically represented the interrelations of knowledge, information, and truth; the second task required them to justify those representations; and the third involved defining each term. Representations were compared to written justification to gauge consistency and data were analyzed to identify relational patterns, with six stable patterns emerging from the conceptions (e.g., knowledge establishment and truth establishment). A content analysis was performed to: (a) identify the specific language frequently used to define these terms, and (b) contrast definitions as a whole to conceptions that populate the psychological and related literatures. The significance of the resulting patterns is considered in light of the literature in epistemic beliefs and empirical implications and practical relevance are discussed. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)
Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A