The relationship between epistemological beliefs and the problem solving skills of college students

ABSTRACTThe main purpose of this research is to determine the relationship(s)between epistemological beliefs and the problem solving skills of college studentsand to make clear the faculty, department and gender main effect and the interactionof gender on faculty and department. Thus to have an opinion about the instructionalstyle that is applied to students, and so education programmes and the importance ofpsychological counselling and guidance that will be given to them.The survey method is used, to obtain related data, two types of instrumentsare used. One is called Problem Solving Inventory (PÇE) which is developed byHeppner ve Peterson (1982) for measuring students? problem solving skills. Thevalidity and reliability studies of the instrument is conducted by Şahin, Şahin veHeppner (1993). The other one is called Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (E Ö)which is developed by Schommer (1990) to measure students? epistemologicalbeliefs. Tthe validity and reliability studies of this instrument is conducted byDeryakulu ve Büyüköztürk (2002). Subjects were 208 university students. At theresearch, variance analysis are used to find the faculty, department and gender maineffects and the interaction of gender on faculty and department on students'epistemological beliefs and their problem solving skills; and are applied thetechnique of regression analysis is used to determine the effects of students'epistemological beliefs on their problem solving skills. SPSS 12.0 and Jmp 5.0.1package programmes are used to analyze the data.The results provide significant differences on the problem solving skills interms of epistemological beliefs. The students who believe that the speed of learningis gradually become more thoughtful and have an evaluative approach during theproblem solving process. On the other hand the students who believe that thestructure of knowledge must be temporarily correct or incorrect suggest moreevaluative approach in the problem solving process.