Measures of People's Beliefs About Knowledge and Learning

Different measures of people's beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning are described along with the theories upon which they are based. The initial theories tended to be unidimensional developmental theories and their measuring instruments lengthy, in-depth interviews. More recently, multidimensional theories have emerged that provide a more complex theory of epistemology. Recent measuring instruments are attempting to address these complexities using paper-and-pencil questionnaires that are easy to score. The measuring instruments differ considerably on what dimensions they measure and researchers are urged to select carefully the one that best matches their purpose. Specific descriptive information is provided regarding selected instruments to aid researchers in their choices. Both theory and psychometric properties are considered critical issues for the decision-making process.