ABSTRACT
This symposium will explore teacher reflexivity for personal epistemology as a new way of thinking about changing personal epistemologies in teaching contexts. Specifically, we will discuss a range of ways to promote belief change based on explicit reflection, including reflection in the context of teaching practice and then we will explore a new model for reflection on personal epistemologies which involves reflexive thinking. The symposium presents three empirical studies conducted in pre- and in-service teaching contexts using qualitative and quantitative methods. All three studies include reflection and reflexivity as data collection strategy, a teaching strategy/ intervention, and/or as a theoretical framework. The fourth presentation will report on the outcomes of an EARLI Advanced Study Colloquium 2015 entitled “Changing personal epistemologies in teaching and teacher education: a focus on reflection and reflexivity”, which will take place immediately before the conference. This presentation will provide a broader context to the symposium by addressing “reflexive thinking” as an extended framework and by identifying research methodologies for personal epistemology in the context of reflection and reflexivity.
