Reflection on Epistemology

Epistemology is the theory of knowledge and justified belief. It addresses many questions like how do we know what we know and why do we know what we know. It also asks how knowledge differs from beliefs. People have different assumptions about reality, different perspectives about what is true, and different sources of how knowledge is acquired. 

In order to know what is true we look at the three traditions of knowledge.
-Objectivism- Something is true when the claim corresponds to reality. One perspective dominates. Knowledge is acquired through direct observations so conclusions are based off facts.

 -Pragmatism- Reality is negotiated and there is belief that that it exists, but it can't be known directly. Knowledge is learned through experiences and reason.

Interpretivism-Reality is constructed and each person's experiences lead them to understand reality in different ways.  

For practitioners it is important to understand the theory of epistemology because our world is constantly changing. In order to become a reflective learner a person needs to be aware of their own understanding of "knowledge" and beliefs. It affects a person's ability to be sensitive to other peoples needs, move past their own biases and build closer relationships with the people around them. When a person understands the meaning behind epistemology, they see the world from a different perspective. 

 Through this reflection I am going to take you through my own personal epistemology and together we will learn where my knowledge, beliefs and truth stand. Not only will they affect me as a person, but they will change the way I see myself as future teacher.

The results of my mindset quiz indicated that I have a growth mindset and I couldn't agree more. After thinking about, I learned that I am still very naive when it comes to my own assumptions about cultural awareness and how to be mindful when reacting to certain situations in my classroom. More research needs to be done to educate myself on diversity and how to better connect with my students. For example, I didn't even think about how disrespectful it is for some students to not look adults in the eye. This affects the way a teacher would handle a disciplinary situation. I don't want to enter the classroom with my own biases, I want to get passed that so I can build new perspective on the different backgrounds of my students. I plan to do this by reading more about different cultures, listening to the conversations of my students and how they interact with each other, getting to know their families and traditions, observing the community I am surrounded by, and reflecting on my own practices as a teacher.  I want students to learn. I don't ever want to forget that the learning never stop. After teaching my lessons I plan to reflect and think about what went well, what didn't go well, how can I improve my practice, am I connecting with my students, and is my practice reflecting whats. In my first year I know I am going to make some mistakes and freak out, but I know that the passion for stretching myself and sticking to persevering, is the golden rule to the growth mindset. (Dweck, 2009 p 7). In return my students will learn to become resilient and will never give up on the challenges they face. Our classroom will be an environment where mistakes are valued not frowned upon



Dweck's concept of "mindset" explains that the mindset to which an individual adheres, directly affects one's epistemological perspective.  There are strong differences in people's backgrounds, experiences, training, or ways of learning," and all these are factors that contribute to an individual's mindset. By being open-minded and showing that these components are valued, the individual is exhibiting a growth mindset (Dweck, 2009, p. 4). This mindset is the lens through which an individual sees the world, directly affecting one's epistemological perspective.  In essence, "the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life" (Dweck, p 6). I have a similar perspective to interpretivism. I have to admit, it was and still is a struggle trying to deconstruct my own knowledge and beliefs. Everything I learned in life was constructed through personal and group experiences. I was always taught to respect others and value their opinions and this was something I continued to practice through out my adolescence. I worked at a variety of places and through social interaction was taught more about diversity and life.  This cohort I am now a part of has also given me a new sense of knowledge and with the constant collaboration of peers and teachers, I have learned new strategies and techniques. I would've never acquired this knowledge through just observations. That is only half the practice.
After taking the mindset quiz and reading Dweck's article, it has become very clear that I am no where near the objectivist's perspective."Believing that your qualities are carved in stone-the fixed mindset-creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you only have a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character- well then you'd better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn't do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics." (Dweck, 2006, p. 6). The fixed-mindset is similar to the epistemological perspective of objectivism. "Objectivists view reality as independent from and outside the knower, so that learning for them becomes a matter of transferring what exists in reality to what is known by the learner." (Driscoll, 2005, p 13). In both perspectives, a fixed-mindset and an objectivism perspective take the ability of the learner "be smart" out of their lotus of control.  I am the type of person that values the opinions of others. Whenever I make a mistake or struggle with something, I look to my colleagues or family for support. I value their opinions because they can teach me something new that I would never been able to think of myself. I always gain new insight when asking for help and I'm not ashamed to admit that. My supervisor once told me, "there's no such thing as failure." I stand by that motto and I see my "temporary struggle" as a learning experience.



One would add that the perceived belief about the teacher and his or her students will profoundly affect the way a teacher and the space they make available for their students to learn. If you believe you are the giver of information and adhere to the objectivism theory, your mindset is primarily fixed. "An instructor who believes that knowledge is constructed and relative to individual learners is more likely to select strategies such as discussion and group problem solving than one who believe knowledge is absolute and must be directly taught to learners " (Driscoll, 2005, p. 15).  By providing a voice for your students and a collaborative space, as a teacher you are practicing in the theories of pragmatism and interpretivism. 

 As a future teacher I plan to have my students working with each other multiple times through out the day. They value the opinions of their peers more than their teachers and also connect with other on another level. Having students teach each other is a very powerful strategy and it allows shows them how to trust others and develop relationships. We will all become culturally aware of how diverse the room is and will listen to the different perspectives everyone has. 

Want to teach your students about growth mindset!!!!

Here's are some awesome videos below!!!

Here are some resources for our teachers!!

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Introduction to theories of learning and instruction. In Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed., pp. 1-15). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success (pp. 3-11). New York, NY: Ballantine Books.