What are the differences between beliefs and knowledge.

Teachers’ Beliefs and Educational Research: Cleaning up a Messy Construct

M.Frank Pajares
Review of Educational research, Vol. 62, No.3. (Autumn, 1992) pp.307-332

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Before I give a talk on next Wednesday, I want to make myself clear about the differences between beliefs and knowledge. Therefore, I read Pajares’s article to have a clearer view about these key concepts in Teacher cognition. Here he made interesting remarks about how ‘knowledge’ and ‘beliefs’ appear to be distinctive but closely linked.

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What are the differences between beliefs and knowledge?

“Beliefs exist beyond individual control or knowledge”

Nespor 1987 suggested that beliefs have stronger affective and evaluative components than knowledge and that affect the cognition associated with knowledge. Beliefs influence how individuals characterize phenomena, make sense of the world, and estimate co variation.

Beliefs are far more influential than knowledge in determining how individuals organize and define tasks and problems and are stronger predicators of behaviour. Beliefs systems are disputable, more flexible, less dynamic than the knowledge systems, basically unchanging, and when they change, it is not argument or reason that alters them but rather a ‘conversion or gestalt shift’ (more influential)
Beliefs are surrounded by emotional frame that dictates rightness or wrongness.

--- When a teacher encounter an entangles domain, cognitive and information processing strategies do not work, appropriate schemata are disconnected and unavailable, the teacher is uncertain of what information is needed or what behaviour is appropriate. Then the episodic core of beliefs takes action. Teachers use beliefs with problems and inconsistencies when knowledge and information are absent. ‘Hot action’ teachers function on impulse and intuition rather than reflection (Eraut, 1985; Jackson, 1968; Lortie, 1975) ---


“Knowledge is closer to the truth or falsity.”

Ernest 1989 suggested that knowledge is the cognitive outcome of thoughts and beliefs are affective outcome, but beliefs also possess a slender but significant cognitive component. Knowledge systems are open to evaluation and critical examination – are better defined and receptive to reason.

---- Some argue that knowledge must take priority over affect. Rochler, Duffy, Hermann, Conley, and Johnson 1988 reasoned that because knowledge structures focus on the cognitive aspects of teaching and these structures get ‘at the heart of the ‘thought’ in the thought – to – practice’

Knowledge in teaching presents the fluid nature of teacher thought in action. Whereas beliefs are static and represent eternal truths that remain unchanged in teacher’s mind regardless of the situation. Knowledge is fluid and evolves as new experiences are interpreted and integrated into existing schemata. It is unique to the individual, emotionally neutral.

Teachers’ behaviour in the classroom is a result of beliefs being filtered by experiences (knowledge and decision-making). To make sense of those experiences, a teacher needs to use knowledge, therefore ultimately influences teacher thought and decision making.


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Well - now so which one is more influential to teaching behaviour?
I think both knowledge and beliefs impact what teachers do in classrooms. If we are fully functioned - we normally conduct the classroom according to a sound pedagogical processs- -- but whenever we are tired or unsure about how to navigate the lessons- - we are likely to let our teaching beliefs steer the instruction.

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