Teachers' Personal and Teaching Epistemic Practices: A Four-Country Survey and Interview Exploration of Argumentation Implementation

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Teachers' Personal and Teaching Epistemic Practices: A Four-Country Survey and Interview Exploration of Argumentation Implementation
Language: English
Authors: Kalypso Iordanou (ORCID 0000-0001-5930-9393), Panayiota Metallidou, Plousia Misailidi (ORCID 0000-0002-2185-3622), Paris Vogazianos (ORCID 0000-0001-9991-6059), Mary Koutselini (ORCID 0000-0002-6738-6222), Eleonora Papaleontiou-Louca (ORCID 0000-0001-9300-6150), Demetra Georgiou, István Zsigmond, Ágnes Bálint (ORCID 0000-0003-0894-8990), Piedade Vaz Rebelo
Source: Higher Education Quarterly. 2026 80(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Inservice Teacher Education, Epistemology, Educational Practices, Cultural Differences, Persuasive Discourse, Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Styles, Faculty Development, Comparative Education
Geographic Terms: Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Hungary
DOI: 10.1111/hequ.70106
ISSN: 0951-5224
1468-2273
Abstract: Three hundred and eighteen in-service teachers from Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Hungary participated in a professional training program aimed at promoting their metacognitive and epistemic thinking and practices, with argumentation as a prominent teaching practice. Pre-program survey results revealed that teachers' personal and teaching epistemic practices were underdeveloped, with particularly low engagement in the latter. Personal epistemic practices predicted teaching ones. Cultural differences emerged, with Greek and Cypriot teachers reporting higher engagement in both epistemic practices than Romanian and Hungarian teachers. In-depth interviews with six Greek and Cypriot teachers who implemented argumentation post-program indicated that argument-based practices improved students' epistemic understanding, particularly in appreciating multiple perspectives, evaluating sources and using evidence. Teachers acknowledged receiving limited preparation for promoting students' epistemic understanding and argumentation skills. These findings highlight the need for higher education programs to develop pre- and in-service teachers' epistemic practices. Implications for higher education and policymakers are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503890
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Three hundred and eighteen in-service teachers from Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Hungary participated in a professional training program aimed at promoting their metacognitive and epistemic thinking and practices, with argumentation as a prominent teaching practice. Pre-program survey results revealed that teachers' personal and teaching epistemic practices were underdeveloped, with particularly low engagement in the latter. Personal epistemic practices predicted teaching ones. Cultural differences emerged, with Greek and Cypriot teachers reporting higher engagement in both epistemic practices than Romanian and Hungarian teachers. In-depth interviews with six Greek and Cypriot teachers who implemented argumentation post-program indicated that argument-based practices improved students' epistemic understanding, particularly in appreciating multiple perspectives, evaluating sources and using evidence. Teachers acknowledged receiving limited preparation for promoting students' epistemic understanding and argumentation skills. These findings highlight the need for higher education programs to develop pre- and in-service teachers' epistemic practices. Implications for higher education and policymakers are discussed.
ISSN:0951-5224
1468-2273
DOI:10.1111/hequ.70106