One preservice teacher's developing personal epistemology about teaching and the explicit connection of those beliefs to future practice

This case study provides an examination of one preservice teacher's (Hope) evolving personal epistemology during the first semester of a two-semester field-based alternative certification program in relation to her planned teaching activities. Findings indicate that Hope's personal epistemology about the nature of her content area and the field of teaching served as both a filter for interpreting new information and as a guide for unit and lesson planning. Further, it seems that inconsistencies among Hope's espoused beliefs and intended practices may be related to both her developing personal epistemology and the organization of the program. Implications for practice based on these findings include the need for teacher educators to (1) explore students' beliefs, and (2) recognize personal epistemology as a developing rather than static belief system.