Constructing meaning from multiple information sources as a function of personal epistemology

Ten student teachers having naïve epistemological beliefs and nine having sophisticated beliefs read seven texts about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, representing partly conflicting views on the topic. The results indicated that students with sophisticated beliefs were better at melding information from multiple perspectives. Moreover, they suggested that the students attained this advantage by engaging in more active use of deeper level text-processing strategies. In terms of practical implications, this research suggests that students working with multiple texts should be given the opportunity to reflect on their epistemological stances and also be taught how they can strategically construct meaning in this complex task environment.