Role of anomalous data and epistemological beliefs in middle school students' theory change about two controversial topics

The question of theory change is crucial in knowledge construction, particu larly in the process of conceptual change. This study was designed to inves tigate two factors that, in addition to initial theory preference, may play a crucial role in the process of theory change, that is, students' interpr etation of anomalous data on two controversial topics (the dinosaur extinct ion and the construction of the Giza pyramids in Egypt) and their epistemol ogical beliefs about the nature of knowledge. Canonical correlation analyse s suggested for both topics an association, stronger for the dinosaur extin ction topic, between (a) acceptance of anomalous darn (rated both as valid and inconsistent with the held theory), initial theory preference, epistemo logical belief in Certain Knowledge and (b) theory change. Data obtained fr om structure coefficients in canonical correlation analyses indicate that a cceptance of anomalous data significantly contributed the most to theory ch ange whereas the epistemological belief contributed the least. Finally, edu cational implications are drawn.