Impact of lecture-based and small-group teaching in the development of students’ epistemological beliefs

Epistemological beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing constitute a central component of student learning in higher education. Teaching environments shape how knowledge is conceptualised, justified, and applied, with consequences for metacognition, motivation, and academic performance. Lecture-based instruction is commonly associated with transmissive conceptions of knowledge, whereas small-group teaching affords opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and epistemological engagement. Evidence indicates that interactive and socially mediated learning environments support the development of more sophisticated epistemological beliefs. Supervision- and small-group-based teaching therefore represent particularly favourable contexts for epistemological development. Overall, teaching format is characterised as a key influence on students’ beliefs about knowledge and learning, with implications for the design of university teaching practices.