Developmental Systems of Students' Personal Theories About Education

Children hold many personal theories about education: theories about themselves, knowledge, and the learning process. Personal theories help children predict what their actions will cause, and therefore relate to motivation, self-regulation, and achievement. Researchers typically examine how specific types of personal theories develop independently, but the similarities among personal theories suggest more systematic developmental processes. Accordingly, this article outlines a developmental systems model to organize existing personal theories research. We first identify and define personal theories related to education and then consider the nature of their development as a coherent, hierarchical structure that is shaped through educational experiences. This model provides parsimony while advancing a number of fields by providing clarity of concepts, insight across fields, and a better understanding of development and educational outcomes. We conclude by proposing new directions to understand how holistic sets of personal theories change over time and considering implications for educational interventions.