Teachers’ Constructivist and Ethical Beliefs

Teachers’ approaches and beliefs are key determinants of teachers’ practice. This study was designed to examine whether two aspects of Irish primary teacher beliefs are associated, their views on constructivist practices and their views on two ethical dimensions (idealism and relativism). The views of a sample of 35 teachers were assessed using the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) and the Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ). Significant relationships were found between ethical position and scores on dimensions on the CLES. For example, idealistic teachers valued uncertainty and student negotiation more than teachers with high relativist scores. The results are discussed in the context of continuing professional development and future research.