Theoretical framework and educational significance According to Hofer & Pintrich (2002), students' epistemological beliefs have an important influence on their personal learning and knowing. Already primary school students are influenced by the epistemological beliefs of significant others. Therefore it is important to deepen the understanding of young students' and their teachers' epistemological beliefs and to foster instructional environments that advance the epistemological beliefs of both (Elder, 2002). Considering personal epistemology during educational reconstruction of curricula (Kattmann et al., 1997) can enhance students' learning processes and conceptual changes. This is a significant issue for teachers' professionalism (Meyer, 2001).AimsThe research aims are:1. To investigate the impact of teachers' epistemological beliefs and their implemented teaching strategies on the students' beliefs; and2. To understand the epistemological beliefs of primary school students about knowing and learning. Methodology and design The epistemological beliefs of primary school students (n = 150) and their teachers (n = 15) will be gathered using semi-structured interviews to obtain their personal conceptions, based on the Dialogue-Hermeneutic Method and Structure-Formation Technique (Scheele & Groeben, 2001). A questionnaire will be developed to optimise gathering data on teachers' beliefs and implemented teaching strategies. Data is gathered in Germany and Great Britain to make a socio-cultural comparison possible.Preliminary ResultsIn contradiction to traditional assumptions, preliminary results show that primary school students have, in fact, epistemological beliefs and are able to express them. LiteratureElder, A. (2002). Characterizing fifth grade students' epistemological beliefs in science. In B. Hofer & P. Pintrich (eds.): Personal Epistemology: The Psychology of Beliefs about Knowledge and Knowing (pp. 347 - 363). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Association.Hofer, B. & Pintrich, P. (2002.). Personal Epistemology: The Psychology of Beliefs about Knowledge and Knowing. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Association.Kattmann, U., Duit, R., Gropengießer, H. & Komorek, M. (1997). Das Modell der Didaktischen Rekonstruktion - Ein Rahmen für naturwissenschaftsdidaktische Forschung und Entwicklung. Zeitschrift für Didaktiken der Naturwissenschaften, 3, 3 - 18.Meyer, H. (2001). Türklinkendidaktik. Aufsätze zur Didaktik, Methodik und Schulentwicklung. Berlin: Cornelson.Scheele, B. & Groeben, N. (2001). Dialogue- Hermeneutic Method and the "Research Program Subjective Theories". Forum Qualitative Social Research, 2. Available: http://qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs- eng.htm (accessed: 15.01.03).