The Importance of "Not Understanding" for Students' Scientific Engagement

• In Event: Understanding the Ways in Which Students Make Sense in Science

Abstract

In this paper, we explore how students’ displays of uncertainty and confusion supported scientific engagement in classrooms. We draw on literature on framing—how participants understand the activity in which they are engaged—to examine both how students positioned themselves as “not understanding” and how these positionings were consequential for initiating or sustaining their and their classmates’ scientific activity. Our goal is to highlight the importance of someone taking up the position of not understanding, not just for identifying conceptual substance to be resolved, but also for shaping the epistemic nature of classroom activity.

Authors

• Jessica Watkins, Tufts University

• David Hammer, Tufts University