Characterizing 10- to 12-Year-Olds' Epistemic View of Science: Science as Collective Theory-Building Process

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Division C Section 2a Poster Session 3: Cognitive Processes

Abstract

This study characterized elementary students’ epistemic view of science from collective theory building perspective. Open-ended questions and coding were developed to examine and characterize children's epistemic understanding of science: four key themes were identified including role of idea, theory-fact understanding, theory revision and creation, and social process of scientific progress. The general pattern showed that how students viewed scientific inquiry ranged from seeing it as a mechanical process involving concrete materials and sets of scientific skills, to viewing science as an idea-driven process comprising collective theory-building and knowledge creation. Quantitative analysis indicated that this conceptualized epistemic view is an important predictor of students’ science learning.

Authors

• Feng Lin, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Carol K. Chan, University of Hong Kong