Students' Use of Epistemic Criteria Across Model Evaluation Tasks

• In Event: 47.029 - Epistemic Cognition and Reasoning in Science Learning

Abstract

Inquiry across various scientific disciplines involves modeling, and scientists use epistemic criteria to guide their evaluation and revision of scientific models. Although we know that students are able to use some epistemic criteria even prior to intervention when evaluating competing models, we do not yet know whether and how they adapt their use across various modeling tasks. In this study we compared students' use of epistemic criteria prior to any intervention in model evaluation and revision tasks. We found that students evoked high quality criteria in both tasks in an adaptive manner, but that they were more proficient at prioritizing appropriate criteria when revising models, potentially due to its decreased reliance on a sophisticated understanding of evidence.

Authors

• Na'ama Y. Av-Shalom, Rutgers University

• Brandon Mauclair-Augustin, Rutgers University

• Hebbah El-Moslimany, Rutgers University

• Veronica Cavera, Rutgers University

• Ravit Golan Duncan, Rutgers University

• Clark A. Chinn, Rutgers University