Elementary Teachers' Epistemic Orientations to Learning and Knowledge-Generating Environments

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Learning Environments Poster Session

Abstract

Teachers who acknowledge students’ central role in knowledge generation are more likely to treat students as thinkers and use language and discourse as tools for learning. This results in rich generative environments - those which recognize students’ role in knowledge construction and encourage generation of knowledge (i.e. meaning-making) rather than replication of facts. This case study uses mixed methods to describe ten elementary science teachers’ epistemic orientations as they relate to generative learning environments (in particular, the aspects of knowledge, argument, language, and dialogic interaction). Initial findings from three of those teachers show that that while teachers indicate a belief that language is valuable to learning, the domains of argument, dialogic interaction, and knowledge generation are less coherent and under-developed.

Authors

• Andrea Malek Ash, The University of Iowa

• Brian Hand, University of Iowa