A Case of Two Classrooms: A Comparison of Framing and Impacts Upon Epistemic Agency

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Epistemic Agency, Inquiry, and Justice in Science Education (Table 29)

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how teachers' epistemological framing in science education impacts students' epistemic agency. We compared two teachers' styles of framing using a scaffolded science learning activity. Findings indicate that framing for task completion, or the practice of school, limits student opportunities for epistemic agency, while framing for the practice of science fosters collaborative knowledge building and validation of student ideas. The study underscores the significance of teachers' framing in shaping students' active participation in science learning. Despite constraints posed by prescribed curricula, mindful and reflective practice can enhance opportunities for epistemic agency. This research advocates for professional development in epistemic practices to facilitate students' science engagement.

Authors

• Christine Hirst Bernhardt, University of Maryland

• Doug Lombardi, University of Maryland