An emic exploration of epistemic curiosity in early childhood in Nepal

• In Event: Agency and empowerment in ECD

Proposal

While the reliance on skewed samples from Western contexts in literature has long been criticized, a core challenge in cross-cultural research lies in understanding what it means to measure the same thing across different cultural contexts (Barrett, 2020). Specifically, the same constructs may manifest differently across contexts. Epistemic curiosity (EC)—the desire for new information driving exploration and learning (Berlyne, 1954; Loewenstein, 1994)—is one such culturally sensitive construct due to the different perspectives associated with it. However, current discussions around EC rely on a narrow set of behavioral indicators (e.g., question-asking and persistent exploration) informed by Western research, ignoring the potential variation in how it is manifested across cultures. This narrow focus limits our understanding of culturally sensitive constructs like EC, preventing a full grasp of its developmental process and role in children’s learning trajectories.

Despite this limited understanding, EC has gained prominence in educational initiatives in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where play-based and child-centered pedagogies are increasingly promoted. These interventions aim to leverage children’s curiosity, along with other competencies, to enhance learning engagement and outcomes. However, the lack of a valid EC measurement tool, rooted in a limited understanding of how EC operates across contexts, hinders efforts to evaluate how child-centered approaches impact curiosity and learning outcomes in LMICs. This gap in understanding the role of EC may also partly explain the mixed success of such interventions, highlighting the need for deeper insight into how EC functions within different cultural frameworks (Jukes et al., 2023).

To address these gaps, we conducted a qualitative study in Nepal, a country underrepresented in the literature. Using an emic exploration approach (bottom-up inquiries with an insider perspective) and a video-cued ethnographic method, we aimed to answer two research questions: 1) How does EC manifest in young children’s behaviors? and 2) How do community members perceive various EC-driven behaviors?
We observed and filmed preschool and grade 1 classrooms in two schools—a rural public school and an urban private school, representing the sociodemographic contrast often associated with differential parenting values and practices (Greenfield, 2016; Keller, 2016). After spending a day observing classroom structures and routines, our team filmed a full school day to capture children's expressions of EC. Beyond natural settings, we introduced stimuli such as a storybook encouraging question-asking, novel toys with causal features, and sensory boards with various textures. We intentionally set up the stimuli to elicit some socially oriented exploratory and observational behaviors, often overlooked in traditional EC measures. For instance, we placed a small number of large novel toys in the classroom, allowing multiple children to investigate and manipulate them together.

After filming, we conducted interviews with teachers and focus groups (FGs) with 3-5 parents from each classroom. We also interviewed four additional teachers from other public and private schools and held a focus group with five child development experts. Videos generated from classroom visits were used as cues to stimulate reflection and analysis of children’s behaviors. To address varying understandings of EC, we used a multi-step questioning process before the video discussions, asking participants to reflect on how children learn before and after starting preschool and to identify key competencies associated with those behaviors, including EC. This helped participants grasp a conceptual understanding of EC with specific behavioral indicators without imposing conventional Western indicators. Once a shared understanding was established, we showed the videos and prompted them to identify additional EC-related behaviors. Participants were also asked to rank the importance of EC compared to other mentioned competencies, discuss its reasons, and complete a cognitive interview on existing EC measures.

The preliminary analysis revealed various behaviors associated with EC, including those conventionally recognized (e.g., actively asking questions, seeking explanations from adults, exploration, and experimentation) and those traditionally overlooked (e.g., attentively listening to teachers during lessons and observing and imitating others). Overall, EC is generally perceived positively by community members. However, a close inspection revealed that while the motivational aspect of the construct (i.e., the desire for new information) is consistently and positively valued, perceptions of its behavioral manifestations vary. These differences are influenced by the following factors: 1) the type of manifestation, 2) context and resources, and 3) the presence of other competencies.

As for the manifestation types, attentively listening to teachers during lessons is favorably regarded, while actively asking questions and seeking explanations from adults elicits mixed reactions. Teachers see questions to clarify or confirm their understanding of the lecture content as positive engagement and validation of their teaching. However, questions perceived as beyond the teaching objectives or not planned by teachers are often considered to challenge the teacher’s authority and consequently discouraged. This perception may be rooted in social hierarchies that emphasize respect and obedience to authority figures, along with social pressure on teachers to be seen as the best knowledge sources capable of providing the ‘correct’ information, resulting in discouragement of challenging questions. Regarding context, exploratory behaviors are encouraged during non-academic activities but are less accepted during structured activities and academic lessons, where they can be seen as disrupting the flow of activities and causing challenges for teachers in ensuring that all students engage in the planned activities. Participants also emphasized the need for other competencies, such as disciplined behavior and impulse and attention control, alongside EC. Children with curiosity but lacking these competencies are often viewed as restless, disobedient, and disrespectful.

We further examined the structural and cultural factors contributing to these differing perspectives among parents and teachers and explored which aspects might be variable versus those more deeply culturally rooted. We also discuss the implications of the findings for measurement and practices, particularly informing the designs of educational practices that will leverage children’s EC in culturally appropriate manners to effectively and sustainably support children's learning trajectories in LMIC contexts.

Authors

• Kenji Kitamura, Harvard University Graduate School of Education

• Dipu Shakya, ARNEC

• Meenakshi Dahal, Kathmandu University School of Education

• My Mikayla H. Do, Harvard University Graduate School of Education

• Anjali Gautam, Kadambari Memorial College

• Utkrishta Sharma, Kathmandu University School of Arts