Strategies to Manage Uncertainty in the Contexts of Whole-Class Discussion: A Design-Based Study in Scientific Argumentation

• In Event: Advances in Research on Learning Science Through Engaging in Practices

Abstract

The purpose of this design-based study is to identify strategies for teachers to manage their students’ epistemic uncertainty as a pedagogical resource to develop student conceptual understanding during whole-class discussion. Classroom observations of whole-class discussion were collected from six teachers’ classes ranging from 3rd to 8th grade. A total of 18 whole-class discussions were collected and transcribed. Verbal transcripts of classroom discourse were analyzed interpretively. A storyline-based framework to manage uncertainty was developed and consisted of three phases: (1) raise epistemic uncertainty through creating ambiguous conditions; (2) maintain epistemic uncertainty through preventing immature disclosure and discussing alternative explanations or conflicting ideas; and (3) reduce epistemic uncertainty through making coherent connections between current uncertainty and prior knowledge.

Author

• Ying-Chih Chen, Arizona State University