Students’ Representational and Relational Caring in STEM

Abstract

Studies of both professional science practice and children’s science learning show that emotions, including care, are not simply ancillary to disciplinary work but a generative part of science practice. In science education research, however, students’ care is often overlooked. In this paper, we describe the nature and expression of care across two classrooms studying biology and ecology and participating in a pen pal exchange. We analyze artifacts from the pen pal exchange, as well as students’ retrospective interviews and written reflections. Two dimensions of care surfaced in students’ letters: representational care and relational care. We discuss practical implications for learning environment design and methodological implications for recognizing and analyzing how students’ caring manifests in the classroom.