Creating a Science Classroom Culture where Teachers and Students Care about Learning Science Together

Abstract

Reform-oriented science classrooms emphasize students acting as epistemic agents and working collaboratively to make sense of ideas. Establishing classroom cultures in which students adopt such efforts can be challenging. We consider how one teacher initiated such a classroom culture and investigate how she invited students to join her in the development and maintenance of that culture. Results suggest that student partnership in community-oriented classroom culture can support students in sensemaking about science.