Shifting Epistemologies: Examining Student Understanding of New Models of Knowledge and Learning

Abstract

New models of teaching and learning designed to address the demands of 21st century education require shifts in classroom norms and practices. This paper examines a group of students and teachers who implemented the Knowledge Forum model (Scardamalia, 2004) over the course of two years. Interviews with the students are used to assess three epistemological changes identified as critical in the Knowledge Forum model: a shift from teacher-directed activities to student epistemic agency, a shift from right and wrong answers to the notion of improvable ideas, and a shift from individual to community knowledge and collective responsibility. There are indications that shifts are indeed taking place in students' views toward their own agency in the learning process, the dynamic nature of knowledge, and the importance of community. The work also identifies challenges faced by teachers in implementing new models of learning that can inform teacher pedagogy.