Characterising Shared Epistemic Agency in a Knowledge Building Learning Environment

Abstract

This study examined the role of Knowledge Building (KB), enriched with Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, in supporting students' understanding of scientific practices and ecosystem concepts. Students’ shared epistemic agency were characterized to examine the different patterns of strategies that students deployed while engaging in knowledge building. Twenty students of a Hong Kong middle school engaged in progressive theory-building as they mimic scientists to investigate its decrease in animal population within a virtual world. Knowledge Forum (KF) served as the platform for collaborative knowledge building and collective discourse. Key findings of this study include 1) improvement in understanding of concepts on ecology; 2) characterising shared epistemic agency as progressive levels. The implications of engaging students with KB to promote shared epistemic agency are discussed.