Scaffoldin In-Service Science Teachers for Developing Epistemic Empathy

Epistemic empathy refers to understanding and appreciating someone's cognitive and emotional experiences during an epistemic activity that involves constructing, communicating, and critiquing knowledge (Jaber et al. 2018). To foster a greater understanding of epistemic empathy among primary and lower secondary education teachers, a training program was implemented during the past schooling year 2023/2024. The program was designed to develop new habits in teaching practices by encouraging educators to adopt the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach, in their science classrooms. This initiative, supported by research from Etkina et al. (2017; 2023) and Brookes et al. (2020), aims to create effective and engaging inquiry-based learning experiences for students in the field of science. In this research, we aimed to achieve two key objectives. First, we sought to highlight the connection between the development of new habits and the concept of epistemic empathy, aligning the two frameworks. Second, we explored the degree to which the teachers participating in our training program became aware of these developments. We examined their reflections and insights regarding the relationship between habit development and empathetic understanding in their teaching practices. To accomplish our objectives, we conducted a comprehensive survey at the conclusion of the program. We meticulously analyzed the responses provided by the teachers, carefully examining how the various activities they engaged in aligned with and contributed to the attainment of the training program's goals. This in-depth analysis allowed us to draw meaningful connections between their experiences and the overall effectiveness of the training initiatives. Here we present the key findings of our analysis and how they reflect the alignment of the two frameworks for the professional training of in-service science teachers. We eventually turned our attention to how a program centered on epistemic activities can positively contribute to teachers' development of new and effective habits.