#825: When Students Disagree About What Counts as Science: Examining Epistemic Disagreements in High School Science Classrooms

Unprecedented exposure to public debates about the reliability of science have led scholars to recommend engaging students in classroom dialogue about scientific epistemology. However, an underexamined aspect of these recommendations is how to navigate the epistemic disagreements that arise during such discussions. Epistemic disagreements refer to differences in what students judge as scientifically reliable. Such differences often stem from conflicting views about what science is for and how it should inform public action. This study examines the nature of epistemic disagreements that emerged as 20 high school students engaged with a curriculum that was designed to surface conflicting aspects of scientific epistemology. Analysis of classroom dialogue show how that these disagreements extended to the role of science in public decision-making. Findings highlight utility and limitations of existing frameworks to navigate these disagreements productively in classrooms.