Epistemic schemes and epistemic states. A study of mathematics convincement in elementary school classes

Abstract

The paper introduces an interpretative framework that contains a characterization of epistemic schemes (constructs that are used to explain how class agents themselves are able to gain convincement in or promote convincement of mathematical statements) and epistemic states (a person’s internal states, such as convincement or certainty related to the person’s beliefs and to the schemes that explain them); a taxonomy for the epistemic schemes is also proposed. On the basis of the interpretative framework, an analysis is made of an excerpt of a regular elementary school class, a school level at which explicit mathematics reasoning rarely arises. The paper contends that teachers and students use schemes based on reasons in order to make mathematical statements credible, but that they also resort–perhaps unconsciously–to epistemic schemes that are governed by extra-rational considerations.