Pedagogical and epistemic uncertainty in collaborative teacher learning

Abstract

Studies of teacher learning often focus on individual teacher uncertainty as a source for reflection and inquiry. This study examines the emergence of group uncertainty during practice-based professional development, and the ways participants manage it. Through linguistic ethnographic discourse analysis, we examine two contrasting teacher discussions about the concept of feedback in one teacher meeting. In our analyses, we distinguish between pedagogical uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty and explore the strategies participants employ to navigate them. Specifically, we highlight the importance of examining socio-epistemic positioning and epistemic moves to better understand how participants respond to group uncertainty.