Teachers as epistemic agents: A case study of interdisciplinary pedagogy

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores teachers' epistemic agency during the implementation of interdisciplinary pedagogy in an Israeli high school. We examined science teachers collaborating on curriculum design through observations of weekly meetings. Micro-analysis of a pivotal meeting uncovered conditions shaping teachers' epistemic agency. Our findings reveal two central themes: ‘fragile knowledge’ and ‘forward motion’, illustrating how teachers navigate uncertainty and construct new knowledge. We introduce a novel framework for understanding epistemic agency development, comprising four key elements: epistemic disruption, interaction, autonomy and epistemic stance. This framework provides a lens for analysing and fostering teachers' epistemic agency, with implications for teacher development in interdisciplinary contexts.