Epistemic framing analysis of secondary students during instruction on quantum physics

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Investigating and Improving Quantum Education Research.] Conceptual approaches to contemporary physics topics pose many learning challenges. One factor influencing knowledge integration is a student’s epistemic framing. Epistemic frames provide a context within which a particular situation is perceived, interpreted, and judged. The objective of this study is to explore secondary students’ framings during a conceptual-based introductory instructional unit on quantum physics. Student warrants are thematically analyzed using an inductive approach to identify epistemic framing clusters. The characteristics of each framing cluster are identified, and each framing is analyzed based on its sensemaking utility within the observed instructional unit. Data collection includes classroom video and audio recordings as well as pre- and postunit interviews with a student focus group (<a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mrow><a:mi>n</a:mi><a:mo>=</a:mo><a:mn>6</a:mn></a:mrow></a:math>). Three framing clusters emerged from the data: (i) call on authority, (ii) experiential, and (iii) evidence-based sensemaking. Each framing is observed to assist in the student sensemaking process, however, the evidence-based sensemaking framing proved most effective during the knowledge integration of the abstract concepts associated with quantum physics.