Unintended Learning in Primary School Practical Science Lessons from Polanyi’s Perspective of Intellectual Passion

Abstract

This study explored, from the perspective of intellectual passion developed by Michael Polanyi, the unintended learning that occurred in primary practical science lessons. We use the term 'unintended' learning to distinguish it from 'intended' learning that appears in teachers' learning objectives. Data were collected using video and audio recordings of a sample of twenty-four whole class practical science lessons, taught by five teachers, in Korean primary schools with 10-to 12-year-old students. In addition, video and audio recordings were made for each small group of students working together in order to capture their activities and intra-group discourse. Pre-lesson interviews with the teachers were undertaken and audio-recorded to ascertain their intended learning objectives. Selected key vignettes, including unintended learning, were analysed from the perspective of intellectual passion developed by Polanyi. What we found in this study is that unintended learning could occur when students got interested in something in the first place and could maintain their interest. In addition, students could get conceptual knowledge when they tried to connect their experience to their related prior knowledge. It was also found that the processes of intended learning and of unintended learning were different. Intended learning was characterized by having been planned by the teacher who then sought to generate students' interest in it. In contrast, unintended learning originated from students' spontaneous interest and curiosity as a result of unplanned opportunities. Whilst teachers' persuasive passion comes first in the process of intended learning, students' heuristic passion comes first in the process of unintended learning. Based on these findings, we 123 Sci & Educ (2016) 25:3-20 DOI 10.1007 argue that teachers need to be more aware that unintended learning, on the part of individual students, can occur during their lesson and to be able to better use this opportunity so that this unintended learning can be shared by the whole class. Furthermore, we argue that teachers' deliberate action and a more interactive classroom culture are necessary in order to allow students to develop, in addition to heuristic passion, persuasive passion towards their unintended learning.

Making in‐the‐moment learning visible: A framework to identify and compare various ways of learning through continuity and discourse change

“…In addition to conceptual learning, evidence emerged from the data that we can identify in‐the‐moment learning of things other than conceptual understanding, for example, learning of norms for collaborative work such as habits of care, normalizing expression of uncertainty, and norms of taking an activity seriously or not. These norms were introduced by filling gaps with pieces that were aesthetic rather than conceptual (Wickman, 2006), in which needs were met by making space for nonconceptual pieces and relations that could be, but were not limited to, expressions of emotions, confusions, and verbal validation (Keen & Sevian, 2022; Park et al, 2016; Sohr et al, 2018).…”

“…We summarize the interaction as follows: LA Haseen joined the group mid-way through their problem solving, Park et al, 2016;Wickman et al, 2022;Wickman, 2006). We saw this kind of nonconceptual learning in several other ways, which were often aligned with the instructor's goals for the class, such as repeating and normalizing expressions of uncertainty, but could also conflict with what the instructor wanted for their students, such as establishing a norm of dismissing others' questions.…”

“…A shift from deficit‐ to asset‐oriented theories of learning allows space for the diverse and heterogeneous resources students bring to learning encounters, such as language and cultural resources (Barton & Tan, 2009; González‐Howard & Suárez, 2021; Karlsson et al, 2020; Suárez, 2020). Research on emotion and aesthetics has also highlighted the importance of attending to noncognitive resources to fully understand learning (Appleby et al, 2021; Park et al, 2016; Wickman et al, 2022). These bodies of work speak to the importance of expanding our definition of learning beyond the acquisition of canonical scientific content or practices.…”

“…However, the limitation of these approaches is that they, by necessity, often narrow the scope of what is attended to in science learning to specific scientific concepts or practices. While this may be productive for understanding students' conceptual development and development as scientists, it may limit our ability to see how and what students learn in unexpected ways (Graham et al, 2013; Lee et al, 2021; Park et al, 2016).…”

Unintended knowledge learnt in primary science practical lessons

“…Korean science lessons have a unique cultural and historical context that distinguishes them from other countries (Leem & Kim, 2013). As indicated in our previous study that explored how unintended learning took place in Korean primary practical lessons (Park, Song, & Abrahams, 2016), Korea has a highly structured and controlled national curriculum. The textbooks and guidebooks for teachers are based on the national curriculum.…”