Epistemic Insight Inspiring Critical Thinking and Interdisciplinary Learning: The Case of Student Teachers Engaging in ‘Water Droplets’ Experiment

Epistemic Insight (EI) not only involves appreciating the power distinctiveness of an individual subject area as well as its limitations, but also extends to identifying how one individual subject area is linked to other subject areas. This therefore implies that EI teaching approach accommodates critical thinking and a multi-disciplinary approach in teaching/learning and solving of real life and real world problems. Twelve (12) primary student teachers (PSTs) at Kwame Nkrumah University in Kabwe, Zambia participated in this study through doing the ‘water droplets’ experiment which is one of ‘hands on’ science investigation under the Essential Experiences in Science research project of the Epistemic Insight (EI) Initiative. They also wrote some reflective points on the experiment and participated in the follow up interviews and discussions. This engagement can be viewed as having had a two-pronged learning strategy through the ‘water droplets’ experiment. The first was to engage student teachers in activities that inspire critical thinking and personal interdisciplinary learning experiences. The second prong of the learning strategy was to inculcate the growth mindset, in student teachers, for exploring knowledge and being prepared to do the same in and with the learners they will be teaching in the future. The PSTs engagement and perceptions of the experiment have been presented and reflections on it shared. The possibilities of using EI teaching/learning approach in a primary teacher education context in a Zambian context have been discussed too.