When deep learning meets inclusion: teachers’ negotiation of pedagogical depth in science education

Policy and curriculum reforms are increasingly encouraging deep learning and inclusive education, putting greater demands on teachers’ professional judgement in diverse classrooms. However, how these policies are implemented in everyday science teaching remains poorly understood. This qualitative study explores how lower-secondary science teachers negotiate pedagogical depth as they implement deep learning in inclusive settings. Using policy enactment theory, semi-structured interviews with 12 science teachers were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. Five interconnected themes emerged: inclusion as meaningful participation; tensions between conceptual depth and accessibility; negotiated pedagogical practices involving multimodality, differentiated participation, and peer scaffolding; ethical dilemmas in inclusive assessment; and teachers’ beliefs, professional uncertainty, and structural constraints. The findings indicate that pedagogical depth is not inherently inclusive but is continuously negotiated through decisions about accessibility, participation, representation, and assessment in science learning, highlighting the importance of preparing teachers to connect conceptual rigour with accessibility and inclusive participation in science education.