Learning about socio-scientific issues, such as animal welfare or climate change, often exposes students to complex and sometimes conflicting information. Our research explored how epistemic emotions-including confusion, curiosity, surprise, and enjoyment-emerge while students engage in Digital Curation activities and how these emotions accompany inquiry, critical thinking, and knowledge building.
The findings suggest that even emotions often viewed as “negative”, such as confusion, can become valuable drivers of meaningful learning when students are encouraged to investigate, discuss, and construct knowledge together. These insights can help educators design learning experiences that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and deeper engagement with real-world scientific issues.
Link to the full article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43031-026-00157-z
Authors: Remah Haj & Dina Tsybulsky
Research group’s website: https://biologygroup.net.technion.ac.il/
