Fostering complex historical understandings: a study of Estonian pupils’ epistemic cognition and learning experiences

Abstract

Background: In the context of geopolitical uncertainty and knowledge fragmentation, this study examines how Estonian pupils in Grades 9 and 11 perceive the nature of historical knowledge and what makes history learning meaningful to them. Purpose of the study: To analyze how pupils’ epistemic beliefs and learning experiences correlate with teachers’ instructional practices, and whether age, gender, and socioeconomic background are influential in this regard. Methodology: The study was part of an 18-month participatory action research project. Data were collected from 194 pupils and linked to a typology of their teachers’ pedagogical approaches. The findings: Teachers who facilitated pupils’ historical thinking, metacognitive skills, and critical reflection on prior knowledge in a democratic classroom climate were likely to foster meaningful learning experiences. However, there was no significant correlation between teaching practices and pupils’ epistemic beliefs. Conclusions and implications: The fact that meaningful history learning experiences were predominantly observed in classes where teachers supported pupils' metacognitive skills, used dialogic teaching methods, and encouraged active participation in learning, underscores the necessity of engagement with content both within and beyond the classroom. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of integrating multiple knowledge systems into history education to foster a reflective and complex historical understanding.