• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.351-368
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• 2023

The scientist-led Research and Education (R&E) program aims to strengthen gifted science students' research capabilities under the guidance of scientists. Students' actual research experiences in scientist-led R&E activities range from understanding how scientists conduct research to actively participating in research. To develop R&E that promotes student agency, i.e., student participation, this study aimed to identify the pedagogical characteristics that supported gifted science students' agentic participation in the scientist-led R&E program. We conducted interviews with learners and scientists in three teams undertaking R&E activities every three months. The interview covered their perceptions of R&E activities, student participation, and scientists' support for the activities. The recordings and transcripts of the interviews were used as primary data sources for the analysis. The trajectory of each team's activities, as well as the learners' and scientists' dynamic positioning were identified. Based on this analysis, we inductively identified the pedagogical characteristics that emerged from classes in which the scientists supported the students' learning and engagement in research. Regarding agency, three types of student participation were identified: 1) the sustained exercise of agency, 2) the initial exercise and subsequent discouragement of agency, and 3) the continuous non-exercise of agency. Two pedagogical characteristics that supported the learners' agentic participation were identified: 1) opportunities for students to take part in research management and 2) scientist-student interactions encouraging learners to present expert-level ideas. This study contributes to developing pedagogies that foster gifted science students' agentic participation in scientist-led R&E activities.