Cognitive Authorities in Science Education Classroom: A Nexus Analysis on Inquiry-Based Tasks

This qualitative study examined how cognitive authority is distributed, negotiated, and constructed during science learning tasks at Mindoro State University–Calapan City Campus, Philippines. Using nexus analysis, the study investigated an analytical chemistry class involving one teacher and 13 second-year Bachelor of Secondary Education students. Data were collected through observations and audiovisual recordings of two classroom sessions—lecture-discussion and hands-on experiments—and semi-structured interviews with the teacher and five students. Transcribed data were coded using NVivo 15, with analysis focusing on social actions, classroom interaction, and the use of potentially authoritative information sources. Findings revealed that cognitive authority varied with task structure. During lecture-discussion, authority centered on the teacher’s expertise and instructional materials, while hands-on experiments provided opportunities for students to negotiate interpretations through peer exchanges, procedural questioning, and experimental observations. Students drew on teacher-provided resources, prior knowledge, personal experiences, and laboratory evidence, and reported consulting academic journals, websites, and generative artificial intelligence. Interview accounts indicated attempts to corroborate digital information, although verification during work completed outside the classroom was not directly observed. The findings suggest that cognitive authority is relational and shaped by interactions among participants, learning resources, and task demands. The study highlights the importance of designing science activities that combine teacher guidance with opportunities for collaborative reasoning and explicit evaluation of evidence and source credibility. These context-specific insights can inform instructional design and teacher development aimed at supporting student agency and responsible knowledge construction.