Wonder in an Educational Context

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of wonder in terms of its significance for pedagogical
perception and practice. Drawing on the use of perception vignettes developed by Barth & Wiehl (2023),
wonder is described as a distinct phase that precedes reflection: a moment of pause between sensory perception
and conceptual understanding. Its epistemic potential lies in its ambivalence – between curiosity and irritation,
openness and fear – for interrupts hasty categorizations and creates the conditions for a reflective pedagogical
attitude.
The article argues for understanding wonder as a learnable pedagogical attitude which can be a resource for
building successful relationships and an educational practice that views unpredictability as an invitation to
encounter one another.