3:15pm – 4:15pm, Griffin Exhibit Hall
A113. A Call for Environmental Justice Education for Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers Jodi Devonshire, University Of Missouri-St. Louis, [email protected]
ABSTRACT: Well before the industrial revolution, environmental racism has occurred in both international and national communities. This form of systemic marginalism is perpetuated by and translates directly into a negative effect on education, teaching and learning. Disproportionate exposure to neurological toxins in minority and marginalized communities of children is affecting learners in dramatic, yet rarely recognized ways. The consequence of lifelong exposure to these toxins in poor and minority populations gives rise to a call for
incorporating “socio-scientific issues” (Sadler 2009), such as Environmental Justice (EJ) education into the scientific literacy model for pre-service and in-service teachers, with purpose of developing a comprehensible connection between science education and sustainable development or redevelopment. This integration “could provide the basis for making science more relevant to learners, as well as better prepare learners for active participation in society” (Onwu & Kyle 2010). Given the severity of these learning discrepancies, coupled with a limited amount of research related to EJ and its effect on learning and school attendance. I emphasize a critical need to integrate pre- service and in-service EJ education into teacher education programs and the Pre-k-12 curriculum
A115. Becoming an Activist Science Teacher: a Longitudinal Case Study of an Induction Intervention Sarah Barrett, York University, [email protected]
ABSTRACT: The focus of this longitudinal case study is the evolving beliefs of a new science teacher who wishes to teach for social justice by teaching about and through socioscientific issues (SSI). The participant’s espoused beliefs evolved into enacted beliefs unevenly, with the inclusion of SSI as content occurring prior to his having the skills to enact an approach to teaching which optimizes that content. Over time, his ability to talk about his teaching practice as well as his ability to implement his vision became more focused. This study shows an example of a trajectory of beliefs and implies that, for new teachers, the transition from espoused to enacted beliefs follows a developmental trajectory. This recognition has implications for the design of future studies which investigate whether or not preservice teachers retain their reformist views years after they begin teaching. By understanding this trajectory, teacher educators can more effectively intervene in cases where new teachers have the intentions to teach for social change (become activists) but fail to realize those intentions in practice.
A117. A "B" Isn't Good Enough: Gendered Expectations for ELL Students' Science Achievement and Participation Kathyrn Scantlebury, University of Delaware, [email protected]
Beth A. Wassell, Rowan University Sonya N. Martin, Seoul National University
ABSTRACT: This paper examines urban, middle school ELL students’ and their teachers’ gendered attitudes towards science using a mixed methods that included students’ surveys, interviews with students, teachers and parents. Much of the research has failed to examine the gendered educational experiences in science for ELL students. There were no gender differences between students on teacher practices and students’ science attitudes. However, Ethnic Chinese Cambodian and Ethnic Chinese girls reported less support from for their academic work parents/adults compared with African American and Latina girls. The lack of parental support did not deter the girls from being interested in science. Ethnic Chinese Cambodian and Ethnic Chinese boys also reported lower levels of support from parents/adults.
A119. (Re)Visions of Science and Science Teaching: Students of Color Transforming Their Ideas of Teaching Science in Urban Schools
Felicia M. Mensah, Teachers College, Columbia University, [email protected] Iesha Jackson, Teachers College, Columbia University
ABSTRACT: This study was situated in a preservice elementary science methods course at a large, urban university in the northeastern United States. The methods course was designed to orient preservice teachers to multicultural science education. Five students of color were invited to participate in this study. The experiences of these preservice teachers were analyzed using critical race theory. Notions of becoming a scientist, observing that science is everywhere, and seeing self and science differently as a result of the course structure and discussions were salient themes from an analysis of data collected from the study. Implications of the study are discussed in terms of science methods courses structured to critique dominant discourses of science and science education for teachers of color and the utility of critical race theory in science education to provide deeper theoretical
A121. Narratives and Interactional Self-construction: Why are All the Cree Students Chatting Together About Science?
Gale A. Seiler, McGill University, [email protected]
ABSTRACT: The way people come to teach science is shaped by a long trajectory of experiences in science and most importantly by how they make sense of them. This session addresses questions of how Native preservice teachers resolve the tensions between their personal, collective and historical oppressive encounters with science and their future role as science teachers. Discourse analysis of autobiographical narratives and online interactions in a science course for preservice elementary teachers explored the representational as well as the
interactional/constructionist functions of language in those discussions. Shared personal and collective experiences with science led to solidarity and co-construction of new selves among the Native students and between Native and non-Native students. Shared historical encounters with science built solidarity among Native students, but interfered with solidarity building between Native and non-Native students. This highlights the vastly different historical understandings of science that shape the figured worlds of Native and non-Native future teachers and the need for this to be addressed in science education. The role of instructor as an active agent in recontextualizing knowledge and providing pedagogical opportunities for self-construction is also highlighted. This session will be of interest to those concerned with social reproduction for many marginalized groups and
researchers concerned with operationalizing the constructs of identity and narrativization.
A123. Using the 5R Instructional Model to Develop Content Knowledge and Language in Science for ELLs Molly H. Weinburgh, Texas Christian University, [email protected]
Cecilia Silva, Texas Christian University
ABSTRACT: Our research focuses on the equity issue of helping English Language Learners (ELL) acquire and modify knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors that are needed to be successful in science in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examine the emerging 5R Instructional Model to see what change occurs in student learning. During a 3-week period, instruction ‘…married scientific activities with scientific ways of using words rather than with lifeworlds languages’ (Gee, 2004, p. 25) using the 5R Instructional Model. Thirty-one students participated in the study. All students were recent immigrants and came with various levels of English language proficiency and prior schooling. The data were collect from multiple sources including audio-tapes of student conversations, video- tapes of student activities, pre/post interview, pre/post read aloud, daily written journal entries by students, researcher notes field notes, and student end of course products. A team of researchers coded the transcribed pre/post interview, ‘what I know about wind turbines’ entry in the journal, and ‘book’ page produced at the end of the summer. Comparisons between the first day’s and last day’s oral interview and written description of their knowledge of wind turbines indicate that the students content knowledge and language skills increased.
Strand 12: Educational Technology