Ameliorating Equity in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering: A Case Study of an After-School Science Program

2002 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
School Science ◽  
After School ◽  
Science Program

scholarly journals Vertical Gardens: Sustainability, Youth Participation, and the Promotion of Change in a Socio-Economically Vulnerable Community in Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Waleska Carolina do Valle Santos ◽  
Diandra Singh ◽  
Livia Delgado Leandro da Cruz ◽  
Luis Paulo de Carvalho Piassi ◽  
Giuliano Reis
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
School Science ◽  
Youth Participation ◽  
After School ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Extensive Field ◽  
Vulnerable Community ◽  
Field Notes

This article is situated within the intersection of education for social transformation (EST) and ecojustice education (EJE). We have described the benefits of youth participation in an after-school science program offered to socio-economically vulnerable populations in São Paulo (Brazil). More specifically, we explored participants’ changing views of sustainability as they engaged in a 24-week project of their choice: The cultivation of a vertical herb garden. The analysis of our discussions and extensive field notes revealed that during the time participants cared for the garden, they developed: (a) A more accurate (refined) conceptualization of sustainability, (b) an appreciation for alternative and viable ways of producing food in urban settings, and (c) a stronger relationship with one another. In the end, involvement in the vertical garden project proved to be a powerful example of how science education can transform the livelihood of youth by expanding their views on human interconnectedness with all forms of life.

scholarly journals Instructional improv to analyze inquiry-based science teaching: Zed’s dead and the missing flower

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie Dahn ◽  
Christine Lee ◽  
Noel Enyedy ◽  
Joshua Danish
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Reality ◽  
School Science ◽  
Second Grade ◽  
Science Lesson ◽  
Instructional Decisions ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Second Grade Students ◽  
Lesson Context ◽  
Power And Agency

AbstractIn inquiry-based science lessons teachers face the challenge of adhering to curricular goals while simultaneously following students’ intuitive understandings. Improvisation (improv) provides a useful frame for understanding teaching in these inquiry-based contexts. This paper builds from prior work that uses improv as a metaphor for teaching to present a translated model for analysis of teaching in an inquiry-based, elementary school science lesson context. We call our model instructional improv, which shows how a teacher spontaneously synthesizes rules of improv with teaching practices to support student learning, engagement, and agency. We illustrate instructional improv through case study analysis of video recorded classroom interactions with one teacher and 26 first and second grade students learning about the complex system of honey bee pollination in a mixed reality environment. Our model includes the following defining features to describe how teaching happens in this context: the teacher 1) tells a story; 2) reframes mistakes as opportunities; 3) agrees; 4) yes ands; 5) makes statements (or asks questions that elicit statements); and 6) puts the needs of the classroom ensemble over individuals. Overall, we show how instructional improv helps explain how teachers can support science discourse and collective storytelling as a teacher (a) shifts power and agency to students; (b) balances learning and agency; and (c) makes purposeful instructional decisions. Findings have immediate implications for researchers analyzing interactions in inquiry-based learning environments and potential future implications for teachers to support inquiry learning.

Voices Inside Schools - Historical Perspective as an Important Element of Teachers' Knowledge: A Sonata-Form Case Study of Equity Issues in a Chemistry Classroom

2000 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 370-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Dean Sconiers ◽  
Jerry Lee Rosiek
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Educational Equity ◽  
Narrative Structure ◽  
School Science ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Full Detail ◽  
Sonata Form ◽  
Equity Issues ◽  
University Researcher

In this article, middle school science teacher Zachary Sconiers and university researcher Jerry Rosiek introduce the sonata-form case study, a narrative structure designed to document teachers' understandings of how subject matter and sociocultural influences intersect in the classroom. Written in collaboration with the Fresno Science Education Equity Teacher Research Project, this case study is told from the perspective of Jerome Jameson, a fictional chemistry teacher, whose story is based on Sconiers's actual teaching experiences. Also integrated into the narrative are Sconiers's in-depth reflections on the connections between his commitment to science education and his commitment to promoting educational equity. The sonata-form case study is followed by an afterword, written by Rosiek and Sconiers, that describes this unique methodology for teacher inquiry in full detail. The writing process for the case study was extensive and iterative: the two authors worked closely over the course of a year to develop the narrative, with Rosiek taking the lead on revising and editing. With this case study, Sconiers and Rosiek highlight the critical need for a new form of educational research, one that "builds bridges between the discourses of educational excellence and educational equity, as well as between theory and practice."

scholarly journals Evaluating citizen science outreach: A case-study with The Peregrine Fund’s American Kestrel Partnership

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248948
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Schulwitz ◽  
Greg C. Hill ◽  
Vanessa Fry ◽  
Christopher J. W. McClure
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Discussion Boards ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Science Outreach ◽  
American Kestrel

Citizen science programs can be powerful drivers of knowledge and scientific understanding and, in recent decades, they have become increasingly popular. Conducting successful research with the aid of citizen scientists often rests on the efficacy of a program’s outreach strategies. Program evaluation is increasingly recognized as a critical practice for citizen science practitioners to ensure that all efforts, including outreach, contribute to the overall goals of the program. The Peregrine Fund’s American Kestrel Partnership (AKP) is one such citizen science program that relies on outreach to engage participants in effective monitoring of a declining falcon species. Here, we examine whether various communication strategies were associated with desired outreach goals of the AKP. We demonstrate how social media, webcams, discussion boards, and newsletters were associated with perception of learning, agreement with our conservation messaging, and participation in our box monitoring program. Our results thus help us to improve our outreach methodology, suggest areas where other citizen science programs might improve their outreach efforts, and highlight future research priorities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document