Beginning school–university partnerships for transformative social change in science education: Narratives from the field

Abstract

These narratives explore what it might entail to begin school–university partnerships towards the goal of transformative social changes through the voices of two women scholars of color. Using two school–university partnerships as focal cases, we unpack the complexity, tensions, and possibilities that arise through collaborations driven by the objective to promote new and more just forms of science learning within public schools. In this article, we use three key dimensions of participatory design research (namely, critical historicity, power, and relationality) as analytical lenses through which to reflect upon school–university partnerships that we are in the beginning stages of forming. Through this methodology, we shed light on: (a) the historical genealogies of equity‐oriented work and (b) the tensions that we encountered as we strived for beginning partnerships with K‐12 schools. These narratives unveil the dynamic and contentious nature of forming school–university partnerships that always occurs within a sociopolitical landscape impacted by intersecting and powered identity markers, including those around race, gender, language, culture, and status. We provide specific recommendations for supporting education researchers who aspire to transform the learning of sciences at schools through a collaborative and sustainable partnership. These recommendations include ideas around how to collectively generate goals with schools centered on transformative science learning; attention to the role of language and race in shaping partnership role‐remediation; and creating infrastructure for developing school–university partnerships toward transformative social changes, including financial, human and relational resources, as well as new forms of recognition systems.

International Schools in China in the Post covid-19 Pandemic Era: Survive or Thrive?

“…Their primary goal was also the shared vision which is morally to maintain the quality of instruction and promote student progress, which produced a strong commitment to change among staff (Day & Gu, 2018). A shared vision is a primary factor in being educated about the need for change, and it is best to discuss the goals, values, and practical aspects of the project together at the beginning of the change process (Kang & Gonzalez-Howard, 2022). Since change is an extremely complex process that generates uncertainty, anxiety, and instability (Appelbaum et al, 2018), an accurate change plan must be indispensable.…”

Talking through the “messy middle” of partnerships in science education

“…In focusing on “the messy middle” of partnerships, we do not consider the initial process of coming together nor the ultimate outcomes of shared work. The beginnings of partnerships are taken up by our colleagues (Kang & González‐Howard, 2022). Instead, we try to illustrate the ways in which partnerships make justice‐oriented science education possible in the context of doing the work.…”

Justice‐centered community–university partnering: Core tenets of partnering for justice epistemology

“…As Kang and González-Howard (2022) focus on the beginning of partnering projects, they bravely share personal narratives about their lived tensions in partnering for justice in science education as pre-tenure women scholars of color. Grounding their work and reflections in the three key dimensions of participatory design research (Bang & Vossoughi, 2016), these authors share their experiences with leaning into considerations of critical historicity, power, and relationality with schools and districts toward transformational change.…”

“…Partnering, like many forms of authentic work, follows an identifiable temporal arc that begins with goal and norm‐setting, leading to the doing of the work replete with making mistakes and adjusting, and ending with an intense readying for a final performance at which recognition of achievements occurs by those within and outside of the partnership (Brice‐Heath, 2001). Kang and González‐Howard (2022) focus their paper on the beginning of projects as efforts to establish and focus on partnering. Cheuk and Morales‐Doyle (2022) center their reflections on the “messy middles” of partnering as spaces of negotiating, relating, and role‐remediation.…”

“…We can't just value partners for their measurable contributions to the work, but we have to care for each other as humans” (Cheuk & Morales‐Doyle, 2022; p. 2204). Intentionality and vigilance are required for redistributing power. Kang and González‐Howard (2022) remind us that “human relationships are inevitably shaped by histories of race and differential power that set the stage for partnership formation. From this perspective, it is crucial to consider the various identity markers (such as race, ethnicity, gender, language, etc.…”