OP-ED Constructing a liberatory pedagogy in science: Dilemmas and contradictions

Abstract

Journal of Curriculum StudiesPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:

Crafting multicultural science education with preservice teachers through service-learning

“…Rodriguez (1998) points out that this is certainly the case in science teacher education. In fact, Rodriguez, and others (Atwater 1996, Osborne andBarton 1998) argue that even though we, in science education, have a developing knowledge base of (a) preservice and practising teachers' beliefs about science and the nature of science; (b) preservice teachers' concerns about teaching science (generally); (c) ideals of what constitutes`multicultural' science; (d) ideals of what constitutes gender-, race-, and language-inclusive science teaching and learning (although very little of that also takes into consideration class issues); and (e) images of dilemmas that practising teachers and teacher educators have in enacting inclusive curriculum and instruction we have not found ways to have this agenda in¯uence preservice science education. This last issue is further complicated by the realization that science education as a community does not have a clear idea of what multicultural science teaching and learning looks like in practice!…”

“…Notes 1. Despite the general consensus in the US around the ideal of science for all, science educators have been largely unsuccessful in transforming the traditional curricular and pedagogical strategies of science education to ones that are inclusive of all students (Atwater 1996, Osborne andBarton 1998). Teacher education programmes have had little or no impact on preservice teachers' philosophy of teaching and learning, especially as it relates to serving underserved populations in science (Rodriguez 1998).…”

“…This is a particularly signi® cant shift because science teachers are often taught to keep science at the centre of science education (Osborne and Barton 1998 Arzfan, a black man, describes a similar perspective, although he goes a step further to suggest that the teacher must allow him-or herself to be transformed by students' lives and experiences:…”

“…Most also agree that science and its uses in society ought to be critiqued and challenged, although the degree of such critique and challenge is contested. Thus, some argue that it is the teaching methods and the applications of science that ought to be challengedÐ not necessarily the underlying scienti® c concepts and principles (Lee and Fradd 1998), whereas others argue that the underlying science needs to be challenged as well (Gill and Levidow 1989, Osborne and Barton 1998, Helms 1998). …”

Developing a Deeper Involvement with Science: Keith's Story

“…This process effectively reshaped Keith's experiencing of the world and appeared instrumental in forming the dynamic relationship Keith had with science. Such questions not only concern qualities of phenomenon and materials but also involve what gets questioned, explored, and valued and hold the potential to turn science into an expression of identity rather than a source of personal conflict (Osborne and Barton, 1998). Moreover, questioning holds the potential to open up multiple opportunities and pathways of engagement within science in a manner that responds to students' wishes rather than mandating a choice between science and their own desires (Brickhouse, 1994;Lynch, 1998;Osborne and Barton, 1999).…”