“We do not know what is the real story anymore”: Curricular contextualization principles that support indigenous students in understanding natural selection

We propose a process of contextualization based on seven empirically derived contextualization principles, aiming to provide opportunities for Indigenous Mexican adolescents to learn science in a way that supports them in fulfilling their right to an education aligned with their own culture and values. The contextualization principles we empirically derived account for Nahua students' cultural cognition, socialization, and cultural narratives, thus supporting Indigenous students in navigating the differences between their culture and the culture and language of school while learning complex science concepts such as natural selection. The process of curricular contextualization we propose is empirically driven, taking culture and socialization into account by using multiples sources (cognitive tasks to explore teleology, ethnographic observation of students' community and classroom, and interviews with students and community members) and builds on the scholarship in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Indigenous Education. We used these principles to redesign a middle school biology unit on natural selection to make it more culturally relevant for Nahua students. The enactment of this unit resulted in students being engaged in science learning and achieving significant learning gains. The significance of this study lies in presenting evidence that learning science in culturally relevant ways supports the learning of challenging biology concepts. We provide evidence that Western science can be learned in ways that are more aligned with Indigenous students' Traditional Indigenous Knowledge, thus informing the implementation of educational policies aiming to improve the quality of secondary education for Indigenous adolescents. Our proposed contextualization principles can benefit students of all cultural identities who feel that their religion, language, or traditional knowledge are not aligned with school science, facilitating their access to culturally relevant science education.     

Should Science be Taught in Early Childhood?

This essay considers the question of why we should teach science to K-2. After initial consideration of two traditional reasons for studying science, six assertions supporting the idea that even small children should be exposed to science are given. These are, in order: (1) Children naturally enjoy observing and thinking about nature. (2) Exposing students to science develops positive attitudes towards science. (3) Early exposure to scientific phenomena leads to better understanding of the scientific concepts studied later in a formal way. (4) The use of scientifically informed language at an early age influences the eventual development of scientific concepts. (5) Children can understand scientific concepts and reason scientifically. (6) Science is an efficient means for developing scientific thinking. Concrete illustrations of some of the ideas discussed in this essay, particularly, how language and prior knowledge may influence the development of scientific concepts, are then provided. The essay concludes by emphasizing that there is a window of opportunity that educators should exploit by presenting science as part of the curriculum in both kindergarten and the first years of primary school.     

对《逻辑哲学论》科学观的逻辑重构

前期维特根斯坦的哲学是一种语言批判,通过对语言的逻辑进行研究,为可说和不可说的领域划定界限。在逻辑分析的视角下重构他的科学观,能更清楚理解他对科学的定位和评价。他的科学观表现为:(1)哲学与科学既非奠基、也非取消的关系,哲学在科学之外,为科学划定界限;(2)逻辑之知具有先天性和必然性,科学之知具有后天性和偶然性;(3)自然律的形式桥接了逻辑形式和自然律的内容,保证了科学知识中形式和内容的统一。前期维特根斯坦独特的科学观,可以为进一步思考科学的本性、哲学与科学的关系提供重要启示。     

Reading for meaning: The foundational knowledge every teacher of science should have

Reading is fundamental to science and not an adjunct to its practice. In other words, understanding the meaning of the various forms of written discourse employed in the creation, discussion, and communication of scientific knowledge is inherent to how science works. The language used in science, however, sets up a barrier, that in order to be overcome requires all students to have a clear understanding of the features of the multimodal informational texts employed in science and the strategies they can use to decode the scientific concepts communicated in informational texts. We argue that all teachers of science must develop a functional understanding of reading comprehension as part of their professional knowledge and skill. After describing our rationale for including knowledge about reading as a professional knowledge base every teacher of science should have, we outline the knowledge about language teachers must develop, the knowledge about the challenges that reading comprehension of science texts poses for students, and the knowledge about instructional strategies science teachers should know to support their students’ reading comprehension of science texts. Implications regarding the essential role that knowledge about reading should play in the preparation of science teachers are also discussed here.     

Is science itself the cause of ineffective science teaching?

In her article “A Possible ‘Orality’ for Science?” (Interchange, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 227–244), Rampal argues that science can be made more relevant to students if its language is reformed and replaced by one that contains elements drawn from oral cultures. There is some point to this policy proposal, but it fails to note that the dispassionate and impersonal prose of science has its own function in the on-going practice of science. The real task for the teacher should not be reforming the language of science but rather using oral culture to lead students in the excitement of scientific theories and the joys of scientific research, bringing them in the end to a mastery of the prose style that the scientific community has found serves well its goal of increasing our knowledge of laws of nature.     

The design and development of a Collaborative mLearning prototype for Malaysian secondary school science

Collaborative problem-solving in science instruction allows learners to build their knowledge and understanding through interaction, using the language of science. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools facilitate collaboration and may provide the opportunity for interaction when using the language of science in learning. There seems to be little interaction among students in the science classrooms as teachers only seem to be concerned with teaching the facts of science. An exploratory implementation study for a collaborative mobile learning (CmL) prototype design using CMC tools provides the opportunity for interactions using the language of science. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the CmL prototype can be used for interaction and learning in secondary school science. The prototype, designed based on Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, was evaluated by five experts before implementation among 14 students. Data collected from interviews with the experts and from students who used the prototype, as well as from online communications, was analyzed. The findings show that interactions when the CmL prototype was used enabled the language of science to be modeled for knowledge-building. This study is explorative in nature and the preliminary results seem to indicate that the CmL prototype has the potential to increase interactions in learning. However, further investigation is required to determine whether the CmL prototype could be used for collaborative problem-solving in science as well as in other subjects, especially in the current educational environment in Malaysia.     

The indigenous worldview of Yupiaq culture: Its scientific nature and relevance to the practice and teaching of science

Is science an invention of European thought, or have legitimate scientific bodies of knowledge and scientific ways of thinking emerged separately in other cultures? Can indigenous knowledge systems contribute to contemporary science teaching? Here we describe evidence from the Yupiaq culture in southwestern Alaska which demonstrates a body of scientific knowledge and epistemology that differs from that of Western science. We contend that drawing from Yupiaq culture, knowledge, and epistemology can provide not only a more culturally relevant frame of reference for teaching science concepts to Yupiaq students, but also a potentially valuable context for more effectively addressing many of the recommendations of U.S. science education reform initiatives. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 133–144, 1998.     

Elaborating the structures of a science discipline to improve problem-solving instruction: An account of Classical Genetics' theory structure,function, and development

Situating the conceptual knowledge of a science discipline in the context of its use in the solving of problems allows students the opportunity to develop: a highly structured and functional understanding of the conceptual structure of the discipline; general and discipline-specific problem-solving strategies and heuristics; and insight into the nature of science as an intellectual activity. In order realize these potential learning outcomes, the reconstructions of scientific theories used in problem solving must provide a detailed account of (1) realistic scientific problems and their solutions; (2) problem-solving strategies and patterns of reasoning of disciplinary experts; (3) the various ways that theories function for both disciplinary experts and students; and (4) the way theories, as solutions to realistic scientific problems, develop over time. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to provide further specificity regarding a philosophical reconstruction of the structure of Classical Genetics Theory that can facilitate problem-solving instruction. We analyze syntactic, semantic and problem-based accounts of theory structure with respect to the above criteria and develop a reconstruction that incorporates elements from the latter two. We then describe how that reconstruction can facilitate realistic problem solving on the part of students.     

History, Philosophy, and Science in a Social Perspective: A Pedagogical Project

Various studies have promoted instruction in the history and philosophy of science (HPS) in science classes, but the best way of putting this perspective into practice remains undetermined. To contribute to this issue, we developed a pedagogical project in some high schools in Brazil that aimed to present science content using an historical–philosophical approach focusing on the HPS from a social perspective. The content was developed broadly, highlighting the dialogues between science and the cultures in which scientific knowledge was accumulated. The results of the first stage of project implementation show that some strategies efficiently encouraged student discussion about science using an historical–philosophical approach. One successful strategy was the use of artistic material, such as movies and plays. The creative language and images in these elements allowed teachers to broaden historical–philosophical discussions without compromising science content. This project shows that a social approach to the HPS stimulates interdisciplinary discussions in science classes, enabling students to reflect on the nature of science.     

“Yo soy indígena”: identifying and using traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to make the teaching of science culturally responsive for Maya girls

This study examines how traditional ecological knowledge—TEK—can be identified and utilized to create culturally responsive science learning opportunities for Maya girls from a community in the Guatemalan highlands. Maya girls are situated in a complex socio-historical and political context rooted in racism and sexism. This study contextualizes the current situation of Maya women and girls in Guatemala and emphasizes the important need for educators to create science-learning opportunities that are culturally congruent. The author posits that when considering how to make the teaching and learning of science culturally responsive for Maya girls, educators must begin with the scientific knowledge inherent within Maya communities. Indigenous communities have a wealth of TEK that can be used to contextualize science curricula that can be purposely designed to meet the nuanced cultural needs of traditional Maya girls within and outside Guatemala.     

The Application of Both-Ways and Two-Eyed Seeing Pedagogy: Reflections on Engaging and Teaching Science to Post-secondary Indigenous Students

The issue of Indigenous engagement, participation and success in the sciences is a concern both in Australia and in Canada. The authors of this paper have taught Indigenous students in tertiary enabling programs, undergraduate science and science education. Their experiences bridging Indigenous and Western cultures in science and science education through Both-Ways (BW) or Two-Eyed Seeing (TES) pedagogical and methodological approaches form the data for this paper. Their teaching experience with tertiary level Indigenous students using BW/TES pedagogies serves as case studies for the epistemic insight (knowledge about knowledge) they have gained. Each of the case studies considers the role of the Nature of Science (NOS) and potential conflicts through engagement with the two knowledge paradigms. Rather than being in conflict, the two worldviews are seen as complementary, a situation leading to epistemic insight.     

Science education for sustainability, epistemological reflections and educational practices: from natural sciences to trans-disciplinarity

In this three-part article we seek to establish connections between the emerging framework of sustainability science and the methodological basis of research and practice in science education in order to bring forth knowledge and competences for sustainability. The first and second parts deal with the implications of taking a sustainability view in relation to knowledge processes. The complexity, uncertainty and urgency of global environmental problems challenge the foundations of reductionist Western science. Within such debate, the proposal of sustainability science advocates for inter-disciplinary and inter-paradigmatic collaboration and it includes the requirements of post-normal science proposing a respectful dialogue between experts and non-experts in the construction of new scientific knowledge. Such a change of epistemology is rooted into participation, deliberation and the gathering of extended-facts where cultural framings and values are the hard components in the face of soft facts. A reflection on language and communication processes is thus the focus of knowledge practices and educational approaches aimed at sustainability. Language contains the roots of conceptual thinking (including scientific knowledge) and each culture and society are defined and limited by the language that is used to describe and act upon the world. Within a scenario of sustainability, a discussion of scientific language is in order to retrace the connections between language and culture, and to promote a holistic view based on pluralism and dialogue. Drawing on the linguistic reflection, the third part gives examples of teaching and learning situations involving prospective science teachers in action-research contexts: these activities are set out to promote linguistic integration and to introduce reflexive process into science learning. Discussion will focus on the methodological features of a learning process that is akin to a communal and emancipatory research process within a sustainability scenario.     

Multimodal Literacies in Science: Currency, Coherence and Focus

Since the 1990s, researchers have increasingly drawn attention to the multiplicity of representations used in science. This issue of RISE advances this line of research by placing such representations at the centre of science teaching and learning. The authors show that representations do not simply transmit scientific information; they are integral to reasoning about scientific phenomena. This focus on thinking with representations mediates between well-resolved representations and formal reasoning of disciplinary science, and the capacity-limited, perceptually-driven nature of human cognition. The teaching practices described here build on three key principles: Each representation is interpreted through others; natural language is a sign system that is used to interpret a variety of other kinds of representations; and this chain of signs or representations is ultimately grounded in bodily experiences of perception and action. In these papers, the researchers provide examples and analysis of teachers scaffolding students in using representations to construct new knowledge, and in constructing new representations to express and develop their knowledge. The result is a new delineation of the power and the challenges of teaching science with multiple representations.     

Finding science in students’ talk

What does it mean to understand science? This commentary extends Brown and Kloser’s argument on the role of native language for science learning by exploring the meaning of understanding in school science and discusses the extent that science educators could tolerate adulterated forms of scientific knowledge. Taking the perspective of social semiotics, this commentary looks at the extent that school science can be represented with other discourse practices. It also offers an example to illustrate how everyday language can present potential hindrance to school science learning.     

Indigenous Elementary Students’ Science Instruction in Taiwan: Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science

This preliminary ethnographic investigation focused on how Indigenous traditional wisdom can be incorporated into school science and what students learned as a result. Participants included community elders and knowledge keepers, as well as 4th grade (10-year-old) students, all of Amis ancestry, an Indigenous tribe in Taiwan. The students?? non-Indigenous teacher played a central role in developing a science module ??Measuring Time?? that combined Amis knowledge and Western science knowledge. The study identified two cultural worldview perspectives on time; for example, the place-based cyclical time held by the Amis, and the universal rectilinear time presupposed by scientists. Students?? pre-instructional fragmented concepts from both knowledge systems became more informed and refined through their engagement in ??Measuring Time??. Students?? increased interest and pride in their Amis culture were noted.     

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ motivation to continue in senior science: An expectancy value theory and intersectional identity approach

Researchers have noted a persistent decline in Australian students’ participation in senior science in secondary school (Year 12). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) students are significantly less likely to continue with science, in part because western science and the present science curriculum have ignored and delegitimized Indigenous knowledges and cultures as “unempirical.” Moreover, Indigenous students who sit at multiple marginalized science identities (i.e., girls, low socio-economic background) may be less likely to continue with science. Drawing on expectancy value theory and considering intersectional identity, this study examined the extent to which Indigenous students’ science self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and utility value predicted their Y12 science enrolment and science subject selection, and if these associations were moderated by gender or socio-economic status. Multi-class logistic regression and multi-group path analysis were conducted with n = 334 Indigenous students and n = 2,801 non-Indigenous students. Utility value predicted Y12 participation and self-efficacy predicted science subject selection for Indigenous students. Socio-economic status was a significant moderator. Findings suggest that particular attention should be paid to these factors to better support Indigenous students in science.     

Decolonising the curriculum: using graduate qualities to embed Indigenous knowledges at the academic cultural interface

The context of this paper is a strategy at a large Australian university that involves embedding a new graduate quality ‘cultural competence’ and lifting the profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, experiences and histories. It has been argued that the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges is essential for the decolonisation of our higher education institutions. Decolonisation involves removing the barriers that have silenced non-Western voices in our ‘multi-cultural’ higher education system and combatting the epistemic injustices of a system dominated by Western thought. In this paper, we suggest that our university’s suite of graduate qualities can provide a locus for work at the cultural interface between Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledges. While these qualities may be firmly embedded within Western ways of knowing, being and doing, they can nonetheless be used to interrogate and revisit Western disciplinary knowledge construction and pedagogy so as to help bring about institutional change.     

Extraction of scientific semantic networks from science textbooks and comparison with science teachers’ spoken language by text network analysis

ABSTRACT

Just as language reflects one’s thoughts, the text of science textbooks reflects the structure of scientific knowledge and thought. Therefore, students’ learning of scientific language leads to their acquisition of the structure of scientific knowledge and thought. The purposes of this study were to extract scientific semantic network from science textbooks as the ideal model of using scientific language, and to examine how well science teachers are implementing scientific semantic networks in science classes by comparing and analysing their spoken language. Through a recursive method, science textbooks were searched for keywords and their relationships, and consequently a scientific semantic network was presented. As a result of the comparison with science teachers’ spoken language, it was found that the teachers were not able to implement the scientific semantic network exactly and efficiently in class, and the focus of the contents of their instruction was also different from the textbook. Science textbook was focused on qualitative aspects of the concept such as meaning, element, characteristic etc, on the other hand science teachers’ language was focused on quantitative aspect of the concept such as calculation, graph etc.     

Developing Students’ Reflections on the Function and Status of Mathematical Modeling in Different Scientific Practices: History as a Provider of Cases

Mathematical models and mathematical modeling play different roles in the different areas and problems in which they are used. The function and status of mathematical modeling and models in the different areas depend on the scientific practice as well as the underlying philosophical and theoretical position held by the modeler(s) and the practitioners in the extra-mathematical domain. For students to experience the significance of different scientific practices and cultures for the function and status of mathematical modeling in other sciences, students need to be placed in didactical situations where such differences are exposed and made into explicit objects of their reflections. It can be difficult to create such situations in the teaching of contemporary science in which modeling is part of the culture. In this paper we show how history can serve as a means for students to be engaged in situations in which they can experience and be challenged to reflect upon and criticize, the use of modeling and the significance of the context for the function and status of modeling and models in scientific practices. We present Nicolas Rashevsky’s model of cell division from the 1930s together with a discussion of disagreement between him and some biologists as one such episode from the past. We illustrate how a group of science students at Roskilde University, through their work with this historical case, experienced that different scientific cultures have different opinions of the value of a model as an instrument for gaining scientific knowledge; that the explanatory power of a model is linked not only to the context of its use, but also to the underlying philosophical and theoretical position held by the modeler(s) and the scientists discussing the model and its use. The episode’s potential to challenge students to reflect upon and criticize the modeling process and the function of models in an extra mathematical domain is discussed with respect to the notions of internal and external reflections.     

Misrepresentations of Indigenous History and Science: Public broadcasting,the Internet,and education

This paper examines the role of history in power relations which suppress Indigenous knowledges. History is located as being about power and about how the powerful maintain their power. The paper further examines the Bering Strait theory/myth and ways that discourses in history combine with discourses in science to devalue Indigenous knowledges. The “truth” of science is challenged and examples of manipulation of scientific knowledge are provided, including discussions of a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation made for television production A people's history and an Internet website provided by the American government. These production activities supported by the Canadian and American governments are considered educational activities engaged in the practice of cultural representation in which dominant discourses about Indigenous peoples are presented. The paper challenges dominant misrepresentations of discourses about Indigenous peoples in a discussion of educational practices emphasizing the need of Indigenous peoples to control education and cultural representations. The paper concludes that it is a responsibility of society to educate all students to understand that any portrayal of history comes from a particular vantage point and to understand that dominant society privileges some representations and disadvantages others. If we teach in a critical way and challenge dominant discourses we can begin to create a society in which all persons in Canada and the USA, including Indigenous peoples, have a role to play.