Gender-inclusive science teaching: A feminist-constructivist approach

The underrepresentation of women in science is an extensively studied yet persistent concern of our society. Researchers have identified numerous educational and social factors thought to be responsible for this underrepresentation (Kahle, 1990a; Kelly, 1987). One of the dominant explanations, used by many researchers for years to discuss gender differences in science and mathematics achievement as well as interest, has been the differences in the cognitive abilities of men and women. This explanation, however, has been discarded in recent years (Linn & Hyde, 1989; Linn 1990). On the basis of their meta-analyses of various studies. Linn and Hyde (1989) concluded that gender differences in cognitive skills have declined and those that remain are largely explained by experiential differences. Women may not have different cognitive abilities, but they may have a different way of learning rooted in their role in society. The epistemic differences between men and women stemming from their standpoint in life can help us understand their differential interaction with the nature of science, and hence their participation in the field. In the following section, we will briefly discuss the feminist critique of science and extend the implication to science education.     

Native Mexican Parents’ Beliefs About Children’s Literacy and Language Development: A Mixed-Methods Study

Research Findings. This study examined Mexican caretaker roles, beliefs, and practices around their child’s language and literacy development. Twenty-six parents in three preschools representing three socioeconomic strata located in Querétaro City, México completed questionnaires and participated in focus groups. We used convergent parallel mixed methods to analyze and compare parent questionnaire quantitative data and qualitative focus group data with a grounded theory approach to identify focus group discussion themes. Four themes were emerged: (a) Goals and expectations regarding reading and socioemotional development, (b) Perceptions and beliefs about children’s oral and written language, (c) Caretaker’s perceived role in children’s language and literacy development, and (d) Home and community learning-related resources and practices. Findings highlighted that Mexican parents highly value supporting their children’s education both socioemotionally and through engagement in literacy routines—evidence of duality in the educacíón value among native Mexican families. These literacy routines were complementary and responsive to teacher classroom instruction. Practice or Policy. Understanding how Latino families instantiate literacy practices to respond to American schooling expectations may be a way to address home-school discontinuities that often reflect lack of familiarity with the U.S. educational system.     

What Happens When a Teacher’s Science Belief Structure Is in Disequilibrium? Entangled Nature of Beliefs and Practice

Research in Science Education - This qualitative case study examined the process of change in an experienced elementary teacher’s belief structure during implementation of an inquiry-based...     

Chemistry inside an epistemological community box! Discursive exclusions and inclusions in Swedish National tests in Chemistry

This study examined the Swedish national tests in chemistry for implicit and explicit values. The chemistry subject is understudied compared to biology and physics and students view chemistry as their least interesting science subject. The Swedish national science assessments aim to support equitable and fair evaluation of students, to concretize the goals in the chemistry syllabus and to increase student achievement. Discourse and multimodal analyses, based on feminist and critical didactic theories, were used to examine the test’s norms and values. The results revealed that the chemistry discourse presented in the tests showed a traditional view of science from the topics discussed (for example, oil and metal), in the way women, men and youth are portrayed, and how their science interests are highlighted or neglected. An elitist view of science emerges from the test, with distinct gender and age biases. Students could interpret these biases as a message that only “the right type” of person may come into the chemistry epistemological community, that is, into this special sociocultural group that harbours a common view about this knowledge. This perspective may have an impact on students’ achievement and thereby prevent support for an equitable and fair evaluation. Understanding the underlying evaluative meanings that come with science teaching is a question of democracy since it may affect students’ feelings of inclusion or exclusion. The norms and values harboured in the tests will also affect teaching since the teachers are given examples of how the goals in the syllabus can be concretized.     

Narrating Neighborhood: Denying Young Women’s Public Voices About Violence

This paper describes a youth-centered activist project with a group of young women in Brooklyn, NY, and the controversy surrounding it. In 1999 the young women created a neighborhood mural with anti-violence themes. Within 6 months of the mural’s dedication, the mural was whitewashed by the corporate owner of the mural wall. Using content and discourse analysis of archival materials, organizational documents, and ethnographic fieldnotes from participant observation, I argue that the teen women’s representations of violence were denied through the shifting understandings of their ages and assumptions about conflict resolution strategies. I offer reflections on the need for careful planning and reflection in youth participatory projects and the meanings of success and social change in these projects.

Child Care Subsidy and Program Quality Revisited

Research Findings: Previous research has documented conflicting results on the relationship between program quality and the percentage of children receiving subsidized child care (subsidy density) in early childhood centers. This research examined the relationship between subsidy density and the quality of infant and preschool classrooms in child care centers, taking into consideration teacher education and salary as well as other structural variables associated with quality. A multimethod evaluation was conducted with 110 child care centers utilizing an interview of center directors as well as classroom observations using standardized measures of quality and language/literacy in the classroom. Regression analyses indicate that subsidy density does not predict the quality of infant classrooms. However, subsidy density is a significant predictor of the quality of preschool classrooms. Teacher education is predictive of some quality indicators, but teacher salary is not. Practice or Policy: Practice and policy implications are discussed to promote the quality of child care centers that serve low- income children. Statewide initiatives should target centers with higher subsidy density for quality improvements. Local programs and state policy should provide teachers with opportunities to obtain additional education and then offer incentives to remain in their current early childhood settings.     

The Ohio Library and Information Network: Resource Sharing at Its Best

The article describes the development and implementation of the Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK) shared catalog and patron-initiated online borrowing process. Procedures for providing materials to patrons along with OhioLINK's experience with missing and lost materials are detailed, including lessons learned regarding lost materials and billing. Details of the usage of OhioLINK services and the growth into electronic resources are included. The article summarizes the success of this unmediated borrowing process.