Promoting Issues-based STSE Perspectives in Science Teacher Education: Problems of Identity and Ideology. In Press for Science and Education.

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Promoting Issues-based STSE Perspectivesin
Science Teacher EducationProblems of Identity
and Ideology.In Press for Science and Education.
Erminia Pedretti, Larry Bencze, Jim
Hewitt, Ashifa Jivraj Lisa Romkey Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education, University
of Toronto
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Issues facing humanity
Social Injustices
For example,
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Environmental Degradation
Issues facing humanity

• Soil, Water Air Pollution
• e.g., hazardous chemicals (e.g., dioxin) in
  water
• e.g., increased Global Warming gases
• e.g., drugs (e.g., Vioxx) with negative side
  effects
• Habitat Damage
• e.g., deforestation
• e.g., ozone layer destruction
• Species Loss
• 3/h 125/d 25,000/a

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Role for school science in addressing social
environmental problems?
Yes!!
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Literacy Goals for School Science

• Learning Science Technology
• Learning About Science Technology
• Learning To Do Science Technology
• Learning to/taking Socio-political Action

Hodson, 2003
Wenger, 1998
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Issues-based STSE EducationMultimedia Documentary
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Research Context Methods

• Data Sources 64 student-teachers 1-year BEd
  Large Canadian university
• Data Types
• Pre- and post-case method Likert questionnaires
• Field notes during case method
• Samples of student-teachers work
• Open-ended survey
• Reflective writing
• Worksheets
• Audio video taped conversations and
  interactions
• Analyses
• CCM re CGT

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Results

• Student-teachers generally agreed that STSE
  education was an essential component of science
  education.
• e.g., STSE is in keeping with the need to make
  science relevant to the learner, by treating the
  subject within a larger context, and students
  should be strongly encouraged to question
  science... the political, social, environmental
  influences.
• But, student-teachers also expressed reluctance
  about using STSE education early in their careers.

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Letting go Autonomy and control
Tensions regarding teacher identity
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2. A voice in the wilderness Support and
belonging
Tensions regarding teacher identity
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3. Getting through it all Negotiating curriculum
Tensions regarding teacher identity
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4. Is this our role Politicization and action?
Tensions regarding teacher identity
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5. Whos take anyway? Biases and ideological bents
Tensions regarding teacher identity
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What have we learned about STSE Ed in Teacher
Education?

• The idea of STSE Ed. appeals to
  student-teachers
• Early adoption unlikely, due to 5 tensions
  relating to student-teachers instructional
  identities
• i.e., control autonomy support belonging
  expetise negotiating curriculum politicization
  action and, biases ideological bents
• Note that Case depicted whole STSE Ed unit
• STSE Ed in TEd might be improved by
• Explicit attention to competing SE ideologies
• Explicit attention to specific STSE political
  ideologies
• Assist in StTs CK PCK re STSE Ed
• Use more modest STSE documentaries
• Ensure documentaries are paired with
  participation in STSE Ed
• Further work is needed in determining StTs
  actual school practices

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The End!
Paper is on-line at http//fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/
lbencze Contact Erminia at epedretti_at_oise.utoron
to.ca Contact Me lbencze_at_oise.utoronto.ca