To create an equitable learning environment, teachers must consider the specific assets, experiences, perspectives, and needs of any learner population. Resources to help teachers and professional learning providers fulfill this vision often focus on vignettes and examples of how to attend to the needs of specific student groups (Lee et al. The NGSS also describe a vision for equity and diversity in science classrooms that emphasize making science accessible for all students, particularly those from non-dominant groups (NGSS Lead States 2013). Through these experiences, students can use the process of science to understand the physical world around them. Learners develop understanding based on evidence and analyses they have conducted themselves using science and engineering practices. Science Teacher LeaderĮngaging in natural phenomena to understand disciplinary core ideas and cross-cutting concepts is a fundamental component of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013). These activities surface the invisible assumptions and prior knowledge we bring to how we might make sense of something, and lift up alternative frameworks that are the product of the same kind of cognitive sensemaking, but for different purposes, places, and cultural contexts. Engaging in Phenomena as a Tool for Learning This article describes three experiences in teacher professional development workshops at an informal science institution that begin with investigating a scientific phenomenon and then use that phenomenon for additional discussion of the impacts of diversity and social difference on individual, community, and societal levels. Further extending those connections to social phenomena can support a more equitable learning environment by reinforcing how our differences can impact our understanding of the world and how science does not act separately from society. Phenomena-centered classrooms allow learners to use scientific practices to connect science content with meaningful experiences in their own lives, their communities, and society (Achieve et al.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |