Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

Dana L. Zeidler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Vonzell Agosto, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Robert Dedrick, Ph.D.

Keywords

Critical Consciousness, Critical Pedagogy, STEM Education, Critical Science Literacy

Abstract

Research on social justice continues to be conducted in urban, diverse schools, while independent schools are traditionally overlooked and absent from research in many disciplines, including science education. This embedded case study uses a critical pedagogical lens to examine this gap in the research literature by examining and describing what it looks like to teach science for social justice within a suburban independent school in the southeastern United States.Research on social justice continues to be conducted in urban, diverse schools. In contrast, independent schools are traditionally overlooked and absent from research in many disciplines, including science education. This embedded case study uses a critical pedagogical lens to examine this gap in the research literature by examining and describing what it looks like to teach science for social justice within a suburban independent school in the southeastern United States. Given the current social and political climate of the United States, justice-oriented science educators recognize the need to prepare students to grapple with multiple perspectives, engage in discourse, and learn to evaluate evidence that may conflict with their normative beliefs. Significant research in science education discusses a distributive approach to social justice. However, research on student outcomes from subject areas that merge social justice tenants with science curriculum and teacher pedagogy is needed. Teaching for social justice combines critical science literacy and justice-centered science pedagogy for critical science agency. The research questions are 1) How do independent school students understand science within a classroom using teaching science for social justice? 1a) In what ways do independent school students demonstrate, use, and apply scientific content in a justice-centered science classroom? And. 1b) To what extent, if any, do critical science curriculum and justice-centered pedagogy develop critical science agency, including the ability for students to take social action? The data sources accessed for this study included recorded and transcribed teacher and student interviews, participant artifacts, and classroom observations. Data were analyzed using coding techniques to derive patterns and themes, identifying commonalities from the cross-case analysis. Implications for how science teachers and science education researchers may use the information revealed in this study are discussed. This research concludes that teachers with a developed understanding of the intersection of social justice and science and the ability to develop critical science curricula and teach from a justice-oriented lens may not guarantee the development of critical science agency students. This disconnect creates a gap between theory, practice, and student outcomes. Further, more support is needed for teachers as they support the continued development of students' critical science agency as they matriculate in pK-12 independent schools. Given the current social and political climate of the United States, justice-oriented science educators recognize the need to prepare students to grapple with multiple perspectives, engage in discourse, and learn to evaluate evidence that may conflict with their normative beliefs. There is significant research in science education that discusses a distributive approach to social justice, but research is needed on student outcomes from subject areas that merge social justice tenants with science curriculum and teacher pedagogy. Teaching for social justice combines critical science literacy and justice-centered science pedagogy for critical science agency.

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