Weaving The Columns

A Research and Scholarship Agenda to Support Intentional and Sustainable

Empowerment-Oriented STEM Teaching and Learning
A Presentation By Dr. Jeremy Price

At Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA

November 12, 2015

An Interconnected Agenda of Research & Scholarship

Academic
Political
Social

(Dimick, 2012;
McQuillan, 2005)

Empowering
Learners and
Teachers

Facilitating
Equal
Opportunities
and Access

Recognizing
and Respecting
Difference

Understanding
Structural
Inequalities

An Interconnected Agenda of Research & Scholarship

Hearing
Students as
Empowerment

Reflection to
Bring Theory
into Practice

Cultivating
Communities of
Practice for
Sustainability

Assumptions for STEM Education and

Empowerment of Learners and Teachers
A core aim for an education towards a
scientifically literate public is to afford
learners and teachers the opportunity to view themselves as
competent outsiders
(Feinstein, 2011; Mooney & Kirshenbaum, 2009)

Negotiating the meaning of science allows

learners and teachers to see themselves as a part of the
endeavor even if they are not or do not become scientists
themselves.
(Wenger, 1998)

Hearing Students in STEM

As Empowerment

Research Question

What are the meanings that

students construct around
doing science?
Focus is on practicing science rather than
science as an identity (e.g., draw a scientist,
Archer et al., 2010)

Context: Cotstead High School

Inner Suburb (pop. 57,000) of a
large New England city
Host to technology and
biotechnology companies along
the highway, high blue collar and
immigrant population in-town
School of approximately 1400
students
Ms. Stonehams C-Block Biology
Class (These kids probably should
go to college, but probably wont.)

African-American
Hispanic
Asian
White

What Does It Look Like To Do Science?

Science as Gaining Knowledge

Science as Collections

Science as Nature

Science as Activity

Political Empowerment: Rosa and Juana

Academic and Social Empowerment: Debra

Facilitating Reflection
To Empower Future Teachers to
Bring Theory into Practice

Why Reflect on Teaching?

[T]he ability to reflect on
teaching is the mark of a true
professional. By trying to
understand the consequences of
their actions and by
contemplating alternative
approaches, teachers expand their
repertoire of practice.
(Danielson, 2007, p. 92)

Multidimensional Framework for Reflection

Schn, 1999

Mitchell, 2013

Remember

Reframing

Framing

Framing

Noticing

Recognizing important
and significant events in
the process

Put It
Together

Making Sense

Comparing the current

experience with prior
experiences

Pick It Apart

Making
Meaning

Recognizing new ideas

learned as a result of
the experience

Working with
Meaning

Linking the ideas and

processes with new
contexts

Transformative
Learning

Identifying how ones

approach to the world
has changed

Identify

Reframing
Plan to Use
(Bateson, 1987; Schn, 1999)

Moon, 1999

Progression of Scaffolding

making
noticing
sense

Surprisingly {it

was worried it would be hard because of

wasnt too bad, only very time consuming}.

making
sense

{I liked using these}

making
meaning

{I used the reciprocal teaching strategies}.

because {it

working
with meanings

noticing

When first starting this assignment, {I

the new technology}.

{but it made me be more specific as a writer}.

not only made my reader think more into the story},

noticing
making
sense
transformative working
making
learning with meanings meaning

[W]hen starting this project, {it

was very intimidating. I honestly had to read a

lot about generative topics}
because {it

was difficult for me to come up with a topic that didnt have

one correct answer. Im the type of person who needs black or white},
but in this project {we

During this project, {I

because {it

were given the opportunity to see in color}.

learned that I like color}

gives you the opportunity to explore and make mistakes while

learning}.

Cultivating Teacher
Communities of Practice
To Support the Sustainability of
Empowering Practices
https://flic.kr/p/vKvjws

Guiding Question
How do we support and
sustain rich, inquirydriven, problemcentered STEM learning
and teaching practices
throughout the preservice, student
teaching, and in-service
teaching experiences?

Defining Communities of Practice

Communities of practice are groups of
people who share a concern, a set of
problems, or a passion about a topic,
and who deepen their knowledge and
expertise in this area by interacting on
an ongoing basis. These people dont
necessarily work together every day,
but they meet because they find value
in their interactions. As they spend time
together, they typically share
information, insight, and advice.
(Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002, p. 4)

http://home.adelphi.edu/~ca17518/Images/team.gif

Cultivating a Community of Practice

Orientations

Activities

Meetings

Professional Development Sessions

Open-Ended
Conversations

Professional Development Sessions

Projects

Content
Access to Expertise
Relationships

Enacting Curriculum

Curriculum and Support

Materials

Feedback on
Curriculum

Culmination Sessions

Reflection Sessions

Online Forum
(Guided) Reflection
Posts

Professional Development Sessions

Online Forum

Feedback on
Curriculum Materials

FSU, TEKids, NETL

Teacher Colleagues

Online Forum

Reflection Posts

Professional
Development Sessions

Curriculum
Observations

Online Forum/
Reflection Posts

Reflection Session

Individual
Participation

VoiceThread on Teaching Science

Individual Reflection Posts

Community
Cultivation

Facilitation by FSU/TEKids

Identify and Support Core Group

Serving a Context

Curriculum
Observations

Curriculum Design Participation

Enacting Curriculum
(Wenger, White, and Smith, 2009)

Approaching STEM Learning and Teaching at

Elizabethtown College
Hearing
Students

Reflection to
Bring Theory
into Practice

Cultivating
Communities of
Practice for
Sustainability

Empowerment

Professionalism

Social Justice

Undergraduate
Research

Theory Into
Practice

https://flic.kr/p/7b118o

Jeremy Forest Price, PhD

jeremy.price@fairmontstate.edu
http://bit.ly/stem-social-justice