Resisting the Borg: Science Teaching for Common Wellbeing

Abstract

Humans are facing numerous serious personal, social and environmental challenges associated with fields of science and technology. Arguably of most concern is climate change, but others include health problems linked to manufactured foods, pharmaceuticals and nuclear energy. Many of these problems seem attributable to capitalists’ excessive, seemingly hegemonic, influences on citizens for the sake of profit-generation. Indeed, although educational scholars, policy makers and others have begun to encourage teachers to help students to learn more about such potential problems and to possibly take actions to address them, it seems that capitalists’ societal controls have limited implementation of such activist science education. As Marilyn Cochran-Smith (Harv Educ Rev 61(3):279–310, 1991) suggested several years ago, however, much can be learned about school reform from teachers who persist in findings ways to ‘teach against the grain.’ Through their counter-hegemonic educational practices, they may provide insights into inhibitory variables that could serve as foci for dramatic school reform. In the study reported here, we describe and analyze efforts by the second author of this paper to encourage and enable secondary school students of science to design and conduct research-informed and negotiated actions to address socioscientific issues concerning them. Students have, for instance, taken their posters and pamphlets (based on their correlational studies and internet research) to local stores to discuss social and environmental problems associated with electronics (e.g., cell phones and televisions) with customers and workers. This narrative case study aligns with Cochran-Smith’s claim that critical dissonance and collaborative resonance be combined to enable teaching against the grain. At the same time, various contradictions, dilemmas and paradoxes have emerged—including that, although Mirjan values collaboration and the social good, he also prioritizes inimitability; a somewhat individualistic educational entrepreneurship, through which he can increase his self-esteem. Implications of such findings for teacher professional development are explored.

Appendices

Appendix A

This year I had the privilege of attending the AERA conference in San Francisco where I presented two research papers with several graduate students and faculty members from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). It was an incredible professional development experience and I’d like to share with you some of the highlights from this conference from my point of view. Over 20,000 people attended the event with many world experts sharing their expertise and wisdom in education. A good friend of mine once said: “What good is your knowledge if you don’t share it with others?” So, I hope that you find this document somewhat useful in your attempt to build a more issues-based and action-oriented curriculum that builds our students’ character.

• E-mail: mirjan.krstovic@peelsb.com

• Twitter: www.twitter.com/MKrstovic

• ClassWiki: http://mrkrstovic.wetpaint.com

• EduBlog: www.mkrstovic.edublogs.org

1.1 Favorite Quotes from the Featured Presidential Sessions

	“We are moving form a national, analog, industrial economy to a global, digital, information economy. Every one of our social institutions was created for the former. Schools need to be re-fitted for new society.” Arthur Levine, Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation
	“Do something with what you know! It is knowing the structure of the discipline, how to use it and how to make it useful that is important to convey to our students—not just the facts and concepts of the discipline.” Sharon P. Robinson, American Association of Colleges for Teachers of Education
	“We have this highly stratified education system in this country. With education schools historically and legitimately taking pride in serving who? Women, working class people and minorities—none of whom have enjoyed much status in this country.” Kent McGuire, Southern Education Foundation, Inc.

Please e-mail me (mirjan.krstovic@peelsb.com) if you would like FULL videos featuring these four prominent speakers from the conference.

1.2 Food for Thought !

Although the featured speakers that I listened to are from the USA, what they are saying (as captured by the quotes above) can be easily applied to our country and much of the ‘developing’ world, too. As one listens to these dynamic speakers, it’s hard not to think about the multitude of ways in which we can better prepare students for the future, especially marginalized and ‘at-risk’ students. The following questions came to mind after I reflected carefully on the content of each speech:

• What changes need to occur in our practice so that our students are better prepared for this ‘new society’?

• How might our practice evolve in response to global and local concerns?

• Our subject disciplines do not occur in some kind of a ‘sociocultural vaccum.’ How can develop better cross-curricular assignments that allow our students to experience the interdisciplinary nature of education (for citizenship)?

1.3 Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education Controversial Quotes?

Photo by: Mirjan Krstovic

“Today federal state and local governments spend billions of dollars each year on professional development for teachers, yet we know surprisingly little about the effectiveness or return on investment of professional development.”

“I’ve seen devastating effects of poverty…But give me the poorest kid, from the toughest community and the toughest family and put them in a high quality setting, have them go to elementary, middle school and high school, have them go to college—I’m actually optimistic about that child.”

“I never said poverty doesn’t matter. I said that poverty should never be destiny!”

“We have to close the opportunity gap before we can close the achievement gap. All children need opportunity to be successful.”

“Talent, time and resources—that’s what will close the opportunity gap.” [He is referring to putting talented teachers in tough communities with underprivileged children]

1.4 Food for Thought !

The special invited address entitled “Choosing the right battles: remarks and conversation” by Arne Duncan, the ninth U.S. secretary of education drew the largest audience at the 2013 AERA conference. Secretary Duncan is a very good orator who also handles controversial questions rather well. Although he made several good points in his speech (e.g., poverty should not be destiny), his policies on ‘school reform’ supported by President Obama and other Democrats have many for-profit educational industries benefiting, particularly technology firms, publishing and testing corporations, test prep and monitoring centres, educational management companies, investment bankers, venture philanthropy and think tanks. Also, servants of power and flexians (people who move between foundations), private companies and universities, as well as human capital economists are all benefitting financially from “Race to the top” reform. So are Secretary Duncan and his allies really serious about reducing inequality gap when his governments’ policies are clearly privileging those who are already at the top? Should our country’s governments (both federal and provincial) be taking advice from our neighbors? What position do we take if, or when, our governments (and large corporations) start to oppress the less privileged and/or the middle class in our society?

1.4.1 What the Tweets Say About Arne’s Speech #AERASec

1.4.1.1 Photos from Occupy AERA—Protesting Secretary Duncan’s Visit to AERA

Photos by: Mirjan Krstovic Videos are also available upon request. Please e-mail me (mirjan.krstovic@peelsb.com) if you are interested for the video footage.

1.5 Teacher Leadership for Educational Quality and Equity

What makes education in Finland so unique and highly effective?

This is what I learned from the Dean of University of Helsinki, Finland, Dr. Hannele M. Niemi, at a roundtable session chaired by Dr. Ann Lieberman of Stanford University.

In Finland:

• There is a high level of respect for teacher.

• Every teacher is a leader.

• It is very competitive to get into teacher’s college.

• Teachers have high level pedagogical thinking but also pedagogical content knowledge.

• Teachers understand how students are learning at each stage.

• Teachers are not only responsible for next level of education but also for how students can go forward in their lives.

• There are no national tests; that leaves lots of freedom but also lots of responsibilities for teachers.

• Teachers decide how they organize their work in the school in cooperation with other teachers and principals.

• Every teachers must have a 5 year Master’s level degree.

• Teachers must have high level analytical thinking and also credibility to make decisions based on evidence.

• Teachers go in many different places in Finland - they are highly sought after professionals in Finnish society.

• Teachers are proud of their profession in Finland.

• Principals are also teaching.

• Beginner teachers have high level of support and mentoring.

• Collaboration with outside partners is an area of need for professional development for teachers.

Audio recording of Dr. Nieme’s talk is available upon request. Please e-mail: mirjan.krstovic@peelsb.com

1.6 Learning with Dr. Ann Lieberman

Ann and I after a roundtable discussion about teacher leadership. Ann Lieberman was previously a senior scholar at The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and is Professor Emeritus of Education at Columbia University. She is also a senior scholar at Stanford University. I met Ann four years ago when I was part of the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program (TLLP) for experienced teachers. Ann was the key note speaker at the TLLP conference. I kept in touch with Ann. Her work has greatly contributed to a very successful cross-curricular Leadership for Learning team that was formed five years ago at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School. Ann joined us via web conference during one of our professional learning team meetings. It was a pleasure seeing her again in San Francisco where we shared our learning about teacher leadership.

1.7 Learning from Dr. Pedro Noguera

Dr. Pedro Noguera, is the Professor of Education at New York University. He is a remarkable speaker who certainly knows how to motivate and inspire the crowd!

Key Learning Points from Dr. Noguera’s Speech:

• We give the most to children that have the most, and we don’t give enough to those who need it the most.

• We need to empower kids as learners! We need to spend more time on empowering kids and motivating them to learn!

• Failure is not an option! Fear is not a motivator! What kids need is hope!

• Racial inequality is still an issue—how do we reduce these disparities?

• So much of what is wrong has to do with the politics of education and the policies of education. The fact that we continue to view education as a vacuum, that we have not created a more integrated strategy connected to health, housing, community development… So much of what’s wrong is that we continue to blame teachers for problems that they do not create.

• We need to move away from blaming to thinking more deeply about the nature of the problems.

1.8 Key Ingredients for School Improvement

• 1. Coherent instructional guidance system

• 2. Development of the professional capacity of its faculty

• 3. Strong parent and community school ties

• 4. A student-centered learning climate

• 5. Leadership that drives learning

1.9 Questions for Thought

• 1. How do we build and sustain a climate for learning in our schools?

• 2. What additional resources do we need to help sustain this climate for learning?

• 3. How do we foster community partnerships to support our climate for learning?

• 4. Which of the above ingredients for school improvement needs more attention at our school?

1.9.1 Teacher Activists and Character Education

Three characteristics of teacher activists:

• (i) Vision of a more socially just world

• (ii) Work to enact this vision

• (iii) Stand up to oppression

1.9.1.1 Vincent Harding’s Wisdom

“If we teach youth to run away from the darkness, rather than to open up the light in it, then we are doing great harm to them.”

“We human beings are meant to be sources of light for each other.”

“How do we talk together in ways that will open up our best capacities and our best gifts?”

1.9.1.2 Resources

“We have to re-think the education. Education has to be for social and political action! ” - Dr. Chris Emdin

1.9.2 Great TED Talks on Ecological Justice

These are truly inspirational videos!

1.9.3 Learning from the Homeless on the Streets of San Francisco

As I walked out the Hilton Hotel I came across a queue of homeless people who were waiting rather patiently to get lunch from a local church organization called “Glide”. I asked for permission to interview a few of them to learn more about their experiences since the theme of the AERA conference was Education and Poverty.

Excerpt from the Street Spirit newspaper given to me by one of the homeless gentlemen.

Check out this newspaper. A number of homeless people were handing it out on the street in exchange for some money. Articles from this newspaper can be used to stimulate discussion in class around social justice. Visit www.thestreetspirit.org

1.10 Social Justice in MATH Class!

Dr. Indigo Esmonde, Assistant Professor from OISE/UT, specializes in learning to teach mathematics for social justice! I was impressed with her presentation and her enthusiasm for a ‘different’ kind of math education. She introduces us to the opportunities for learning math in the context of community activism. Who would have thought these two fields can ever connect?

I took a photograph of the Abstract of her poster:

For the math teachers interested in social justice, contact Dr. Esmonde at iesmonde@oise.utoronto.ca. I spoke with Indigo on the airplane on the way back from San Fran and she is very cool, and looks forward to connecting with teachers who want to adopt social justice perspective in their math classes. Imagine the possibilities!

1.11 My Contributions to AERA

1.11.1 Students’ Social Studies Influences on Their Socioscientific Actions

A Presentation at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association April 27–May 1, 2013, San Francisco, CA, USA

Theme; “Education and Poverty; Theory, Research, Policy, and Praxis”

J. Lawrence Bencze & Mirjan Krstovic

For interested staff, full article that Dr. Bencze and I presented can be found here: http://webspace.oise.utoronto.ca/~benczela/AERA2013_Bencze-Krstovic.pdf

Christina Phillips and I during our poster presentation (See Abstract of our paper below)

Students’ Socioscientific Actions: U Sing & Enhancing Their ‘ ‘Street Smarts’

Christina Phillips, Mirjau Krstosvic and J. Lawrence Beneze Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. University of Toronto

Abstract

In the context of promoting actions to address socioscientific issues, we found that student-led research projects were effective ‘border-crossing’ instruments that enabled students to increase their scientific street-smart savvy. Arguably, increased street smarts provided by research-informed student activism allow a greater degree of scientific knowledge to be internalized as students have been permitted to explore the discipline as personalized ‘experts’ These approaches may be instrumental in increasing student success and transcending scientific power dynamics as they enable students to view-science as a relevant participatory activity. This may aid in the diminishment of intellectual, economic and moral poverty where future citizens arc more capable of making scientifically-literate decisions.

I would like to give special thanks to the following people:

• Principal Sue Turner for her support, interest in the conference and approval of my PD leave

• VP Chris Lane for arranging my supply coverage

• Kathryn Dertinger for her support in taking care of the STPDL forms

• OSSTF for the supply coverage money

• Erindale Science staff for checking up on my classes while

  I was away ☺

• Colleagues from OISE/UT, especially Dr. Bencze for his scholarship and mentorship

• My Leadership for Learning Team—too many to name ☺