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Science and Technology Education Promoting Wellbeing for Individuals, Societies and Environments pp 503–522Cite as

“Preach or Teach?”: An Ongoing Journey to Becoming STEPWISE

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Part of the book series: Cultural Studies of Science Education ((CSSE,volume 14))

Abstract

This chapter outlines the ongoing journey of a science teacher educator towards an activist approach to science teacher education. The neo-liberal political influence on current education systems is used as a backdrop to the emergence of this activist teaching, as current education and the types of citizens and citizenship it creates is considered. The individualistic nature of success and blame that neo-liberal society encourages through current education programs, regardless of an individual’s background and circumstances, is contemplated in terms of the lack of equity, justice and global sustainab ility it perpetuates. As such, it is argued that teaching, and indeed, teacher education, needs to challenge the status quo of current educational practices and curriculum to ensure that a more just and equitable world is created. A vision for science teacher education as socio-eco-activism is presented as one means by which this might be achieved. The difficulties encountered in moving towards such an approach to teaching is presented through the story of my own journey towards becoming a teacher-activist where the constant tension felt between personal and professional (or preaching and teaching) is related. The emergence of a pathway to manage this tension and subsequently increase Science Teacher Education that really can Promote the Wellbeing of Individuals, Society and the Environment is shared through my ongoing journey to becoming STEPWISE.

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Acknowledgement

My sincere thanks to my dear friend and colleague Dr. Caroline Smith who has been an inspiration from the very beginning of my career in teacher education, and who read multiple drafts of this chapter and provided invaluable feedback.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University, Ballarat, VIC, Australia

    Mellita Jones

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  1. Mellita Jones
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Correspondence to Mellita Jones .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Larry Bencze

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Jones, M. (2017). “Preach or Teach?”: An Ongoing Journey to Becoming STEPWISE. In: Bencze, L. (eds) Science and Technology Education Promoting Wellbeing for Individuals, Societies and Environments. Cultural Studies of Science Education, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55505-8_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55505-8_23

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