Students’ Uses of Actor-Network Theory to Contextualize Socioscientific Actions

Abstract

Many jurisdictions have urged educators to engage students in decision-making regarding socioscientific issues, such as debates about climate change. Scholars suggest that students also need to take social actions —such as lobbying of power-brokers—to address issues. This latter tack, however, often meets various structural and cultural barriers. Some evidence suggests, however, that student motivation to act can be enhanced when they self-direct secondary and primary research to inform their actions. Nevertheless, motivation to act may or may not be based on adequate premises. In the study reported here, we concluded—based on constant comparative analyses of qualitative data—that students’ engagement in research-informed and negotiated actions to address socioscientific issues can be enhanced through their use of actor-network theory and practices. Implications for promotion of socio-political activism in and through school science are discussed.

Appendix A: Grade 10 Academic Science: Chemistry Research-Informed STSE Action Project

*Each lesson presented here is intended for a 75 minute period*

Lesson 1: Expressing your ideas

1.1 Introduction

Most of our everyday products that we, in developed and industrialized countries, use and/or consume involve the use of chemicals and chemical reactions. From the moment that you get up from your bed in the morning you start to interact with everyday substances such as soaps, toothpaste, shampoos, body sprays, etc. You may be taking multivitamin supplements, wearing wrinkle resistant shirts or drinking carbonated (or non-carbonated) beverages. All of these products contain chemicals.

1.1.1 Group Activity

• 1. In a group of three to four students, do a two to three minute brainstorm to outline a list of everyday products containing chemicals that you use at home.

• 2. Create a chart to show at least one positive and one negative consequences of each product on the well-being of societies and/or environments.

• 3. In another column of the same chart list any information you would need to research in order to state the positive and negative consequences of the product.

• 4. Consider the image of a Trojan horse. The Trojan horse was a great example where warriors were hidden inside a giant horse statue and delivered into the heart of the city. The town’s people saw how great a gift the horse was but didn’t realize what was lurking inside. Discuss with your group how the Trojan horse metaphor is relates to the products you listed in your table.

• 5. Consider the following statement: Be it resolved that companies should reduce the use of harmful chemicals in their products even if it compromises the product effectiveness. Decide if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, strongly disagree or somewhat disagree with this statement. Move to the corner of the classroom that best represents your view. Discuss your position with a partner or in a group of three when you get to your appropriate corner of the room.

Lesson 2: Lifecycle of a Product

The whole life cycle of a product (from its creation through to its disposal) needs to be taken into account when considering its impact on the well-being of individuals, societies and environments. This is where we begin with a deeper exploration of various chemical products, which on the surface may appear to be a simple product, but in reality there are many components that link together in the life cycle of a product.

1.1.2 Activity

• 1. Watch “The Story of Stuff” with Annie Leonard.

• 2. Fill in the table below stating at least one negative consequence on the well-being of individuals, societies and environments during each stage in the lifecycle of a product.

Stage of the lifecycle of a product	Negative consequence on individuals	Negative consequence on societies	Negative consequence on environments
Extraction
Production
Distribution
Consumption
Disposal

• 3. Discuss the consequences with your group, then with the whole class (teacher guided discussion). Ensure that your table is complete as you will need this information for the next stage of your research-informed action project.

Lesson 3: Creating a Mind Map

Many products come with negative features which are often masked to make the product appear a certain way. This is analogous to the Trojan horse we explored earlier. The negative aspects of many personal hygiene products are usually kept away from the general public. We only see what the companies want us to see so they attract the consumers and generate as much profit.

1.1.2.1 Goals of the Lesson and Your Task

• 1. Your teacher will create a mind map for a ‘smart phone’ showing some of the most important components (living and nonliving) during the lifecycle of this product. We will begin to uncover some of the hidden social and environmental costs that are often hidden from the general public.

• 2. You will pick one personal hygiene product (e.g., shampoo) and start developing a similar mind map. You can start by expressing what you know already based on what you learned from “The Story of Stuff” and the table that you completed in class. You are required to do some additional secondary research for your first mind map.

• 3. It’s important that you show the many links to various components (living/nonliving and hidden messages) for your product as well some of the social and environmental costs associated with your product.

• 4. Another great video to watch is ‘The Story of Cosmetics’ by Annie Leonard.

Lesson 4: Revising the Mind Map

Since the goal of this project is to address an STSE issue (or a few related STSE issues) in connection to the personal hygiene product you selected, you will first need to identify an issue, or issues, you feel is/are most relevant and most important to address through research-informed activism. You will need to revise your original mind map according to the instructions below.

1.1.2.1.1 Your Goal Is to

• 1. Revise your first mind map so that you group different components according to overall goals they have. For example, one might represent: advertisers, cell phone companies, people who often are seen using cell phones, stores that sell cell phones, etc. All of these may be aligned to support such common hidden messages like, cell phones are ‘cool,’ ‘sleek,’ ‘powerful,’ etc. You may put circles around groups of components that operate as a unit, or color code these components.

• 2. With another circle, or another colour, show living and non-living components that might tell a different story, which is often less prominent in society. For example, if we consider cell phones again, this might include: miners in developing countries, living things adversely affected by mining, people with cancer from cell phone energy waves, landfills with heaps of cell phones in them, etc. The components in this circle/or with this colour code—if it were more prominent - might send messages like, ‘cell phones are harmful/toxic,’ ‘they separate people from each other,’ etc.

• 3. Identify less prominent messages that may be important in society about your selected chemical product. For example, many personal hygiene products, like shampoos, contain some possible carcinogenic substances or neurotoxins which can affect our health. One or more of these less prominent messages will become the STSE issue(s) that you will address with your group through your choice of actions.

Lesson 5: Conducting primary research into your chemical product

Purpose

To plan and conduct an original investigation (e.g., a correlational study) about a personal hygiene product of your choice. It would be best if your investigation relates to one or more of the less prominent messages/STSE issues you identified.

1.1.2.1.2 Getting Started

List of possible investigations that your group can do:

• Design an investigation to determine what smells/fragrances of soaps/shampoos are preferred by teenage boys and girls and how fragrance seems to be used as a marketing tool.

• Evaluate various labeling claims used on several brand name products as acceptable or unacceptable (according to Heath Canada Guidelines for Labeling Claims: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/indust/cosmet/index-eng.php#s2 ).

• "If you can hook teens when they’re young, you have a customer for a lifetime," said Matt Britton, chief of brand development at Mr. Youth, a marketing firm. Design an investigation to study various methods that markers/advertisers use to entice teenage boys and girls to buy a particular product. For example, you may look at particular ads and determine if there is a difference in the way that boys vs. girls perceive these ads.

• Design a controlled experiment to test stability of personal hygiene products (see http://www.intertek.com/beauty-products/testing/cosmetic-stability/). For example, for your product you may look at pH, viscosity, appearance/colour and odour at various conditions such as different temperatures, different amounts of light and/or free-thaw conditions.

• Design and carry out a correlational study to determine how hypgeine products for girls and boys differ in hidden messages; e.g., how they make the user feel (refer to: http://www.beautypackaging.com/articles/2003/11/semiotics-research-deciphering-packaging-codes-rev)

• Your idea…discuss it with the teacher and get it approved before beginning the investigation.

1.1.2.1.3 Developing a Method and Preparing for Your Investigation

• 1. After you decide which investigation you’d like to perform with your group, you need to first come up with method to conduct your investigation. Plan it so that its results may be ‘trustworthy’; e.g., valid and reliable.

• 2. Make sure that you show your method to your teacher before beginning the investigation.

• 3. As part of your preparation to conduct an investigation, you need to have all your materials ready. For example, if you conduct a study, you need to have your survey questions developed. If you are studying particular ads for your product, you need to have these ready as well.

1.1.2.1.4 Collecting and Analyzing Data

• 1. Remember that your data can be both qualitative (descriptive, no numbers used) and quantitative (usually numerical data). The type of investigation you chose will determine whether your data is qualitative and/or quantitative.

• 2. All data needs to be summarized in a properly labeled Table.

• 3. Quantitative data should be shown graphically—as a bar, line or pie graph.

• 4. Graphs should have titles with properly labeled axis.

1.1.2.1.5 Interpreting Data and Drawing Conclusions

• 1. You should make sense of what your results show by interpreting your results. Can your original focus question be answered using the data you collected? What does your data suggest? What conclusions can you make from your primary research?

• 2. What are some possible weaknesses in your investigation and how can they be addressed?

Lesson 6: Preparing for and taking action: Consumer Activism!

The last stage of your research-informed action project is to prepare for and take action to address an STSE issue related to the personal hygiene product you selected. You will be given one class period in which you will work with your group to propose and prepare for your actions. Your actions should be informed by both your secondary and primary research.

1.1.2.1.6 Your Goal Is to

• 1. Propose an action that your group can take to address the issue you identified.

• 2. Develop ready-to-use action materials. You will need to spend additional time outside of the designated class time to work on your ready-to-use action materials.

• 3. Present and defend your actions during a 10-muinute class presentation.

1.1.2.1.7 Ideas for Actions

• A public service announcement about the health and environmental effects of chemicals in shampoos, or lead additives in cosmetics

• An exposition/narrative about the lives of miners/factory workers affected during the extraction or production stages of development of your selected product

• A letter to powerful groups (e.g., Health Canada) asking for better regulations of chemicals in everyday products

• Students may propose safer/healthier and greener alternatives to some personal care products and develop a campaign to promote their use over other products

• Other actions of your choice—get them approved by your teacher

What’s Assessed and Evaluated at the End of This Project:

At the end of this research-informed action project, you will be assessed and evaluated on the following components:

• (i) Initial and revised mind maps

• (ii) Results and conclusions of your primary investigation

• (iii) Ready-to-use action materials/actions you propose and take

• (iv) 10 minute presentation defending your actions

Mirjan Krstovic, 2013