Hurricanes and the Incredible Mystery of Disappearing Land: Book Chapter
Faculty Research Research Informing Our Work Home Hurricanes and the Incredible Mystery of Disappearing Land: Book Chapter Dr. David Steele and colleagues from the University of Portland, Rider University, Fort Hayes State University, and the Ohio State University collaborated to create an elementary science unit on hurricanes. This unit is designed to help 5th grade students develop a deep understanding of hurricanes and their impacts. Utilizing the lesson plans in this unit, students are guided through several activities that will eventually allow them to develop answers to the unit’s two guiding questions: “What could a hurricane do to [place] and the local surrounding area? and How can we prepare [place] and the local surrounding area for a severe hurricane and survive?” Students begin the unit by being exposed to an anchoring phenomenon: land loss around the Louisiana coastline after Hurricane Katrina. Using phenomena to anchor lessons situates science instruction in the context of community and brings to the forefront the overlapping nature of science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as the integration of other disciplines. From there, the unit allows students to explore the following science big ideas: weather-related conditions associated with hurricanes and how those weather conditions are measured, why and where hurricanes form and what ocean conditions promote their formation, using models to forecast hurricane strength and paths – including exploring the impacts of hurricanes using primary sources, developing a “Family Emergency Plan” in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster, researching hurricane proof building designs, and using research findings to design the perfect hurricane proof house. Included in the unit is a summative assessment that requires students to circle back to the anchoring phenomenon and apply their learning and house design ideas to thinking about structures that could be designed to protect environments from hurricane damage. The unit can be found in the Information Age Publishing volume: “Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Elementary Grade Levels”.
Re-thinking Science Education Using Non-linear Theories: Implications of Posthumanism on Ethics, Policy, and Practice
Faculty Research Research Informing Our Work Home Re-thinking Science Education Using Non-linear Theories: Implications of Posthumanism on Ethics, Policy, and Practice Dr. David Steele and colleagues from the Ohio State University, Michigan State University, and IUPUI recently presented their research () at the 2022 National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference. The conference was held in Vancouver, BC from March 27th – March 31st, 2022. In their research presentation, Dr. Steele and colleagues: Present a theoretical paper that offers a new lens to open up locations of possibility where we can begin to shift scientific literacy to an agential literacy approach to science education. This paper is a call to radically change the way we think about our beings, existence, knowing, understanding, and more. Kayumova and colleauges (2019) argues that posthuman informed scientific literacy (such as agential literacy that we discuss here) cannot be separated from inequity. Likewise, we agree with Kayumova and colleagues that non-linear thinking in science education is intended to make a real difference in this world, particularly in addressing issues of equity and social justice. We believe the solution lies in having humans reposition ourselves and our relationship with the world, and agential literacy, as it relates to teaching the next generation of youth an ethics of mattering, can become a tool to identify, examine and address not only environmental injustice but also social justice and equity issues in this world. We contend that humans need to shift from seeing the world through a human-nature dualistic lens to one that recognizes humans as interrelated entities connected through a process of intra-action. The entire proposal can be found here, while the NARST presentation can be found here.
Secondary Preservice Teachers Becomings: Fostering Anti-Deficit Noticings Through Attending to Students’ Sense-Making Repertoires
Faculty Research Research Informing Our Work Home Secondary Preservice Teachers Becomings: Fostering Anti-Deficit Noticings Through Attending to Students’ Sense-Making Repertoires Dr. David Steele and colleagues from the Ohio State University and University of Toledo recently presented their research (Secondary preservice teachers becomings: Fostering anti-deficit noticings through attending to students’ sense-making repertoires) at the 2022 National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference. The conference was held in Vancouver, BC from March 27th – March 31st, 2022. In their research presentation, Dr. Steele and colleagues: Explore how anti-deficit noticing practices can be supported in the context of science methods courses and whether it can promote equitable science teaching and learning. We also aim to engage in thoughtful conversation, through the use of a Bakhtinian dialogic approach such as 1) what can we learn from our experiences to create locations of possibilities (Brandt, 2008) to replace deficit ideologies with anti-deficit noticings that value student sense-making and 2) drawing on Barad’s (2007) work on the notion of becomings, how can we address the challenges that emerged in our dialogues in order to re-conceptualize and re-imagine science teacher preparation programs in ways that have yet to be thought. Their entire research proposal can be found here and their presentation can be found here.
Identity Safe Classrooms, Grades 6-12: Pathways to Belonging and Learning
Faculty Research Research Informing Our Work Home Identity Safe Classrooms, Grades 6-12: Pathways to Belonging and Learning In identity safe classrooms, students facing negative stereotypes or viewed as different are “seen,” accepted, and valued for who and what they are. Their identity is embraced as an asset not a barrier for school success. Identity safety is a research-based set of practices that counter the harmful effects of stereotype threat and allow our students to reach their full capacity for learning, foster positive relationships, and better appreciate the full spectrum of human differences. Co-authored by Alexandrea Creer Khan, Alder’s Senior Director of Academic Programs, Identity Safe Classrooms, Grades 6-12, is a call for educators to come together and realize a vision of schools as transformative places of opportunity and equity for all students. Inside you’ll find: Design principles for promoting belonging and a welcoming classroom environment Compelling evidence from identity safety research on ways to mitigate stereotype threat along with counter-narratives that challenge societal biases about gender, race, and other differences Pragmatic strategies for student-centered teaching, including trauma-informed practices, that hold high expectations and validate each student’s background as a resource for learning Vignettes with concrete examples and try-it-out activities and prompts for self-reflection
