Title: Redefining Energy Justice in Physics Classrooms
Energy is one of the fundamental topics taught in high school physics. However, energy continues to betaught as an abstract concept that removes itself from the social implications energy systems have onsociety, in particular toward Indigenous communities. Given the importance of integrating discussionsaround equity into our science courses, in this study we propose a way in which energy justice can beredefined and included in physics classrooms. Redefining energy justice into physics classrooms allows usto connect energy justice to existing energy physics curriculum and lessons plans. In Summer 2020, 22physics teachers participated in a professional development that centered on discussions around energyand equity. We analyzed and coded teachers’ dialogues and conversations around energy and equity toidentify energy justice pillars. The energy justice pillars we identified formed the basis of an energy justiceframework that redefines energy justice for physics classrooms. This energy justice framework allows usto bridge the separation between physics and social justice, as they continue to be viewed as two separateschools of thought in the field of physics. more »« less
Huynh, Tra; Gray, Kara E.; Bauman, Lauren C.; Hernandez, Jessica; Seeley, Lane; Scherr, Rachel E.
(, Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 2022)
Frank, B.; Jones, D.; Ryan, Q.
(Ed.)
In this study, we showcase the various ways high school physics teachers make connections between science content and social justice, pushing the boundary of what is counted as science content by bringing social justice engagement to the center of science learning. We analyze lessons submitted by eighteen high school physics teachers who participated in a professional development program that supported the integration of equity into their science teaching. Three themes represent teachers' approach toward integrating social justice in their science lessons: (1) investigating the nature of science in specific science concepts and re-evaluating/redefining science concepts, (2) connecting students' everyday activities with science and global social justice issues, and (3) using science knowledge to engage with and advocate for social justice issues in students' local communities.
In this paper, we outline how science teachers might engage in the work of creating educational equity. While acknowledging the historical inherent inequities associated with issues of access, opportunities to engage in science learning for individuals of marginalized identities (e.g., BIPOC individuals and women), and achievement, we broaden this definition to include social justice as a framework by which we can develop opportunities for the fostering of students' affinity identities with science. To this end, we draw on theorizations of equity within educational research, specifically discussed as excellence, equality, fairness, a zero-sum game, and most recently, social justice. Additionally, we utilize McKinney de Royston and Nasir's (2017) Racialized Learning Ecologies framework. This framework provides a useful lens to notice the layers of (in)equity within education. We then extend this ecological model into science education and present three lenses (i.e., layers) through which equity operates within science teaching and learning. We conclude with a discussion of the practical implications of doing the work of equity, that is, recognizing, interpreting, and redressing inequity in science classrooms. Ultimately, we provide an actionable definition of equity that has the potential to facilitate transformative and socially just science teaching and learning.
Abstract Socioscientific issues (SSI) are problems involving the deliberate use of scientific topics that require students to engage in dialogue, discussion, and debate. The purpose of this project is to utilize issues that are personally meaningful and engaging to students, require the use of evidence-based reasoning, and provide a context for scientific information. Social justice is the pursuit of equity and fairness in society by ensuring that all individuals have opportunities to challenge and address inequalities and injustices to create a more just and equitable society for all (Killen et al. Human Development 65:257–269, 2021). By connecting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts to personally meaningful contexts, SSI can empower students to consider how STEM-based issues reflect moral principles and elements of virtue in their own lives and the world around them (Zeidler et al. Science Education 89:357–377, 2005). We employed a qualitative research design to answer the following questions: (1) In what ways, if any, did teachers help students grow their knowledge and practices on social justice through socioscientific issues? (2) In teachers’ perceptions, what components of SSI did students learn and what are their challenges? (3) In teachers’ perceptions, what are students’ stances on social justice? After completing the first year and second-year professional development programs, grades 6–12 STEM teachers were asked to complete a reflection on classroom artifacts. Teachers were asked to select student artifacts (e.g. assignments, projects, essays, videos, etc.) that they thought exemplified the students’ learning of SSI and stance on social justice. Based on 21 teacher-submitted examples of exemplar student work, we saw the following example pedagogies to engage their students on social justice: (a) making connections to real-world experiences, (b) developing a community project, (c) examining social injustice, and (d) developing an agency to influence/make changes. According to teachers, the most challenging SSI for students was elucidating their own position/solution, closely followed by employing reflective scientific skepticism. Moreover, the students exemplified reflexivity, metacognition, authentic activity, and dialogic conversation. Using SSI in classrooms allows students to tackle real-world problems, blending science and societal concerns. This approach boosts understanding of scientific concepts and their relevance to society. Identifying methods like real-world connections and examining social injustice helps integrate social justice themes into science education through SSI. Overall, SSI promotes interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and informed decision-making, enriching science education socially. This study highlights the value of integrating SSI in science education to engage students with social justice.
Christensen, Julie; Shah, Niral; Ortiz, Nickolaus Alexander; Stroupe, David; Reinholz, Daniel L.
(, The Physics Teacher)
Recent studies reveal people from marginalized groups (e.g., people of color and women) continue to earn physics degrees at alarmingly low rates. This phenomenon is not surprising given reports of the continued perception of physics as a masculine space and the discrimination faced by people of color and women within the field. To realize the vision of an equitable physics education, fully open to and supportive of marginalized groups, teachers need ways of seeing equity as something that is concrete and actionable on an everyday basis. In our work, teachers have found value in intentionally reflecting on their instruction and their students explicitly in terms of race, gender, and other social markers. We find they are then better positioned to build equitable physics classrooms. Without a focus on specific social markers, common obstacles such as color-evasiveness emerge, which obstruct the pursuit of equity in classrooms.
Huynh, Tra; Bauman, Lauren C.; Robertson, Amy D.; Scherr, Rachel E.
(, Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings)
Bennett, M. B.; Frank, B. W.; Vieyra, R.
(Ed.)
With the ongoing antiracism movement in the United States, there is a call for physics teachers to incorporate equity-based and antiracist activities and curricula into their classrooms. In an online summer professional development course for high school physics teachers, we listened to participants define and compare antiracism and equity. We identified three framings (dual, part-whole, and developmental) that characterize these high school physics teachers' conceptions of the relationship between equity and antiracism. The framings offer insights into physics teachers' notions of anti-racist practice in relation to equity and their concerns regarding enacting equity and antiracism in teaching practice.
Hernandez, Jessica, Scherr, Rachel, and Robertson, Amy D. Redefining Energy Justice in Physics Classrooms. Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10330261. Environmental Justice 15.2 Web. doi:10.1089/env.2021.0042.
@article{osti_10330261,
place = {Country unknown/Code not available},
title = {Redefining Energy Justice in Physics Classrooms},
url = {https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10330261},
DOI = {10.1089/env.2021.0042},
abstractNote = {Energy is one of the fundamental topics taught in high school physics. However, energy continues to betaught as an abstract concept that removes itself from the social implications energy systems have onsociety, in particular toward Indigenous communities. Given the importance of integrating discussionsaround equity into our science courses, in this study we propose a way in which energy justice can beredefined and included in physics classrooms. Redefining energy justice into physics classrooms allows usto connect energy justice to existing energy physics curriculum and lessons plans. In Summer 2020, 22physics teachers participated in a professional development that centered on discussions around energyand equity. We analyzed and coded teachers’ dialogues and conversations around energy and equity toidentify energy justice pillars. The energy justice pillars we identified formed the basis of an energy justiceframework that redefines energy justice for physics classrooms. This energy justice framework allows usto bridge the separation between physics and social justice, as they continue to be viewed as two separateschools of thought in the field of physics.},
journal = {Environmental Justice},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
author = {Hernandez, Jessica and Scherr, Rachel and Robertson, Amy D.},
}
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