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Title: Learning science while caring for pets: Findings from a virtual workshop for teens
Pets are beloved family members in many cultures. Companionship with pets motivates and positions humans as inquirers as they find out their pets' experiences with them. With the need to advance science education from dualist notions of the world and the learner as separate entities, our research team conducted a two-week online summer camp to engage teens and their pets in investigations around pets' senses. Following a qualitative analysis of participants' talk and projects at the workshop, we found that teens engaged in science learning practices while investigating aspects of their pets' lives and designing experiences for them. Additionally, participants adopted an ecological and relational approach to science learning that positioned themselves and their pets as subjects. We discuss implications for future work with pets, and for the design of other STEM learning environments that engage perspective-taking, empathy, and care.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1736051
PAR ID:
10340854
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Editor(s):
Chinn, C.; Tan, E.; Chan, C. &
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2022
ISSN:
1573-4552
Page Range / eLocation ID:
321-328
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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