Cultural, Social, and Political Perspectives in Science Education: A Nordic View (Cultural Studies of Science Education Book 15)

Annotation This book presents a collection of critical thinking that concern cultural, social and political issues for science education in the Nordic countries. The chapter authors describe specific scenarios to challenge persisting views, interrogate frameworks and trouble contemporary approaches to researching teaching and learning in science. Taking a point of departure in empirical examples from the Nordic countries the collection of work is taking a critical sideways glance at the Nordic education principles. Critical examinations target specifically those who are researching in the fields of science education research to question whether conventional research approaches, foci and theoretical approaches are sufficient in a world of science education that is neither politically neutral, nor free of cultural values. Attention is not only on the individual learner but on the cultural, social and political conditions and contexts in science education. The different chapters review debates and research in teacher education, school teaching and learning including when external stakeholders are involved. Even though the chapters are contextualized in Nordic settings there will be similarities and parallels that will be informative to the international science education research community Contents 6 Chapter 1: Introduction 8 1.1 Our Intentions 9 1.2 Emergence of a Community of Critical Reflective Researchers 10 1.3 Organisation of the Book 11 References 11 Chapter 2: Becoming of a Book 12 Chapter 3: In-Between Chapter: The Culture of School Science Inquiry Put Under the Microscope 19 References 22 Chapter 4: Education Extended: A Sociomaterialist Perspective on Science Education 23 4.1 Seeking New Perspectives 23 4.2 Assemblages of Actors 25 4.3 Silent Objects 26 4.3.1 Understanding School Science Culture 28 4.4 Figuring Authenticity 28 4.5 Figuring Ambiguities 29 4.6 Things and Thinking: An Extended Education 31 References 32 Chapter 5: The School Science Lab: Hybrid Space and the Production of School Science 35 5.1 Introduction 35 5.2 Social Spaces: Their Organisation and Function 36 5.2.1 Classrooms: Function(s), Organisation and Practices 38 5.2.2 The Professional Science Lab: Function(s), Organisation and Practices 39 5.2.3 Hybridity of School Science Labs 40 5.3 Material and Method 41 5.4 The School Science Lab and Science Practices 43 5.4.1 The Science Lab 44 5.4.2 Science Practices 46 5.4.2.1 The Context of Activity 47 5.4.2.2 Activity Location: By the Desks 47 5.4.3 Activity Location: By the Fume Cupboard 49 5.5 Hybrid Space and the Production of School Science 50 References 52 Chapter 6: The Inquiry of the Cyclops: Dewey’s Scientific Inquiry Revisited 54 6.1 A Brief Diagnosis of Scientific Inquiry 54 6.2 The Dogmatic Image of Thought Related to Scientific Inquiry 58 6.3 The Inquiring ‘Cyclops’ 59 6.4 Scientific Inquiry Revisited Through Spinoza and Deleuze 60 6.5 Dewey’s Theory of Scientific Inquiry [The Patient Zero]: A Realignment 62 6.6 Inquiry as Something Different and Above Methods and Methodology 64 6.7 Dewey’s Matrix of Inquiry 65 6.8 Dewey’s Relation Between Logic and Inquiry 66 6.9 The End of Inquiry in a Particular Type of Judgement 67 6.10 Dewey’s Judgement Versus Spinoza’s Understanding 68 6.11 Dewey’s Inquiry Revisited in the Cyclops 68 6.12 Science Education and the New Revisited Scientific Inquiry 70 References 70 Chapter 7: In-Between Chapter: The Political in Science Education 73 7.1 Why is the Political Perspective Important in Science Education? 73 References 77 Chapter 8: Political Rationalities in Science Education: A Case Study of Teaching Materials Provided by External Actors 79 8.1 Introduction 79 8.2 Theoretical Framework 81 8.3 Method and Outline 83 8.4 “My Climate Footprint” by E.ON 84 8.4.1 Questions and Categories 85 8.4.2 Numbers and Illustrations 87 8.5 WWF Ecological Footprint Calculator 87 8.5.1 Questions and Categories 88 8.5.2 Numbers and Illustrations 90 8.6 Governing Technologies of Bookkeeping, Debt and Guilt 91 8.7 Neoliberal Rationality Through External Actors 93 References 94 Chapter 9: What’s in It for Me?: How Does a Professional Development Programme Meet Science Teachers’ Career Expectations? 97 9.1 Background 97 9.2 First Act: Characterising How to Model Participating Teachers’ Anticipated Foreground in a PDP 99 9.2.1 Research Context and the QUEST Rhythm 100 9.2.2 Findings from the Questionnaire and the Interviews 101 9.2.3 Alignment of Expectations and QUEST Aims 102 9.2.4 Assuming Different Roles in a Learning Community 103 9.2.5 The Relation Between Teachers’ Autonomy and the Intended Ideal of the QUEST PDP 104 9.2.6 The Significance of Collaboration and Networking 104 9.3 Second Act: Significance of Teachers’ Career Expectations for Their Participation in PDP 105 9.3.1 Poul, 30 Years Old, 4 Years of Teaching Experience: Participating Science Teacher from Dandelion Municipality 106 9.3.2 Birger, 47 Years Old, 13 Years as a Teacher: Participating Science Teacher from Daisy Municipality 107 9.3.3 Karl, 33 Years Old, 7 Years as a Teacher: Participating Science Teacher from Marigold Municipality 108 9.3.4 Laila, 51 Years Old, 21 Years as a Teacher: Participating Science Teacher from Daffodil Municipality 109 9.3.5 Diversity in Foregrounds 110 9.4 Third Act: Discussion 111 9.5 Conclusion 113 References 114 Chapter 10: Enacting Citizenship in Ordinary School Science Through Deliberative Communication 116 10.1 Introduction 116 10.2 Science Education, Citizenship and Deliberative Communication 118 10.3 Deliberative Communication 119 10.4 Context and Method 120 10.5 Deliberative Communication During Practical Work 121 10.5.1 Challenging Views and Making Space for Different Arguments 121 10.5.2 Tolerance and Respect 123 10.5.3 Collective Will-Formation: Decisions 125 10.5.4 Traditional Perceptions and Authorities Can Be Questioned 128 10.5.5 Students’ Opportunities for Deliberate Communication Without Teacher’s Control 131 10.6 Discussion 132 References 134 Chapter 11: In-Between Chapter: Troubling the Social – Entanglement, Agency, and the Body in Science Education 136 11.1 What Is the Social that We Trouble? 136 11.2 A Socio-material Approach 137 11.3 The Material Body in Science Education and Research 138 11.4 Disclosure of the Social from a Post-humanist Stance 139 References 140 Chapter 12: Towards an Understanding of Diffractive Readings of Narratives in the Field of Science Education 141 12.1 Introduction 141 12.2 Challenging Objectivity and Cartesian Thought 142 12.3 Theoretical Tools 143 12.3.1 Diffractive Materialistic Reading 143 12.3.2 Cyborg Theory 145 12.4 Working with Agential Cuts 145 12.4.1 About Us 146 12.5 Procedures 147 12.6 Results of the Diffractive Reading: What Connections, Interferences and Sensations Emerge, or are Evoked, in Our Readings 147 12.7 Theoretical Associations 150 12.8 Ethical Dimensions 152 References 153 Chapter 13: Troubling Norms and Values in Science Teaching Through Students’ Subject Positions Using Feminist Figurations 155 13.1 Background 155 13.2 Aim and Research Questions 156 13.3 Theoretical Background 157 13.4 Interpretive Framework 157 13.4.1 Feminist Figurations 158 13.4.2 Apparatus of Bodily Productions 159 13.5 Method 160 13.6 Empirics 161 13.7 Results and Descriptions of the Derived Subject Positions 162 13.8 Feminist Figurations and a Possible Common Educational Vision 173 13.8.1 Feminist Figurations Based on Students’ Subject Positions 174 13.8.2 The Critical Side of Figurations Leads to the Vision of a Different Chemistry Teaching 174 13.9 Some Final Thoughts 177 References 177 Chapter 14: Sensory Science Education 180 14.1 Introduction 180 14.2 The Sensory Trap: Seeing, Hearing, Touching and Tasting Science 183 14.3 Pedagogical Approaches to Experiencing the Materialized World 186 14.4 Utilizing Sensory Methodologies 187 14.5 Examples of Sensory Classroom Experiences 188 14.5.1 Feeling the Temperature of the Water 189 14.5.2 Augmented Reality – Observing the Sun and the Moon: Virtuality Versus Reality 189 14.5.3 Touching the Cork: Experiencing Materiality and Why Frustration Can Be Good 191 14.6 Putting Forward Sensory Pedagogies for Science Education 192 14.7 In Conclusion 193 References 194 Chapter 15: Troubling Science Education and Imagining Possibilities for Transformation: An Afterword 197 15.1 Diverse Perspectives on Science Education 198 15.2 On Troubling and Being Troubled: What Does ‘Troubling’ Give to Our Field? 200 15.3 Theories and Contingencies: How Can We Move Towards Transformation? 202 15.4 Locally Contextualized, Yet Globally Relevant: How Can the Two Be Bridged? 203 15.5 In Closing 204 References 205 Index 207 Front Matter ....Pages i-vi Introduction (Auli Arvola Orlander, Martin Krabbe Sillasen, Kathrin Otrel-Cass)....Pages 1-4 Becoming of a Book (Kathrin Otrel-Cass)....Pages 5-11 In-Between Chapter: The Culture of School Science Inquiry Put Under the Microscope (Lotta Leden, Jonna Wiblom)....Pages 13-16 Education Extended: A Sociomaterialist Perspective on Science Education (Anna Jobér)....Pages 17-28 The School Science Lab: Hybrid Space and the Production of School Science (Gerd Johansen)....Pages 29-47 The Inquiry of the Cyclops: Dewey’s Scientific Inquiry Revisited (Lars Bang)....Pages 49-67 In-Between Chapter: The Political in Science Education (Helen Hasslöf, Iann Lundegård)....Pages 69-74 Political Rationalities in Science Education: A Case Study of Teaching Materials Provided by External Actors (Maria Andrée, Lena Hansson, Malin Ideland)....Pages 75-92 What’s in It for Me?: How Does a Professional Development Programme Meet Science Teachers’ Career Expectations? (Peer S. Daugbjerg, Martin Krabbe Sillasen)....Pages 93-111 Enacting Citizenship in Ordinary School Science Through Deliberative Communication (Gerd Johansen, Guðrún Jónsdóttir, Stein Dankert Kolstø)....Pages 113-132 In-Between Chapter: Troubling the Social – Entanglement, Agency, and the Body in Science Education (Marianne Løken, Margareta Serder)....Pages 133-137 Towards an Understanding of Diffractive Readings of Narratives in the Field of Science Education (Auli Arvola Orlander, Marie Ståhl)....Pages 139-152 Troubling Norms and Values in Science Teaching Through Students’ Subject Positions Using Feminist Figurations (Marie Ståhl)....Pages 153-177 Sensory Science Education (Kathrin Otrel-Cass)....Pages 179-195 Troubling Science Education and Imagining Possibilities for Transformation: An Afterword (Christina Siry)....Pages 197-206 Back Matter ....Pages 207-211