Page 107 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

84 K. Love et al.

More aligned with Roth’s ideas, however, environmental education research
focused on human behavior indicates that “sensitivity” plays a significant role as an
entry level factor in awareness and action (Hungerford and Volk 1990). Individuals,
who have many experiences outdoors over the course of their lifelong education,
develop affection and empathy. Roth notes that science educators can change the world
through action and by example. This idea resonates with research where environ-
mentally sensitive individuals report the importance of teachers who are sensitive
and willing to act. However, not all teachers have had comparable experiences from
which to develop these skills. A further question is how to inspire a teacher to consider,
adopt and advocate for more humanistic school science perspectives.
Roth describes his conceptual transformation as one that informed his new practice,
from that of schooling to education. He associates schooling with extrinsic motiva-
tion (e.g., focus on grades, promotion, and ultimately symbols of wealth) that the
traditional school movement endorses to value above the intrinsic motivation of
meaningful knowing, critical, and independent (or shared) thought. The implicit
message is one of consumeristic training that devalues learning and plays itself out
in many ways. One example in higher education is that some students argue that
paying for a class and showing up makes them deserving of an “A,” or as Roth puts
it, “a symbolic form of capital, to access real capital and further opportunities.”
Furthermore, this training promotes greed, power differentials, and disconnect from
meaningful societal and ecological interactions (as a result of the pursuit of “the
symbol” and what it may or may not represent). Through knowledgeable participation
in meaningful contexts, learners develop their capacity to contribute to the larger
community and grow their “sense of place.” In doing this, students become more
invested and personally motivated to learn.
However, Roth points out that it took him many years to develop the conceptual
means to design curriculum that used the human interactions and practices students
were already familiar with to enhance learning. How do we support teachers in
developing the necessary conceptual framework to facilitate this type of learning
over fewer years?
It seems imperative that teacher educators engage preservice teachers in learning
opportunities that allow future teachers to experience learning and teaching in a vari-
ety of communally authentic and relevant ways. The old adage, “teachers teach in the
way they were taught,” points to the importance of experiences that push teachers to
the edge of thinking about and implementing instruction that leads to learning out-
comes necessary for a twenty-first century citizenry capable of applying knowledge
to novel situations in their community and environment. Supporting teachers (and
fresh teacher educators) as they take the needed risks associated with leaving their
comfort zones for less traditional delivery practices, creates cutting-edge ways to
think about and implement science curriculum. The importance of time to explore
personal epistemic and sociological beliefs is a necessary component and prerequisite
for teachers. As Aikenhead (2006) points out, science teachers are attracted to and
“socialized” through university science programs that promote decontextualized sci-
ence and soften the transmission of cultural myths that uphold a scientific worldview
that is embedded in positivism and realism. Roth acknowledges his own concerns of