Page 337 - Cultural Studies of Science Education
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25 Responding to Place 311
emotional ties that form part of the basis of identity; that is, place attachment
as one component of the sense of place. They assert that place attachment can
be molded through oral traditions; however, they also describe and analyze how
it can also be created through social and historical memories; explicit teaching
in schools, cultural institutions such as museums; and through purposeful visits
to cultural and historical sites. They argue that these processes create place
meanings, which also contribute to sense of place. I assert that these ideas relate
to one’s sense of belonging in a community – a key aspect of an ecological
framework.
Finally, I agree with Semken and Brandt’s notion that places are where we sense
and connect to our natural and cultural surroundings, and that sense of place is a
construct that usefully describes this connection. Place-based content and pedagogy
are highly relevant to the development of environmental ethics, conservation, eco-
logical integrity, and cultural sustainability. As such, the methods and perspectives
in place-based forms of education form a necessary part of a science education that
is rooted in ecological notions of science, community, and self.
Conclusion
Placing the theory and practice of place-based education within a critique of historical
science education curriculum reform reveals that the inclusion of environmental
topics often only considers scientific and technical information, and that teaching
within a “values free” context can be problematic for science education. The alter-
native concept of an ecological framework for science education lies at the nexus
between a science education emphasizing particular forms of knowledge con-
struction conceived of and implemented outside of “authentic” communities, and
grassroots “environmental learning” that juxtaposes this knowledge with other
sociocultural and values-based constructs – including ethical and moral reasoning.
I assert that students need to consider multiple values-based views about environ-
mental in their science classrooms and that this should occur within the context of
a localized and ecological view of communities. Such a framework would also
allow students to develop valuable sociocultural skills and cognitive attributes
through exposure to real-world problems. Further, these would be grounded in
personal experience and in their sense of place as it relates to their localized, social
and ecological environments.
The consideration of an inclusive, ecological framework for science education
responds to the critique of mainstream curriculum by providing for issues-based
and place-based pedagogies, while allowing teachers to interpret curriculum in
ways that refocus learning “on” and “in” communities. Teaching within an ecological
framework focuses energies on the importance of quality of life within communities
while assisting students in the development of a sense of place within them. While
Semken and Brandt (and others) have made arguments for place-based learning, I
have attempted to take this view further by describing the need for critical and