Practicing Science and Activism Alongside Youth: Voices From an After-School Science Club

• In Event: Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: Youth Participatory Action Research: Empowering Students as Knowledge Producers

Abstract

In many educational contexts throughout the world, the turn has been towards social justice in scientific issues. We argue that education must be oriented towards encouraging and enabling students to become scientist-activists. Using youth participatory action research, actor-network theory, and the notion of deschooling as conceptual lenses, we explored the role of research-informed actions in addressing socioscientific issues among youth in an after-school club context. We also sought to determine the nature of students’ orientations toward activism. Experience with primary research, peer mentoring, voluntary attendance, sufficient time for exploration, and school context were identified as factors that may contribute to scientist-activist leanings. We propose that such factors be taken into consideration by educators and administrators when implementing pedagogy and policy.

Authors

• Allison Ritchie, University of Toronto - OISE

• Daniel James Atkinson, University of Toronto - OISE

• John Lawrence Bencze, OISE/University of Toronto