¡Con Ganas! Using Cogenerative Dialogues to Foster Latina Students' Active Participation in Science Classrooms

• In Event: Black Men? Hispanic Girls? Emancipatory Pedagogies in Teacher Education

Abstract

The following represents a design-based study of cogenerative dialogues as potential spaces for supporting active participation among Latina students in secondary science classes. The first author collaborated with two high school science teachers—the second and third authors—to enact cogenerative dialogues in their respective classrooms, which served primarily low-income Latina/o students. Among those involved in these cogenerative dialogues were five Latina students who had previously self-identified as reluctant class participants. Findings indicate that, as the focal students took greater part in cogenerative dialogue sessions, their active participation within in-class activities grew in parallel. Evidence suggests that this increase in participation might be attributable to the sense of community and ownership of learning fostered within the dialogues.

Authors

• John Luciano Beltramo, University of Southern California

• Erika Castañeda-Flores, Green Dot Public Schools

• Anabel Luna, Green Dot Public Schools