Material Encounters of Students and Nonhumans in High School Science

• In Event: Science Teaching and Learning: High School Science

Abstract

This research inquires into materiality in school science, addressing the following research question: How are non-humans materially constituted in high school science, and what do these constitutions mean for student understanding of nature? A qualitative study was conducted with the ten participants to understand how nature is constituted in science lessons. Documents were examined with each participant to understand how they direct students to engage with non-humans, as well as possibilities within engagements. To achieve this, I use a ‘diffractive’ methodology described by Taguchi (2012). This paper presents one theme ‘material encounters over time’ to demonstrate possibilities of holistic co-constitution of nature as students undertake a common ‘Daphnia’ science project.

Author

• Darren Glen Hoeg, York University