Recognizing and Affirming Students' Funds of Knowledge in Science Classrooms: A Co-Design Approach

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 31
  In Roundtable Session: Leveraging Student Life Experience for Learning in the Science Classroom

Abstract

Engaging students’ community knowledge in science classrooms can be difficult due to the structured nature of K-12 curriculum. Including this knowledge in classroom contexts, however, can help student connect classroom science content to their everyday lives. This study seeks to offer evidence as to how teacher-researcher co-designed science materials, focused in a community-based environmental justice (CB-EJ) context, can create space for a teacher to recognize and affirm students’ funds of knowledge in science, use that knowledge to inform classroom practice, and help students develop stronger connections between the classroom and their community. This work contributes to current research seeking to reframe community knowledge as scientific data, and create active classroom environments of meaningful scientific learning.

Authors

• Symone Gyles, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kimberley Gomez, University of California - Los Angeles