Examining Students' "Micro-Sociotechnical Imaginaries": Value Negotiations and Spaces for Sociopolitical Actions

• In Event: Science Teaching and Learning: Equity and Social Justice

Abstract

Addressing problems associated with science and technology requires participatory roles of citizens with critical science literacy capable of advancing more sustainable and socially just sociotechnical imaginaries. Hence, we advocate youth socio-political activism through science education, while emphasizing examinations of ‘hidden’ problems and power-relations to better inform decisions. This paper reports on experiences of a high-school science teacher in Greece implementing an activist science education framework in his courses. It examines constructs of students’ ‘micro-sociotechnical imaginaries’ in relation to different commodities and socioscientific issues. We argue that in constructing their imaginaries, students negotiated their prioritized values, and those of other stakeholders. They also seemed dependent on authority figures to bring about their desired futures. Significance for activist science education is discussed.

Authors

• Majd Zouda, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto

• Dimitris Tsoubaris

• Sarah Halwany, University of Calgary

• Minja Milanovic, University of Toronto

• Nurul Hassan Mohammad, Centennial College

• Sadia Sahibzada Rahman

• John Lawrence Bencze, OISE/University of Toronto