Examining Elementary Preservice Teachers' Understandings and Commitments to Equitable Science Teaching Through an Online Science Methods Course (Poster 5)

• In Event: Equity in Elementary Science Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Problem. To achieve the goal of preparing elementary preservice teachers to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students, science methods courses should provide preservice teachers with an explicit foundation for understanding issues of diversity, equity, and social justice and should intentionally challenge and encourage them to rethink their perspectives of science and science teaching approaches (Mensah, 2021). Over this past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged science teacher educators to adapt their courses online while also maintaining this goal. This study examined how the structure and activities of an online elementary science methods course supported preservice teachers’ understandings of diversity and equity in elementary science education. It also examined how the preservice teachers’ views of and commitments to teaching science equitably transformed through this course.
Design. This study took place during the Fall 2020 semester in an online elementary science methods course that emphasized multicultural science education. The course structure included two-week asynchronous modules consisting of practitioner and research articles, science lessons and explorations, and videos pertaining to the topic of the module. Issues of equity and social justice, inquiry-based and inclusive teaching methods, and teacher reflection were all folded into the module readings and activities. Synchronous class sessions were held at the end of the modules to share and discuss the work completed during these modules. Of the 24 enrolled preservice teachers, 16 of them consented to participate in the study. Their final reflection papers were analyzed using grounded theory methods (Charmaz, 2014).
Analysis and Findings. Preliminary findings show that the course structure provided the preservice teachers with autonomy over their learning and the time and space to explore and reflect on the content within each module independently and thoroughly. The synchronous class sessions were meaningful opportunities for them to hear different perspectives from their peers and to collaboratively construct deeper understandings of inclusive pedagogies, methods, and concepts.
The course revealed to the preservice teachers the structural inequities and systemic racism that marginalize science in elementary schools and the negative impact these factors can have on students’ interest and pursuit of careers in STEM fields. They expressed strong commitments to teaching science amidst constraining school structures, which were driven by their sense of responsibility to their students to provide a well-rounded education that included science for the benefit of their students’ lives and society. They also developed more expansive understandings of equity and inclusive science pedagogies. Facilitating cultural border crossing (Piliouras & Evangelou, 2012) and inquiry-based teaching resonated with them as methods to validate students’ backgrounds, cultures, and language and to foster meaningful, empowering science connections for their students. This paper will elaborate on these findings.
Contribution/Significance. This study will provide insights into the design online courses that support preservice teachers’ understandings of equity, diversity, and inclusive science practices. Aspects of the online course can also inform the design of future in-person teacher preparation courses.

Authors

• Jessica Chen, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Felicia Moore Mensah, Teachers College, Columbia University