How Secondary Science Teachers Conceptualize Democratic Citizenship and Their Role in Teaching Toward It

• In Event: Equity in Science for High School Students and Teachers

Abstract

Presented is a qualitative study of how secondary science teachers conceptualize democratic citizenship as well as their own role in supporting it. I explore participants' sense of purpose for teaching science as well as their practice. I utilize a citizenship education framework from Abowitz and Harnish (2006) to locate teachers' conceptions. I also analyze data using socioscientific issues and science education for justice frames. I find that although participating teachers universally cite learning science as a crucial aspect of one’s citizenship, they rarely instruct in ways that would explicitly address it. I conclude with a discussion of the reform burden implied by the findings.

Author

• Ryan Batkie, University of Pennsylvania