Conceptualizing Place-Based Science Education as a Dance of Agency

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Sixteen
  In Roundtable Session: Science Within Community Contexts (Table 2)

Abstract

There are a complex set of relationships amongst students, places, and disciplines inherent in science education experiences. The places where science is done are imbued with rich cultural, historical, and ecological information, and students familiar with these places bring with them a wealth of knoweldge and experiences that serve as powerful epistemic tools. Unfortunately, the knoweldge and experiences held by students and places has largely been overlooked in exchange for learning that is measurable, repeatable, and standardized. This work presents a learning theory that reconceptualizes place-based science education as a Dance of Agency where students, places, and disciplines engage in cycles of resistance and accommodation resulting in the development of disciplinary and place-specific knoweldge. Instructional implications are discussed.

Author

• Sara Salisbury, Middle Tennessee State University
  Presenting Author