Engaging Science and Social Studies Educators to Foster Environmental Justice Through Citizen Science Research

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Making Sense of the Historical Present Through Critical and Justice-Centered Pedagogies (Table 9)

Abstract

Purple Air is a community-based research project, monitoring air quality. The aim was to identify relationships among environmental degradation, socio-economic level, and health through student empowerment and awareness of science as critical to understanding environmental justice. The project’s frameworks integrate—Activity Theory and Resource Mobilization that to structure Discipline-based Curricula Activism. Twenty-one science teachers were surveyed and participated in interviews to identify their attitudes concerning environmental stewardship and willingness to support student-driven research. Questions asked involved how teachers see students in taking responsibility for air quality, possible actions students can take on this issue, and thoughts on students as civic actors. Results suggest a strong belief in fostering a sense of civic duty and social responsibility in their students.

Authors

• Stephen Farenga, Queens College - CUNY

• Salvatore G. Garofalo, Queens College - CUNY

• Jay M. Shuttleworth, City University of New York, Queens College