What’s (K)new Here? A Process of Becoming in ʻĀina Aloha Science Identity

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Justice-Driven Pedagogies Within Disciplinary Contexts (Table 23)

Abstract

This study examines the use of participatory curriculum and consistent reflective practices with high school biology students as a tool to articulate their processing of science identity as a growing responsibility to serve land and people. Using a critical participatory teacher action curriculum grounded in ʻĀina Aloha, the ancient Hawaiian understanding of learning from land (AAEF, n.d.), the teacher-researcher found participants consistently increased their awareness of real world applicability of biological concepts and could identify ways to make connections between home and school science concepts. The curricular experience increased participants’ awareness of their roles in relation to other people and places. The longitudinal nature of this study informed a perspective of becoming within students’ dynamic science identities.

Author

• Whitney Aragaki, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa