Intentional Collaboration to Challenge Researcher-Teacher Power Dynamics and Promote Productive Mutual Exchanges

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 9:45am
  In Poster Session: AERA Division K Section 6 In-Service Educators - Poster Session 2

Abstract

Scientist-teacher partnerships have the potential to cultivate a vision of supporting in-service teachers that nurtures their expertise, agency, and deeply important role in society. To support these partnerships, we must acknowledge current power dynamics, often resulting in uni-directional exchanges, and identify ways of fostering more multi-directional exchange and perception of expertise. This study explores one promising program that engages K-12 educators and university researchers to reimagine true mutual exchange. Results indicate the pivotal role facilitators play in this exchange to explicitly engage and showcase all expertise. Continued challenges exist in bringing people together whose context and perspectives do not always align. By continually centering all participants' expertise, trust and gratitude can be built within science-teacher partnerships that re-imagine teacher education.

Authors

• Martha Inouye, University of Wyoming

• Clare Gunshenan, University of Wyoming