Science and Technology Studies and Science Education: ‘High’ vs. ‘Low’ Church Tensions (A)

Session Submission Type: Open Panel

Abstract

Scholars and others have long encouraged infusion of research from science and technology studies (STS) into school science. Since at least the mid 19th century, for instance, educators like Spencer (1861) have recommended that science knowledge be learned through science inquiry activities informed by references to history, philosophy and sociology of science. Nevertheless, science education systems have tended to emphasize instruction in widely-accepted knowledge claims of the sciences and, associated with that, idealized conceptions of these fields. Struggles with authenticity of representation in science education (e.g. of phenomena, the social world, and ontological and epistemic groundings) seem to mirror STS publications (Breyman et al. 2017) – which have noted tensions between so-called ‘High Church’ and ‘Low Church’ STS (Fuller, 1993), the former emphasizing academic studies to represent the nature of science and technology while the latter prioritizing studies reforming these fields in ways benefiting societies and environments. Such tensions seem evident in, for example, nature-of-science education approaches – along with many ‘STEM’ (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education initiatives – that avoid problems associated with capitalist influences on scientists and engineers and socioscientific issues education that prioritize students’ reasoned personal choices about controversies over actions they might take to engage global crises (locally and globally). ‘Low church’ approaches might also be said to value minoritized, rhizomatic flights away from staunch universalist, dominating understandings of science and phenomena. Papers in this Panel will, accordingly, address ‘High-Low Church’ tensions from a diversity of perspectives as they pertain to STS infusion in science education.

Sub Unit

• Papers for Open Panels / Science and Technology Studies and Science Education: ‘High’ vs. ‘Low’ Church Tensions

Individual Presentations

• Educating for disturbance as a ‘natural’ part of survival   - Jesse Thomas Bazzul, University of Regina

• Remembering Ursula Le Guin (1929-2018): A secular saint of ‘No Church’ STS? - Noel Gough, La Trobe University

• Slaying monsters in/through STS, science, and education - Sara Tolbert, University of Arizona

• The ‘No’ church of science education: Encouraging ignorance - Annette Gough, RMIT University

Session Organizer

• John Bencze, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto