Socio-Political Action on Socio-Scientific Issues: Reconstructing Teacher Training and Curriculum

Authors

  • Pedro Reis University of Lisbon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.unipluri.20051

Keywords:

activism, science education, socio-scientific controversies, community of practice, art, web 2.0

Abstract

This article discusses results from the ‘We Act’ project, which is intended to foster the development, implementation and study of materials and methodologies aimed at supporting teachers and students in taking informed and negotiated actions to address social and environmental issues associated with the fields of science and technology. This project combines development, action and research components and crosses three different areas: 1) the promotion of an active inquiry-based learning regarding real-life controversies; 2) the stimulation of students’ participation in collective democratic problem-solving action; and 3) the support of the first two areas with art initiatives and Web 2.0 tools. Through a qualitative approach, this article discusses teachers’ motivations for participating in the project and also difficulties they identify in their students’ enrolment in activism on social and environmental issues. It also analyses the impact of the “We Act” community of practice (an innovative teacher training structure) in the participants’ professional development. The data obtained through an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews involving all the participating teachers were submitted to content analysis. Teachers’ participation in the project is mainly
motivated by a strong willingness to find ways to: a) change what they consider to be students’ apathy concerning school science activities; and b) empower them for democratic problem-solving action regarding problems affecting society. Through the involvement in the project’s community of practice and actions implemented by their students, they began: a) considering researchinformed action as a major aspect of scientific literacy; and b) recognizing students as important agents of change. However, they face obstacles in the implementation of these collective actions; namely, overcrowded curricula and difficulties in identifying the controversial topics capable of overcoming students’ apathy.
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Author Biography

Pedro Reis, University of Lisbon

University of Lisbon Institute of Education, Portugal. Associate Professor, Deputy Director and coordinator of the Doctorate Program in Didactics of Sciences. 

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Published

2014-07-21

How to Cite

Reis, P. (2014). Socio-Political Action on Socio-Scientific Issues: Reconstructing Teacher Training and Curriculum. Uni-Pluriversidad, 14(2), 16–26. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.unipluri.20051

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2014)

Section

RESEARCH REPORTS AND UNPUBLISHED ESSAYS

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