Two leading science educators provide a comprehensive, state-of-the-field analysis of current trends in the research, policy, and practice of science education. This book offers valuable insights into why gaps in science achievement among racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic groups persist, and points toward practical means of narrowing or eliminating these gaps. Lee and Buxton examine instructional practices, science–curriculum materials (including computer technology), assessment, teacher education, school organization, federal and state policies, and home-school connections. Book features: A synthesis of the emerging body of research in the field of science education and its application to practice and policy. A description of effective practices for narrowing science achievement gaps among demographic subgroups of students. A focus on the unique learning needs of English language learners. An analysis of major science education initiatives, interventions, and programs that have been successful with nonmainstream students.

Reflecting the very latest theory on diversity issues in science education, including new dialogic approaches, this volume explores the subject from a range of perspectives and draws on studies from around the world. The work discusses fundamental topics such as how we conceptualize diversity as well as examining the ways in which heterogeneous cultural constructs influence the teaching and learning of science in a range of contexts. Including numerous strategies ready for adoption by interested teachers, the book addresses the varied cultural factors that influence engagement with science education. It seeks answers to the question of why increasing numbers of students fail to connect with science education in schools and looks at the more subtle impact that students’ individually constructed identities have on the teaching and learning of science. Recognizing the diversity of its audience, the book covers differing levels and science subjects, and examines material from a range of viewpoints that include pedagogy, curricula, teacher education, learning, gender, religion, and ICT, as well as those of in-service and trainee teachers at all levels.

This is the first book dedicated to inclusive science education from an international perspective. The topic is getting more and more important in science education and science education research. In many countries, different researchers are focusing on inclusion. However, sometimes it is not clear what is meant by the term inclusion; often, inclusion is reduced to the perspective of special needs education. Thus, the book presents not only the special needs perspective, but a broader view on inclusion and diversity, like ideas from second language learning or intercultural pedagogy that are combined with science education and science education research. Each chapter is written with the goal in mind to focus on at least one of the dimensions of the diversity wheel. On one hand, this book is meant to give an overview concerning the research on inclusion and science education; on the other hand, it also suggests ideas to practitioners about dealing with inclusion in science classrooms. The focus of the book is inclusion and its relevance, its influence and inclusion-caused changes in science education, particularly in terms of science teaching. Every chapter in the book provides a concise and easy-to-read overview about the essential theoretical evidence from science education research as well as to provide the reader with operationalised guidance for the development of effective teaching practices. It is not meant to write a classic handbook for science education. The target audience is not only researchers, but future and practicing science teachers as well.

"Science Learning for All: Celebrating Cultural Diversity covers three "must-know" areas of multicultural science education: Inclusive curriculum design, multicultural teaching strategies, language diversity in science teaching and learning. You'll find fresh ideas on how to meet the science learning needs of all students. You'll also discover focused teaching techniques, tips on handling language diversity, practical insights on giving students an appreciation of the contributions that all cultures make to our scientific heritage, and more." -- Back Cover

The achievement gaps in science and the under-representation of minorities in science-related fields have long been a concern of the nation. This book examines the roots of this problem by providing a comprehensive, 'state of the field' analysis and synthesis of current research on science education for minority students. Research from a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives is brought to bear on the question of how and why our nation's schools have failed to provide equitable learning opportunities with all students in science education. From this wealth of investigative data, the authors propose a research agenda for the field of science education - identifying strengths and weaknesses in the literature to date as well as the most urgent priorities for those committed to the goals of equity and excellence in science education.

Addressing underlying issues in science education and teacher training, which contribute to continued underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority students in STEM and STEAM subjects and careers, this timely volume illustrates how a critical postmodern science pedagogy (CPSP) can be used effectively to raise awareness of diversity issues amongst preservice teachers. Using a case study design consisting of class observations, interviews, content analysis, questionnaires, and instructional interventions in preservice teacher training, the volume bridges science and multicultural education and investigates how curricular development and teacher preparation can be used to ensure that science education itself promotes diversity within STEM, and throughout education. Chapters also examine the intersections of science education and science literacy for both students and teachers and, in doing so, promote the importance of positive and accurate representation of diversity within science and research discourse. The book attempts to raise awareness regarding the need for meaningful curricular reform that creates real opportunities to address historical and scientific misinformation, while increasing diversity and inclusion in schools and society. This important text will be of interest to postgraduate students, researchers, scholars, and preservice teachers in the fields of science and mathematics education, STEM, multicultural education, teacher education, urban education, and the sociology of education.

This book offers valuable guidance for science teacher educators looking for ways to facilitate preservice and inservice teachers’ pedagogy relative to teaching students from underrepresented and underserved populations in the science classroom. It also provides solutions that will better equip science teachers of underrepresented student populations with effective strategies that challenge the status quo, and foster classrooms environment that promotes equity and social justice for all of their science students. Multicultural Science Education illuminates historically persistent, yet unresolved issues in science teacher education from the perspectives of a remarkable group of science teacher educators and presents research that has been done to address these issues. It centers on research findings on underserved and underrepresented groups of students and presents frameworks, perspectives, and paradigms that have implications for transforming science teacher education. In addition, the chapters provide an analysis of the socio-cultural-political consequences in the ways in which science teacher education is theoretically conceptualized and operationalized in the United States. The book provides teacher educators with a framework for teaching through a lens of equity and social justice, one that may very well help teachers enhance the participation of students from traditionally underrepresented and underserved groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas and help them realize their full potential in science. Moreover, science educators will find this book useful for professional development workshops and seminars for both novice and veteran science teachers. "Multicultural Science Education: Preparing Teachers for Equity and Social Justice directly addresses the essential role that science teacher education plays for the future of an informed and STEM knowledgeable citizenry. The editors and authors review the beginnings of multicultural science education, and then highlight findings from studies on issues of equity, underrepresentation, cultural relevancy, English language learning, and social justice. The most significant part of this book is the move to the policy level—providing specific recommendations for policy development, implementation, assessment and analysis, with calls to action for all science teacher educators, and very significantly, all middle and high school science teachers and prospective teachers. By emphasizing the important role that multicultural science education has played in providing the knowledge base and understanding of exemplary science education, Multicultural Science Education: Preparing Teachers for Equity and Social Justice gives the reader a scope and depth of the field, along with examples of strategies to use with middle and high school students. These classroom instructional strategies are based on sound science and research. Readers are shown the balance between research-based data driven models articulated with successful instructional design. Science teacher educators will find this volume of great value as they work with their pre-service and in-service teachers about how to address and infuse multicultural science education within their classrooms. For educators to be truly effective in their classrooms, they must examine every component of the learning and teaching process. Multicultural Science Education: Preparing Teachers for Equity and Social Justice provides not only the intellectual and research bases underlying multicultural studies in science education, but also the pragmatic side. All teachers and teacher educators can infuse these findings and recommendations into their classrooms in a dynamic way, and ultimately provide richer learning experiences for all students." Patricia Simmons, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA "This provocative collection of chapters is a presentation in gutsiness. Ingenious in construction and sequencing, this book will influence science teacher educators by introducing them to issues of equity and social justice directly related to women and people of color. The authors unflinchingly interrogate issues of equity which need to be addressed in science education courses. "This provocative collection of chapters is a presentation in gutsiness. Ingenious in construction and sequencing, this book will influence science teacher educators by introducing them to issues of equity and social justice directly related to women and people of color. The authors unflinchingly interrogate issues of equity which need to be addressed in science education courses. It begins with setting current cultural and equity issue within a historic frame. The first chapter sets the scene by moving the reader through 400 years in which African-American’s were ‘scientifically excluded from science’. This is followed by a careful review of the Jim Crow era, an analysis of equity issues of women and ends with an examination of sociocultural consciousness and culturally responsive teaching. Two chapters comprise the second section. Each chapter examines the role of the science teacher in providing a safe place by promoting equity and social justice in the classroom. The three chapters in the third section focus on secondary science teachers. Each addresses issues of preparation that provides new teachers with understanding of equity and provokes questions of good teaching. Section four enhances and expands the first section as the authors suggest cultural barriers the impact STEM engagement by marginalized groups. The last section, composed of three chapters, interrogates policy issues that influence the science classroom." Molly Weinburgh, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, USA

This volume takes on the vital tasks of celebrating, challenging, and attempting to move forward our understanding of equity and diversity in science education. Organized thematically, the book explores five key areas of science education equity research: science education policy; globalization; context and culture; discourse, language and identity; and leadership and social networking. Chapter authors -- emerging to established US science education scholars -- present their latest research on how to make science interesting and accessible to all students. The volume includes international voices as well: Scholars from around the world crafted responses to each section. Together, authors and respondents attempt to refine our methods for examining equity issues across classrooms, schools, and policies, and deepen our understanding of ways to promote equity and acknowledge diversity in science classrooms. Moving the Equity Agenda Forward is endorsed by NARST: A Worldwide Organization for Improving Science Teaching and Learning Through Research. The volume gains authority from the fact that it was edited by one current and four former chairs of NARST’s Equity and Ethics Committee.