- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 1136212
- First Name Raffaella
- Last Name Borasi
- Discipline All
- Co-PI(s)
Terry Platt,University of Rochester, terry.platt@rochester.edu
Jeff Choppin, University of Rochester, jchoppin@Warner.Rochester.edu
Wendy Heinzelman, University of Rochester, wheinzel@ece.rochester.edu
April Luehmann, University of Rochester, april.luehmann@rochester.edu - Presenters
April Luehmann, University of Rochester, Warner Graduate School of Education, april.luehmann@rochester.edu
Need
Learning to teach in reform-based ways for equity requires safe spaces to intentionally practice novel pedagogical approaches toward uncommon learning goals in relationship with youth from underserved communities.
Goals
Science STARS, an afterschool club, is designed to scaffold future teachers in realizing equity-related work with urban youth through the facilitation of long-term scientifically rigorous investigations of topics that are interesting and relevant to youth.
Approach
The focus of the poster is an ethnographic analysis of eight pre-service teachers’ perspectives regarding what each teacher counted as evidence of success and sites of struggle in her/his work to facilitate a lab team of 5-10 urban teen girls over the course of 23 afterschool sessions. Analysis of these daily lab reports and other reflections offer insight into what experiences (accomplishments and experienced tensions) preservice teachers were afforded with respect to reform-based science teaching with youth from traditionally underserved groups.
Outcomes
Findings from this study highlight emergent pedagogical priorities of scientific rigor, productive relationships and youth autonomy, which align with human development literature on basic psychological needs.
Broader Impacts
Ways in which these experiences are like as well as importantly unlike traditional school-based field placements are explored in light of the needs of preparing teachers for empowering and equitable practice in high needs schools.
