Induction-phase STEM Teachers’ Understanding of Teaching for Social Justice
Location
Session 4 Presentations - Social Justice
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
In recent years, teacher education programs have emphasized the importance of developing teachers’ understanding of social justice teaching (SJT). As teacher educators, we believe teaching STEM for social justice involves helping students identify inequities within their communities and determine how STEM knowledge can be used to understand and respond to community issues around social injustice (Berry et al., 2009).
While many STEM teachers have theoretical knowledge of social justice for teaching, they are often challenged to facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms (Solomon & Allen, 2001). For many induction-phase STEM teachers, the implementation of social justice lessons is new and they often experience trepidation over how an activity or lesson will play out in a classroom setting (Berry et al., 2020). As such, we developed and delivered a free five-week online professional development (PD) to support middle and high school induction-phase STEM teachers to successfully design and facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms, which is the context of this study.
The purpose of this study was to examine induction-phase STEM teachers’ understanding of SJT, their reflections on designing and planning to facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms, and how they planned to navigate potential challenges associated with prescribed testing or learning outcomes, and ideological debate (Solomon & Allen, 2001).
References
Berry, R.Q., Conway, B.M., Lawler, B.R., Staley, J.W. (2020). High school mathematics lessons to explore, understand, and respond to social justice. Corwin.
Solomon, R. P., & Allen, A. M. A. (2001). The struggle for equity, diversity, and social justice in teacher education. In J. P. Portelli & R. P. Solomon (Eds.), The erosion of democracy in education (pp. 217-244). Detselig Enterprises.
Keywords
Social Justice Teaching, STEM, Induction Teachers, Teacher Educators
Professional Bio
Dr. Edwards is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education. Her scholarship and teaching focus on Mathematics Methods and Clinical Practice & Partnerships with specific focus on preparing culturally responsive mathematics teachers. She has served as a Co-PI on a NSF Noyce grant focused on developing culturally responsive mathematics teachers and numerous Teacher Quality (TQ) grants where funds were used to facilitate PD designed to assist practicing teachers in designing culturally relevant and social justice lessons. She has experience planning and facilitating professional learning for both practicing and induction mathematics teachers.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Edwards, Belinda P.; Dias, Michael; Barrett, Amanda; Berwanger, Mars; Dias, Laurie; and Roman, Tiffany, "Induction-phase STEM Teachers’ Understanding of Teaching for Social Justice" (2021). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 74.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2021/2021/74
Induction-phase STEM Teachers’ Understanding of Teaching for Social Justice
Session 4 Presentations - Social Justice
In recent years, teacher education programs have emphasized the importance of developing teachers’ understanding of social justice teaching (SJT). As teacher educators, we believe teaching STEM for social justice involves helping students identify inequities within their communities and determine how STEM knowledge can be used to understand and respond to community issues around social injustice (Berry et al., 2009).
While many STEM teachers have theoretical knowledge of social justice for teaching, they are often challenged to facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms (Solomon & Allen, 2001). For many induction-phase STEM teachers, the implementation of social justice lessons is new and they often experience trepidation over how an activity or lesson will play out in a classroom setting (Berry et al., 2020). As such, we developed and delivered a free five-week online professional development (PD) to support middle and high school induction-phase STEM teachers to successfully design and facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms, which is the context of this study.
The purpose of this study was to examine induction-phase STEM teachers’ understanding of SJT, their reflections on designing and planning to facilitate social justice lessons in their classrooms, and how they planned to navigate potential challenges associated with prescribed testing or learning outcomes, and ideological debate (Solomon & Allen, 2001).
References
Berry, R.Q., Conway, B.M., Lawler, B.R., Staley, J.W. (2020). High school mathematics lessons to explore, understand, and respond to social justice. Corwin.
Solomon, R. P., & Allen, A. M. A. (2001). The struggle for equity, diversity, and social justice in teacher education. In J. P. Portelli & R. P. Solomon (Eds.), The erosion of democracy in education (pp. 217-244). Detselig Enterprises.
