Improving Urban Science Education: New Roles for Teachers, Students, and Researchers

(Paperback)

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Many would argue that the state of urban science education has been static for the past several decades and that there is little to learn from it. Rather than accepting this deficit perspective, Improving Urban Science Education strives to recognize and understand the successes that exist there by systematically documenting seven years of research into issues salient to teaching and learning in urban high school science classes. Grounded in the post structuralism of William Sewelland brought to life through the experiences of different students, teachers, and school settings in Philadelphiathis book shows how teachers and students can work together to enact meaningful science education when social and cultural differences as well as inappropriate curricula often make the challenges seem insurmountable.

Chapters contain rich images of urban youth and each strives to offer insights into problems and suggestions for resolving them. Most significant, in spite of the challenges, the research offers hope and shows that fresh approaches to teaching and learning can lead studentssome who have already been pronounced academic, even societal, failuresto becoming avid and deep learners of science.

Reviews

Tobin (NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar) and colleagues have created lively and personable accounts of how researchers, teachers, and students can work together to identify patterns and contradictions through cogenerative dialogue. This process produces collective agreements intended to improve the urban science-learning environment. These fresh insights offer hope and the notion that successful teaching revolves around positive emotional energy. Highly recommended. * Choice Reviews *
A colorful and detailed mural of ideas and perspectives for transforming urban science education. * Science Education *
This collection of 17 articles describes how science is integral to urban students, with contributions from academics, science teachers, and the students themselves. * Scitech Book News *

Author Bio

Kenneth Tobin is Presidential Professor in The Graduate Center at The City University of New York. Rowhea Elmesky is associate professor at Washington University. Gale Seiler is associate professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.