Science and Math: Equity, Access, and Democracy
Volume 18, No. 3
Deadline: February 15, 2009 / Publication Date: July 2009
We are seeking manuscripts that explore the importance of learning and teaching math and science today, with a particular focus on students becoming citizens in a participatory democracy. We are considering math and science together for this issue because students and educators in these two disciplines face many of the same acute challenges: large achievement gaps between affluent/poor, minority/white, and other groups of students; lack of student engagement; inadequate preparation for higher level study; high dropout rates; and a sense that these subjects are not meaningful to students’ lives or the world they live in. We welcome manuscripts that focus on either math or science, or on the two considered together. We also welcome manuscripts that discuss the limits of teaching math and science as separate from other subjects—literacy, the economy, our government, etc. We encourage the submission of empirical studies reflecting direct work with minority student populations.
Manuscripts might address themes captured in the following questions:
- What serious threats to American democratic ideals are posed by the achievement gaps between minority groups and White students, particularly in math and science? How have you as an educator incorporated an understanding of the social and economic roots of this gap into your approach to teaching science and math? Do you have a story of how your own assumptions about achievement have been challenged, and changes you made to reach out to students as a result?
- In the supposedly "universal subjects" of math and science, what role does our culture play in dictating how we teach? How have you tried to incorporate an awareness of cultural constructs in your instruction? How are math and science taught in other liberal democracies or by indigenous cultures—and what do the differences tell us about cultural bias?
- How should the teaching of math and science reflect the values of democracy (e.g., equity, individual and collective responsibility, diversity)? Why is it important to tailor curricula to all learners, not only the top academic achievers? How have you as an educator worked to do this?
- Where should authority lie in math and science classrooms? What problems does reliance on textbooks or the teachers’ authoritative position pose for students being educated for participatory democracy? On the flip side, what challenges are posed by democratizing math and science curricula? How have you as a teacher broken away from textbooks or scripts for math and science?
- How must science and math education be responsive to changes in our world (e.g., climate change, disparities in wealth or access to human services, theories of evolution, etc.)?
- What should teacher preparation programs be doing to better prepare teachers for engaging, challenging science and math instruction that is responsive to the world we live in?
- What problems are posed by a constructivist approach in science and math classrooms, where the lived world may not reflect what we know about, e.g., Newtonian physics or irrational numbers? How have you worked to connect abstract ideas to students' lives? On the other hand, how have you as a science or math educator working in a field where value is often placed on abstract and theoretical ideas successfully emphasized learning in context?
We invite educators to explore these issues in theory (essay), to suggest pedagogical approaches (teacher file), or to share your own classroom experiences (reflection). To learn more about the categories for article submissions, or to submit a paper, please read our submission guidelines. Please feel free to forward this call for papers to any colleagues, students, or peers that might be interested in submitting an article for consideration.
Submission Guidelines Subscribe to Democracy & Education Democracy & Education
Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling
0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, MSC 93
Portland, OR 97219
Phone: (503) 768-6054
Fax: (503) 768-6053
Email: journal@lclark.edu
Editor: Nancy G. Nagel
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