Chapter 7: The beginning of this week’s
reading really hit home for us living here in the El Paso area. In discussing diversity
and equity this area has both a wide range of economic levels as well as a
diverse blend of cultures and ethnicities. Although this area is predominantly
Hispanic, there are populations of Middle Eastern, German and Asian groups
within. As stated “Science discourse, teaching, and learning are not culturally
neutral, although people tend to see and represent themselves as acultural or
neutral or, in the case of science, as representing a unique culture unto
itself” (Bell, Lewenstein, Shoure, Feder. 2009, p.210). It is important as educators
for us to understand how culture needs to be included into teaching. Sometimes
this may be difficult to see how culture can be included in science. With a
little creativity local culture can be brought into science. The text relayed
the fact that culture is a complex concept. But if we look to local traditions
and lower we can sometimes see ways to interweave these into science education.
By connecting cultural aspects into our teaching we can give ownership to the
learners. Later on in the reading the aspect of gender disparities is brought
up. Understanding this it is important to try to develop programs that are
gender-neutral. Find ways to include girl’s or women’s interests without
turning off the males.
Chapter 8: This chapter
discusses media which brought back to mind fond childhood. I grew up in New
Mexico in the 60s. At that time our school system, I feel, was quite progressive.
We had a television set in every classroom, which now is the norm but back then
was very unusual. We actually had two classes that were taught via the
television through our local public television station, music and science. I
can recall many of the episodes that Dr. Fishbac presented important lessons that
I can remember to this day. Nowadays we have the Internet which can provide us
with an abundance of information. The one thing though is we need to be careful
in using media because there is a lot of that information that is presented.
Although this bad information can actually be very teachable just the fact that
we have the ability to point out and correct that misinformation. One of my
favorite websites is TED.com that feature TEDtalks which are highly
inspirational presentations given during the TED conferences. These highlight
some of the cutting-edge science and technology with the most forward thinking
scientists of our time.
Chapter 9: These are the
conclusion recommendations as well as further directions from this work. This
section contains 18 conclusions ranging from lifelong learning, from infancy to
old age, to the final conclusion which deals with ecology in respect to the
informal educational venue. This chapter ends with ideas or recommendations for
exhibits and program designs, information on front-line educators, and
researchers and evaluators. With the final section on further research
directions.
References:
Bell, P., Lewenstein, B., Shouse,
A. W. & Feder, M. A. (2009) Learning, science in informal
environment:
people, places and pursuits. The National
Academic Press. Retrieved from
http/www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12190
Hello Cameron.
ReplyDeleteI liked that you emphasized in your reflection that learning is not culturally neutral and that embedded in science is a culture of-itself. I really liked how you also pointed out that educators are responsible for including in teaching the cultural factors that shape how learners learn. Thanks for being brave and courageous in sharing your personal issues regarding your own learning (dyslexia). I am type 1 Diabetic and many people assume that I do not take care of myself and my illness is related to poor nutrition, weight, and diet. Thus, it is very important for all of us to learn how to step aside and not presume things, but try to understand what others go through or experience.
Ben
Ben, thank you very much for your wonderful comments there very much appreciated. I have been meaning to send you this link for some time but I had forgotten thanks for reminding me. I was a primary caretaker for my mother for 17 years after she had both of her legs amputated and although she was fitted with prosthetics she never really got used to him so they remained in the closet for years and years. We had a little joke when people would say that my mother had lost her legs. We would reply that are not lost there in the closet. I found this to be one of the most inspirational Ted talks involving somebody who the world would call handicapped. http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_prosthetic_aesthetics.html
ReplyDeleteHello Cameron,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your reflection especially because when i first read the reading I didn’t immediately think that this was very true of El Paso being that we are a border city. Now that i read your blog and I stop and think about it you are absolutely correct, we do deal with lots of diversity and just like you said culture is embedded in the learning process. There absolutely cannot be one without the other, especially since someone's culture will definitely affect how they perceive the material. I also feel that this week’s reading was an eye opening experience because it is true that everything from content being taught to educational places mainly always target the dominant group and exclude the minority groups making them less likely to want to learn and or participate.
Good job, Cameron:
ReplyDeleteI most definitely agree with you on more than just a few important points which you most poignantly bring up. Firstly, yes we Hispanics are the majority in this city; as a matter of fact, there are perhaps 75%-80% (or maybe more) Hispanics or Latinos/Latinas or Chicanos/Chicanas comprising El Paso del Norte’s population.
Also, to accentuate and serve to complement its uniquely beautiful culturally diverse panorama, El Paso’s friendly smiles are continuously inviting more cultures to settle within its borders and so we see a continuously increasing sprinkling of a veritable montage of peoples from around the globe adding cultural flavor and diversity to our lovely city on a daily basis.
While its cosmopolitan complexion is continually evolving, we can’t wait for it to mature to even a more colorfully multicultural, multilingual and multi-literate environment. I also agree with you when you note that “…science (and other types of) discourse, (and) teaching, and learning are not culturally neutral…” (Wilson, 2013).
Well, please allow me to get a bit philosophical on this point. There is nothing neutral about culture, because “neutral” engenders an uncompromisingly simplistic state of unambitious nothingness, and the word “culture” is antithetically its opposite; it is living and dying at the same time; it is black and white at the same time; it is the “ying” to everyones’ “yang”.
Moreover, as one goes through life, we find that we create culture each day by its allowing us to live and thrive within it. We foment its self-creation with every breath we take because it is the plan that was instilled in us as humankind. It is in our DNA to have culture.
We must therefore use that DNA and embrace the culture of our neighbors, lest we forfeit our own humanity and fall victims to our own self-deprecating hypocrisy from whence we teach nothing to no one.
Thank you.
Ruben Estrada
Hi. Cameron and Ruben,
ReplyDeleteWhat an insightful dialogue you have here. The world we perceived is theory-laden. It is important to realize what kind of theories/lenses we are using to look and to act in the world. Only through understanding what frameworks we used to look at the world, can we start to know how to improve ourselves. It is same with the science learning, it is important to know what kinds of value/assumptions we embedded in the curriculum. Then, we can start to examine if it will address individuals' need and learning. Knowing oneself is the foundation to be able to improve oneself. So I think what important to me is that one needs to know one's culture well and to design culture-relevant curriculum that can relate to our children!
Cameron, the project you are proposing is a great culture-relevant project that will likely engage the cross-generations you will target (students, parents, grandparents)! I look forward to hearing more about your project!