Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy

Linda Darby

doi:10.12973/ejmste/75279

Full Text (PDF)

Linda Darby ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ RMIT University, Bandoora, VIC, AUSTRALIA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Inquiries into the state of mathematics and science education in Australia express the need to make curriculum and teaching practices more relevant and meaningful to students’ lives. This vision requires that teachers understand how relevance can enter the classroom in meaningful, appropriate, and subject-specific ways. In this paper I use interview data and classroom excerpts to explore junior secondary teachers’ responses to what I call a “relevance imperative”. The data shows that relevance is a multi-faceted construct that is constructed differently by teachers depending on their socio-historical experience with the subject culture. Implications for teachers teaching out-of-field and how we conceive of teachers as subject specialists are discussed, and suggestions for future research are given.

Keywords

science education
mathematics education
curriculum
relevance
subject culture
teacher beliefs

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2009, Volume 5, Issue 3, 277-288

https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

Publication date: 22 Jan 2009

Article Views: 1152

Article Downloads: 536

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Aikenhead, G. S. (2001). Students' ease in crossing cultural borders into school science. Science Education, 85, 180- 188.
Aikenhead, G. S., & Jegede, O. J. (1999). Cross-cultural science education: A cognitive explanation of a cultural phenomenon. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(3), 269-287.
Australian Curriculum Studies Association. (1996). From alienation to engagement: Opportunities for reform in the middle years of schooling (Vol. 3). Canberra: Australian Curriculum Studies Association.
Beane, J. (1995). Curriculum integration and the disciplines of knowledge. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(8), 616-622.
Carspecken, P. F. (1996). Critical ethnography in educational research: A theoretical and practical guide. New York: Routledge.
Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (1999). Shaping a professional identity: Stories of experience. New York, N.Y.: Teachers College Press.
Darby, L. (2004). Affording and constraining the manifestation of pedagogy in middle years mathematics and science teaching. Paper presented at the Australasian Science Education Research Association, Armidale, July.
Darby, L. (2007). Experiencing relevant mathematics and science through story. Teaching Science, 53(3), 37-40.
Darby, L. (2009). Subject culture and pedagogies: Comparing mathematics and science. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds.
Department of Education Science & Training. (2003). Australia's teachers: Australia's future. Advancing innovation, science, technology and mathematics. Agenda for action. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Education & Training Committee. (2006). Inquiry into the promotion of mathematics and science education. Melbourne: Parliament of Victoria.
Education Queensland. (2001). New Basics - The why, what, how and when of Rich Tasks. Retrieved June 26, 2008, from http://www.education.qld.gov.au/corporation/newbasics
Elbaz-Luwisch, F. (2002). Writing as inquiry: Storying the teaching self in writing workshops. Curriculum Inquiry, 32, 403-428.
Eyres, V. (1997). Steering a middle course. EQ Australia, 1, 8- 9.
Goetz, J. P., & LeCompte, M. D. (1984). Ethnography and qualitative education research. Sydney: Academic Press.
Goodrum, D., Hackling, M., & Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
Grossman, P. L., & Stodolsky, S. S. (1995). Content as context: The role of school subjects in secondary school teaching. Educational Researcher, 24(8), 5-11, 23.
Harris, K.-L., & Jensz, F. (2006). The preparation of mathematics teachers in Australia. Meeting the demand for suitably qualified mathematics teachers in secondary schools. Melbourne: Centre of the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne.
Hipkins, R. (2006). Ontological possibilities for rethinking teaching of the "nature of science". Unpublished doctoral thesis, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic.
Jenkins, E. W., & Pell, R. G. (2006). The Relevance of Science Education Project (ROSE) in England: A summary of findings. Leeds: Centre for Studies in Science and Mathematics Education, University of Leeds.
Kerby, A. (1991). Narrative and the self. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Osborne, J., & Collins, S. (2001). Pupils' views of the role and value of the science curriculum. International Journal of Science Education, 23(5), 441-467.
Ritchie, S., Kidman, G., & Vaughan, T. (2007). Professional learning opportunities from uncovering cover stories of science and science teaching for a scientist-in-transition. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2(1), 225-242.
Schreiner, C., & Sjøberg, S. (2004). Sowing the seeds of ROSE. Background, rationale, questionnaire development and data collection for ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education) - A comparative study of students' views of science and science education. Oslo, Norway: Department of Teacher Education and School Development, University of Oslo.
Siskin, L. S. (1994). Realms of knowledge: Academic departments in secondary schools. London: The Falmer Press.
Stodolsky, S. S. (1988). The subject matters: Classroom activity in mathematics and social studies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Stodolsky, S. S., & Grossman, P. L. (1995). The impact of subject matter on curricular activity: An analysis of five academic subjects. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 227-249.
van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience; Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. London: The Althouse Press.
van Manen, M. (1999). The language of pedagogy and the primacy of student experience. In J. Loughran (Ed.), Researching teaching: Methodologies and practices for understanding pedagogy (pp. 13-27). London: Falmer Press.
Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority. (2005). Victorian Essential Learning Standards: Discipline-based learning strand Science. Melbourne: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

How to cite this article

APA

Darby, L. (2009). Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(3), 277-288. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

Vancouver

Darby L. Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2009;5(3):277-88. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

AMA

Darby L. Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2009;5(3), 277-288. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

Chicago

Darby, Linda. "Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2009 5 no. 3 (2009): 277-288. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

Harvard

Darby, L. (2009). Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(3), pp. 277-288. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279

MLA

Darby, Linda "Translating a “Relevance Imperative” into Junior Secondary Mathematics and Science Pedagogy". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 5, no. 3, 2009, pp. 277-288. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75279