Overview

This book is a theoretical inquiry into alternative pedagogies that challenge current standardized practices in the field of science education. Through Mandy Hoffen, a fictional persona, Dana McCullough, the author, explores how stories of Henrietta Lacks become part of a conspiracy to change science education. Mandy Hoffen, however, never expected to find herself in the middle of a conspiracy. As a science teacher of 20 plus years, she worked diligently to meet the needs of her charges, who are currently ninth and tenth grade biology students in an age of standardized testing. The author also creates imaginary dialogues which serve as the theoretical framework for each chapter. Each chapter unfolds in a form of a play with imaginary settings and events that bring Henrietta Lacks back from the grave to participate in conversations about science, society, and social justice. The imaginary conversations are based on the author's experiences in graduate courses, direct quotations from philosophers of science, historians of science, science educators, curriculum theorists, and stories of students in their study of Henrietta Lacks in a high school biology classroom. The play describes the journey of a graduate student/high school teacher as she researches the importance of the philosophy of science, history of science, science curriculum and social justice in science education. Through reflections on fictional conversations, stories of Henrietta Lacks are examined and described in multiple settings, beginning in an imaginary academic meeting, and ending with student conversations in a classroom. Each setting provides a space for conversations wherein participants explore their personal connections with science, science curriculum, issues of social justice related to science, and Henrietta Lacks. This book will be of interest to graduate students, scholars, and undergraduates in curriculum studies, educational foundations, and teacher education, and those interested in alternative research methodologies. This is the first book to intentionally address the stories of Henrietta Lacks and their importance in the field of curriculum studies, science studies, and current standardized high school science curriculum.

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9781648024894

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Are you interested in raising your science test scores? Interested in aligning your daily objectives with state mandated goals? This book, then, is not the one for you. This is a book for serious Dionysian souls and creative teachers who care about the intellectual development of young people in a democratic society. Join Dana as she co-opts the spirits of Walt Whitman and Alexander Humboldt in order to disrupt science education as it has evolved and pay her respects to the legacy of Henrietta Lacks. John A. Weaver Professor of Curriculum Studies Author of Democracy, Science, and Curriculum Studies What is the purpose of secondary school science education curriculum? Through narrative inquiry, play-writing, found poetry and editorial commentary, Dana McCullough's book weaves a passionate, provocative, rebellious and well-argued defence for school science education curricula that includes student explorations of the political, social and ethical dimensions involved in the professional practice of science. Her argument is uniquely presented as a series of plays that involve recursive dialogues with key scholars in the fields of science education, curriculum theory and science itself. These conversations are haunted by the disturbing story of Henrietta Lacks, the example of racial and social injustice animating McCullough's semi-autobiographical work. Henrietta Lack's life and the subsequent use of her cells (without permission) provide the context for McCullough's examination of key issues in school science education and presentation on how case studies of social injustice can be introduced to school science education, including examples of student work and advice on how teachers might counter resistance by those who believe that such issues do not belong in the science curriculum. Concluding with a touching conversation between the author and Henrietta Lacks, McCullough challenges readers to imagine possibilities for secondary school science education resurrected towards pedagogies that embrace the practical hope of social justice. McCullough's new book is bold, highly creative, and should be considered an essential reference for science teachers, curriculum coordinators and curriculum scholars, especially those interested in alternative forms of pedagogy and curriculum research. David Blades, Professor of Science Education and Curriculum Theory, University of Victoria, Canada

Are you interested in raising your science test scores? Interested in aligning your daily objectives with state mandated goals? This book, then, is not the one for you. This is a book for serious Dionysian souls and creative teachers who care about the intellectual development of young people in a democratic society. Join Dana as she co-opts the spirits of Walt Whitman and Alexander Humboldt in order to disrupt science education as it has evolved and pay her respects to the legacy of Henrietta Lacks. John A. Weaver Professor of Curriculum Studies Author of Democracy, Science, and Curriculum Studies What is the purpose of secondary school science education curriculum? Through narrative inquiry, play-writing, found poetry and editorial commentary, Dana McCullough's book weaves a passionate, provocative, rebellious and well-argued defence for school science education curricula that includes student explorations of the political, social and ethical dimensions involved in the professional practice of science. Her argument is uniquely presented as a series of plays that involve recursive dialogues with key scholars in the fields of science education, curriculum theory and science itself. These conversations are haunted by the disturbing story of Henrietta Lacks, the example of racial and social injustice animating McCullough's semi-autobiographical work. Henrietta Lack's life and the subsequent use of her cells (without permission) provide the context for McCullough's examination of key issues in school science education and presentation on how case studies of social injustice can be introduced to school science education, including examples of student work and advice on how teachers might counter resistance by those who believe that such issues do not belong in the science curriculum. Concluding with a touching conversation between the author and Henrietta Lacks, McCullough challenges readers to imagine possibilities for secondary school science education resurrected towards pedagogies that embrace the practical hope of social justice. McCullough's new book is bold, highly creative, and should be considered an essential reference for science teachers, curriculum coordinators and curriculum scholars, especially those interested in alternative forms of pedagogy and curriculum research. David Blades, Professor of Science Education and Curriculum Theory, University of Victoria, Canada

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