Science Education as a Conduit for Social Justice

As science educators our work is much more than content deliverer; we are mind-openers and curiosity sparkers – and it is our job to get students to appreciate how scientific ideas shape us today and will shape our futures.When we provide students opportunities to critically analyze data and test their own ideas – we have given them the most empowering of gifts: asking revelatory questions. In turn, by empowering students with scientific skills we can begin to promote a more equitable society.

This will be an interactive session that will address our jobs as agents for social change. The objectives include:

• Provide historical context for current sociocultural trends. 
• Define the purpose of education by using the terminology/methods of critical pedagogy. 
• Demonstrate how the use of scientific reasoning can challenge erroneous social constructs. 
• Evaluate and apply social justice concepts in sample lessons. 
• Analyze the significance and implications of social justice in our RI classrooms