Science learning that is rooted in local climate phenomena is a powerful way to initiate climate change learning that is meaningful and leaves learners feeling more motivated to take climate action. Local climate phenomenon connects youth with community interests, place, diverse people, and actionable solutions. In this article we identify why…

In this exploratory qualitative case study, we sought to develop a better understanding of beginning teachers' (Scholars) ideas about justice-oriented science teaching. Data were collected from participants from the same secondary teacher education program with an overarching mission of social justice. The study spanned two academic years,…

We find ourselves at a time when the need for transformation in science education is aligning with opportunity. Significant science education resources, namely the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Ambitious Science Teaching (AST) framework, need an intentional aim of centering social justice for minoritized communities and youth as…

Marginalized communities cannot and do not have decontextualized experiences with how socioscientific issues, such as exposure to COVID-19 as frontline essential workers, high Black infant mortality rates, air pollution leading to respiratory problems, and other issues, affect their communities. As PreK-12 science teachers and teacher educators…

This article posits that advancing equity is necessary but not sufficient for creating a more just world: we need belonging. Using a lens of racial justice to define the concept of belonging, the author considers how to practice cultivating it within the context of an aquarium's community-based engagement. Through case studies framed by belonging…

LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination and stigma in academic biology. These challenges are likely magnified for graduate students. However, there have been no studies documenting the experiences of LGBTQ+ life sciences graduate students. To address this gap, we conducted an interview study of 22 biology PhD students from 13 universities across…

Teacher education has made strides towards preparing preservice teachers with ambitious visions and teaching practices through the use of core practices, specifically the Ambitious Science Teaching (AST) framework (e.g. Kang & Windschitl, 2018). However, there is an argument in the field about whether the AST framework can support…

Advancing equity and justice in undergraduate biology education requires research to address the experiences of disabled students. Scholars working in disability studies have developed models of disability that inform Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER). To date, DBER literature has been predominantly informed by the medical and social…

In this paper, we examine traditional psychosocial approaches to the study of student agency in science education, emphasizing the importance of incorporating sociocultural and critical perspectives. We present both contemporary studies of student agency in educational psychology and the work of scholars who study students' student agency with…

There is a significant amount of research literature on the importance of identifying and building on students' experiences and ideas for making sense of the natural world, especially when engaging in science practices. Simultaneously, approaches to creating justice-oriented science education promote the need to focus on the diverse sense-making…

Recently, there has been a surge of literature on the implementation of translanguaging pedagogy and practices in science education settings. By activating and validating learners' full communicative repertoire, translanguaging holds promise to build an inclusive science learning community where multilingual learners' ways of knowing are not only…

Research on translanguaging in science and engineering education has grown rapidly. Studies carried out across diverse contexts converge in their commitment to fostering equity in science and engineering learning for linguistically marginalized learners. However, the rapid growth of this research area has exposed different approaches to…

As researchers strive to work toward equity in education, attention to how teachers and teacher educators develop asset-based perspectives and what role power plays in this process has become a focus in teacher education (Carter Andrews et al., 2019; Philip, 2019; Souto-Manning & Martell, 2019). Within science teacher education, researchers…

Children are often denied science education that engages their emotions and multiple identities. This study focused on ways in which embodied arts-based experiences offer opportunities for such engagement in pedagogical efforts associated with justice-centered science. The conceptual framework that informed the study considers the body as a site…

Science is often portrayed as a meritocratic endeavor, but university biology programs exhibit high rates of student attrition, particularly among students of Color, despite similar interest and aptitude for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as White students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is associated with student…