ERIC Number: EJ1173400
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1871-1502
EISSN: N/A
Science Teacher Identity and Eco-Transformation of Science Education: Comparing Western Modernism with Confucianism and Reflexive "Bildung"
Cultural Studies of Science Education, v13 n1 p147-161 Mar 2018
This forum article contributes to the understanding of how science teachers' identity is related to their worldviews, cultural values and educational philosophies, and to eco-transformation of science education. Special focus is put on "reform-minded" science teachers. The starting point is the paper "Science education reform in Confucian learning cultures: Teachers' perspectives on policy and practice in Taiwan" by Ying-Syuan Huang and Anila Asghar. It highlights several factors that can explain the difficulties of implementing "new pedagogy" in science education. One important factor is Confucian values and traditions, which seem to both hinder and support the science teachers' implementation of inquiry-based and learner-centered approaches. In this article Confucianism is compared with other learning cultures and also discussed in relation to different worldviews and educational philosophies in science education. Just like for the central/north European educational tradition called "Bildung," there are various interpretations of Confucianism. However, both have subcultures (e.g. reflexive "Bildung" and Neo-Confucianism) with similarities that are highlighted in this article. If an "old pedagogy" in science education is related to essentialism, rationalist-objectivist focus, and a hierarchical configuration, the so called "new pedagogy" is often related to progressivism, modernism, utilitarianism, and a professional configuration. Reflexive "Bildung" problematizes the values associated with such a "new pedagogy" and can be described with labels such as post-positivism, reconstructionism and problematizing/critical configurations. Different educational approaches in science education, and corresponding eco-identities, are commented on in relation to transformation of educational practice. [For "Science Education Reform in Confucian Learning Cultures: Teachers' Perspectives on Policy and Practice in Taiwan," see EJ1173394.]
Descriptors: Science Teachers, Science Instruction, Subcultures, Confucianism, Educational Philosophy, Professional Identity, World Views, Teacher Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Educational Policy, Educational Practices, Teaching Methods, Educational Change, Inquiry, Student Centered Learning
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Taiwan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A