ERIC Number: EJ1258396
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0926-7220
EISSN: N/A
Re-Examining Postcolonial Science Education within a Power-Knowledge Framework: A Caribbean Case Study
Burke, Lydia E. Carol-Ann; Wallace, John
Science & Education, v29 n3 p571-588 Jun 2020
Education systems in once-colonised locations cannot escape the abiding legacy of colonisation. Science, in particular, has played a prominent role in the reasonings and rationalisations of the colonial process. When considered in the context of an education system established by imperial powers, it is difficult to reconcile processes of self-determination without examining perceptions of the past, present, and future roles of science education. This exploratory study examines the knowledge-power dynamic of science education as articulated by high school science education stakeholders in The Bahamas. A selection of students, teachers, and administrators described their own understandings of the history, present positioning, and future direction of science education. When analysed within a knowledge-power framework, the underlying structure sees science education as a fundamental tool in the migration of people and ideas, revealing a complex relationship between the pragmatic needs of individuals and shared motivations to elevate national standing. The study provides insights that will help inform science educators as they develop decolonising strategies in contexts that have been bruised by the colonial heritage of science education.
Descriptors: Postcolonialism, Science Education, Power Structure, Secondary School Science, High Schools, High School Students, High School Teachers, Administrators, Foreign Countries, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Administrator Attitudes, Educational History, Educational Trends, Futures (of Society)
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Bahamas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A