olivia aguilar doctoral candidate, cornell university dr. marianne krasny, cornell university
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Situated Learning And Communities Of Practice In Science and Environmental Education For Hispanic Youth: The pilot study and lessons learned. Olivia Aguilar Doctoral Candidate, Cornell University Dr. Marianne Krasny, Cornell University. Purpose. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Situated Learning And Communities Of Practice In Science and
Environmental Education For Hispanic Youth:
The pilot study and lessons learned
Olivia AguilarDoctoral Candidate, Cornell UniversityDr. Marianne Krasny, Cornell University
Purpose
Expand upon existing theories of learning by applying them to EE research
Understand under representation and lower achievement in the sciences among U.S. minority students through a learning theory lens.
Objectives
To meet these goals, the objectives of the study are: 1) to examine and compare communities of
practice present in after-school EE programs and science classrooms in three predominately Hispanic schools in South Texas
2) to assess Hispanic student learning as identity
formation in these communities of practice
Situated learning and communities of practice
Social context of learning Learning as a participant in communities of
practice Moves focus from individual cognition to
individual in a complex social setting
Communities of Practice (COP)
Joint Enterprise: negotiated response to the conditions and goals of the COP
Communities of Practice (COP)
Joint Enterprise: negotiated response to the conditions and goals of the COP
Mutual Engagement: interaction of people within a COP and the roles and relationships that arise and give meaning to the COP
Communities of Practice (COP)
Joint Enterprise: negotiated response to the conditions and goals of the COP
Mutual Engagement: interaction of people within a COP and the roles and relationships that arise
Shared Repertoire: the signs, symbols, and tools that are used as resources in the COP
Communities of Practice
Joint Enterprise: negotiated response to the conditions and goals of the COP
- What is the purpose/goal/activity/practice of the community?
- Who determines this?
- How is it expressed?
Communities of Practice
Mutual Engagement: interaction of people within a COP and the roles and relationships that arise
- How do people participate in the community activities/discussion?
- What types of relationships exist?- In what types of roles are teachers and students
engaged?- What does membership look like?
Communities of Practice
Shared Repertoire: the signs, symbols, and tools that are used as resources in the COP
- What artifacts/symbols, words, and languages are used to give meaning to this community?
Methodology
“In general, case studies are the preferred strategy when ‘how’ or ‘why’ questions are being posed, when the investigator has little control over events, and when the focus is on a contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context (Yin, 2003, p. 1).”
Context Davis Middle School
Armstrong Middle School
Garcia Middle School
Science Classroom
Case 1 Case 3 Case 5
Environmental Club
Case 2 Case 4 Case 6
Methods
Classroom observations Environmental club observations (participant-
observer) Focus group interviews Secondary data collection Researcher reflection
The Environmental Club
After-school club meets once a week
Director and 2 faculty at each club
Focus on coastal issues for schools along the TX coast
Emphasizes bilingualism Field trips around local issues
and participation in local events
No set curriculum so flexible for teacher interests
Case selection and description
Purposeful sampling
(location, population, feasibility)
Davis Middle School Armstrong Middle School Garcia Middle School
Data collectionApril, 2006- June 2006
Davis Middle School science classroom
2 observations, 2 focus group interviews
Davis Middle School Environmental Club
1 observation, 1 focus group interview
Armstrong Middle School science classroom
2 observations, 2 focus group interviews
Armstrong Middle School Environmental Club
2 observations, 2 focus group interviews
Data Analysis
Validity
-multiple sources
-data triangulation
-thick description Reliability
-observation database
-interview database
-triangulation
Davis Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Joint Enterprise
get good grades follow instructions see your friends pay attention
Davis Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Mutual Engagement
Small peer groups exist within class Many types of students in class Some participate some don’t Teacher is disciplinarian
Davis Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Shared Repertoire
Green booklets whoa silence bell
Davis Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Joint Enterprise
learn about ecosystem work towards own goal see your friends, get to know people something for students to do take field trips learn about other places, different
things
Davis Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Mutual Engagement
program director, faculty sponsors and me Luis is the student leader and translator three groups of students in community but all
seem to have equal footing small group of non-ESL students get along
with ESL students and can understand them, but are not necessarily friends
Davis Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Shared Repertoire
TX coast map snack sign-in sheet Spanish language English language
Armstrong Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Joint Enterprise
pass achieve help each other learn as much as we can open minds to what’s around- don’t be afraid to ask
questions not to get confused respect and form relationship with teacher
Armstrong Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Mutual Engagement
those that participate are full members, those that don’t are viewed as peripheral or non-members
very few don’t participate loud, more boisterous students seem to be leaders in
class students respect teacher
Armstrong Middle SchoolScience Classroom COP
Shared Repertoire
Armstrong Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Joint Enterprise
bring environmental awareness help the environment improve homes have fun
Armstrong Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Mutual Engagement
students have different roles students that participate are seen as full members
with equal footing Teachers, director and “leaders” are in center of
community
Armstrong Middle SchoolEnvironmental Club COP
Shared Repertoire
TX coast map snack sign-in sheet
Garcia Middle School
No data
Other developments
Expanding program New science faculty at 2 sites Late start
Summary of Findings
The two science classrooms studied have two distinct types of communities of practice (COP)
Students seem more enthusiastic about learning and participating in the COP that focuses on inquiry and exploration as its practice
Students’ views of practice of COP may vary in the COP
Summary of Findings
The two Environmental Clubs studied have two distinct types of communities of practice
Civic responsibility is main purpose at Armstrong and social interaction and individual learning are main purposes for membership at Davis
In classroom, roles seemed to translate to student type/identity vs. in club, roles related to contributions
Analysis of Methods
What worked
-focus group interviews
-student drawings
-researcher reflection
Analysis of Methods
What didn’t
- consent and assent forms
- recording is tricky
Concluding thoughts
Missing pieces Necessary roughness