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Politics in the STEM Classroom
- 1. Teach-In for Teaching Politics in the Science Classroom Roberta Hunter PhD Candidate, Rutgers GSE
- 2. Teach-In for Teaching Overview Introductions Your goals for the session Where do politics fit in the science classroom Supporting civil discussions Scenarios
- 3. Teach-In for Teaching What are politics? the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy political actions, practices, or policies political affairs or business; especially : competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership (as in a government) the political opinions or sympathies of a person the total complex of relations between people living in society https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/politics
- 4. Teach-In for Teaching Politics = Government policies and practices, social relations, and personal opinions
- 5. Teach-In for Teaching Where do politics fit? DISTINCT Science Topic Politics
- 6. Teach-In for Teaching Where do politics fit? CONGRUENT Science Topic Politics
- 7. Teach-In for Teaching Where do politics fit? INTEGRATED Science Topic Politics
- 8. Teach-In for Teaching Where do politics fit? Science Topic Politics
- 9. Teach-In for Teaching Why engage with politics and social issues? Using social issues has been found repeatedly to engage students that may not otherwise find science relevant. Even though we may try to divide our classes into neat little bubbles, life is messy and integrated. Students need practice wrestling with issues where they can apply science knowledge they are developing. Science is a social enterprise. Politics pushes back.
- 10. Teach-In for Teaching Fostering a civil discourse Set clear expectations ahead of time. If you anticipate that political discussions may arise in the course, place it in the syllabus. If an unexpected conversation arises, and you feel a discussion is appropriate, make a statement such as “It sounds like we are going to have a real discussion about this. Please remember the basics of civil discussions ….” What are some of those ground rules?
- 11. Teach-In for Teaching Ideas from brainstorming Keep an open mind -> attitude of curiosity No belittling Preference vs. opinion Argumentation and evidence
- 12. Teach-In for Teaching Ground rules Speak to each other with respect No demeaning or disparaging language Speak in “I” statements Listen to understand and speak to be understood Use reflection “What I hear you saying is….. Is that what you meant?” Offer an argument – Claim – Evidence - Reasoning
- 13. Teach-In for Teaching Syllabus statement Each person in this course has unique prior experiences and a unique viewpoint to share. Though disagreement and even conflict may occur, I expect your cooperation in maintaining an atmosphere of mutual respect. When participating in discussions, it is perfectly acceptable to have strong opinions – in fact I encourage you to do so. I also encourage you to discuss your own personal experience and relate it to that of others. In the process, however, I expect you to respect the basic intelligence and humanity of each participant in the discussion. Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as there is a commitment to mutual respect. Hateful and demeaning speech will not be tolerated. From Facilitating Civil Discourse in the Classroom
- 14. Teach-In for Teaching In the moment Manage yourself first Remind students of the ground rules Help guide students through the discussion Follow up after class if needed
- 15. Teach-In for Teaching Resources Managing Hot Moments in the Classroom http://bokcenter.harvard.edu/managing-hot-moments-classroom Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or Controversial Topics http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/generalguidelines Teaching Science and Social Justice http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/201403/Outreach/ Facilitating Civil Discourse in the Classroom
Editor's Notes
- Sometimes, the topic you are teaching, say the molecular structure of carbon dioxide, has little to do with politics but they arise regardless, because of issues in the news or on campus that students need to process.
- With some topics, politics are congruent – they can easily be pulled into the discussion. For example, discussing the carbon cycle.
- With topics that are socioscientific issues, at the juncture of science and society (i.e. global warming, gene therapy, GMOs) politics are integrated into the topic.
- Now, before we get to how to handle politics in the science classroom, I want to advocate for taking a look at these congruent topics and engaging politics in the classroom. As science educators, we have the responsibility to provide our students with meaningful education and that includes not shying away from the intersection of science and the rest of the world. That can include addressing the under representation of certain groups in STEM fields or honestly discussing or digging into the pattern of placing hazardous material sites in poor and minority neighborhoods.
- Don’t make things personal No yelling, profanity, or derogatory terms Use arguments not just opinions Evidence
- Manage yourself first – one of the things you learn after spending time in a classroom is that students are looking to you to set the tone. IF you become agitated, you show signs of stress (hunched shoulders, constricted voice), then their stress increases