Cultural processes in science education: Supporting the navigation of multiple epistemologies

2010/03/01 by Megan Bang, Douglas Medin, Douglas L. Medin · 630 citations
Engineering · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Computer science #Diversity (politics) #Educational Strategies and Epistemologies #Engineering #Engineering ethics #Epistemology #Indigenous and Place-Based Education #Mathematics education #Pedagogy #Proposition #Psychology #Relation (database) #Science Education and Pedagogy #Science education #Science learning #Science, technology, society and environment education #Sociology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/sce.20392

published in Science Education 94(6), 1008-1026 (Wiley)

openalex publication_date 2010/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Abstract Although there has been considerable focus on the underrepresentation of minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and the need for science instruction that fosters diversity, much of the associated effort has focused on the goal of diversity and tended to assume that science and science learning are acultural. We describe a conceptual framework employed in our work with both urban and rural Native American communities that focuses on culturally based epistemological orientations and their relation to the cultural practices associated with science instruction. We summarize evidence on the efficacy of community‐based science education to support the proposition for a shift in orientation toward science education from aiming to have students adopt specific epistemologies to supporting students' navigation of multiple epistemologies. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 94: 1008–1026, 2010

Citations

• Cultural Ways of Learning: Individual Traits or Repertoires of Practice
• Rethinking diversity in learning science: The logic of everyday sense‐making
• Design Experiments in Educational Research
• From the Achievement Gap to the Education Debt: Understanding Achievement in U.S. Schools
• Views of nature of science questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners' conceptions of nature of science

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