- New York, New York, United States
- Scholar Mentoredit
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This is an empirical study on the underrepresentation of people of color in scientific careers. Grounded in critical race theory, the paper examines the lived experiences of six Black women physicists and addresses obstacles faced in... more
This is an empirical study on the underrepresentation of people of color in scientific careers. Grounded in critical race theory, the paper examines the lived experiences of six Black women physicists and addresses obstacles faced in their career paths and strategies used to overcome these obstacles. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews and coded for emergent themes. The findings reveal that college recruitment and funding were fundamental for these women to choose physics over other STEM fields. In addition, Black women experience unique challenges of socialization in STEM, particularly by exclusion of study groups. We suggest physics departments provide a more inclusive environment to support Black women in science.
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This paper highlights two strategies to include students and teachers as partners in the co-design of the enacted curriculum. During the development cycle, the design team developed sixteen lessons that included inquiry opportunities,... more
This paper highlights two strategies to include students and teachers as partners in the co-design of the enacted curriculum. During the development cycle, the design team developed sixteen lessons that included inquiry opportunities, small group conversations, and multiple perspectives around complex issues. The lessons were implemented during three classes, all taught by the same teacher who also participated on the design team. Findings show that student voice helps guide the curriculum developers in revision of the materials to better enhance the motivational aspect of the overall unit. Additionally, findings suggest that paying attention to how teachers change from enacting materials can provide curriculum designers with tools for creating materials that support students and teachers as co-designers and co-evaluators of the enacted curriculum that enhances teaching and learning for understanding.
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This qualitative study focuses on culturally embedded beliefs about the teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS topics in the Ivory Coast. We aim to analyze and describe factors influencing the implementation of the HIV/AIDS curricula in... more
This qualitative study focuses on culturally embedded beliefs about the teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS topics in the Ivory Coast. We aim to analyze and describe factors influencing the implementation of the HIV/AIDS curricula in Ivorian sixth-grade classrooms. With continuous spreading of AIDS in the Ivory Coast, education about HIV/AIDS has to increase; therefore, an urgent need to document, evaluate, and disseminate Ivorian perspectives on what is understood as valuable HIV/AIDS knowledge to prioritize such content in the curriculum is needed. Multiple qualitative methods were collected: individual interviews with 39 teachers, 63 sixth-grade students, eight school administrators, 20 community elders as well as field notes, and document analysis. By promoting HIV/AIDS curricula that is responsive to and inclusive of youth cultural beliefs and aligning teaching practice to Ivorian youth cultural interests, there is a chance that HIV/AIDS education could lead to safer sexual behav...
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The aim of this study was to examine student perceptions of the educational value of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The examination is administered after the second year of the... more
The aim of this study was to examine student perceptions of the educational value of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The examination is administered after the second year of the curriculum, prior to the beginning of clinical training at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. The quantitative component of the study consisted of a survey administered to students who had taken the OSCE (N=78). Due to the ordinal level of data produced by the Likert-scale survey, statistical analysis was performed through calculation of the median and interquartile range (IQR). Overall, student perceptions of the educational value of the OSCE, as measured using a five-point scale (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree) were positive, demonstrating students' agreement that the exam required the ability to think critically and problem-solve (median=4, IQR=1), assessed clinically relevant skills (median=5, IQR=1), and was a learning ex...
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Brotman: Despite numerous links to complex SSI, the topic of reproduction has not been a frequent focus of SSI research. This chapter vividly illustrates the potential for topics related to reproduction to engage students in the kind of... more
Brotman: Despite numerous links to complex SSI, the topic of reproduction has not been a frequent focus of SSI research. This chapter vividly illustrates the potential for topics related to reproduction to engage students in the kind of thinking promoted by the SSI movement. It was refreshing to see that students responded positively to the reproduction unit, and that it prompted them to become more aware of their own and others’ beliefs, to more deeply understand these issues, to see these issues as personally relevant, and to reflect upon the interplay between science, society, and ethics. I would like to further explore the question of what aspects of this reproduction unit made it largely successful, as well as what recommendations for improving the unit the author and others might suggest. More specifically, I would like to raise questions about two aspects of the curriculum: the learning activities and the approach of the teacher.
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... Thus, one goal among many for social justice education is toward ''intentional action to make radical, fundamental changes in societal structures, including ... (Klaren, White, 31; Final ... This is probably a good thing,... more
... Thus, one goal among many for social justice education is toward ''intentional action to make radical, fundamental changes in societal structures, including ... (Klaren, White, 31; Final ... This is probably a good thing, but it is still a bit unsettling to admit that not everyone grows up in ...
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... Brotman, JS, Mensah, FM and Lesko, N. (2010), Exploring identities to deepen understanding of urban high school students' sexual health decision ... health decision-making; however, the analysis below focuses on the three... more
... Brotman, JS, Mensah, FM and Lesko, N. (2010), Exploring identities to deepen understanding of urban high school students' sexual health decision ... health decision-making; however, the analysis below focuses on the three participants of one focus group (Wil, Olivia, and Luisa ...
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... literacy, others have offered methods in starting book clubs in schools for teacher professional development (Carmichael, 2001; Ediger, 2000; Goldberg & ... was Ways with words: Language, life, and work in communities and... more
... literacy, others have offered methods in starting book clubs in schools for teacher professional development (Carmichael, 2001; Ediger, 2000; Goldberg & ... was Ways with words: Language, life, and work in communities and classrooms.2 Written by Shirley Brice Heath (1983 ...
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ABSTRACT Studies across fields such as science education, health education, health behavior, and curriculum studies identify a persistent gap between the aims of the school curriculum and its impact on students’ thinking and acting about... more
ABSTRACT Studies across fields such as science education, health education, health behavior, and curriculum studies identify a persistent gap between the aims of the school curriculum and its impact on students’ thinking and acting about the real-life decisions that affect their lives. The present study presents a different story from this predominant pattern in the literature. Through a year-long ethnographic investigation of a health-focused New York City public high school’s HIV/AIDS and sex education program, this study illustrates a case in which 20 12th grade students respond positively to their education on these topics and largely assert that school significantly influences their perspectives and actions related to sexual health decision-making. This paper presents the following interpretation of this positive influence: school culture influences these students’ perspectives and decisions around sexual health by contributing to the formation of students’ identities. This paper further shows how science learning in particular becomes important for students in relation to decision-making when it is linked to issues of identity. These findings suggest that, in addition to attending to the design of classroom curriculum, HIV/AIDS and sex education researchers and curriculum developers (as well as those in science education focusing on other controversial science topics) might also explore the kinds of relational and school-wide factors that potentially influence students’ identities, decisions, and responses to school learning.
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In this paper I discuss how reform in science education is interpreted by Barma as she recounts the story of Catherine, a grade 9 biology teacher, who reforms her teaching practices in response to a national curriculum reform in Quebec,... more
In this paper I discuss how reform in science education is interpreted by Barma as she recounts the story of Catherine, a grade 9 biology teacher, who reforms her teaching practices in response to a national curriculum reform in Quebec, Canada. Unlike some cases in response to reform, this case is hopeful and positive. Also in this paper, I address some familiar areas that must be considered when teachers undertake curriculum reform and how science educators may fulfill the role of facilitator and advocate in the support of teachers on the road to reform. The commentary focuses on how Barma retells the story through the lens of activity theory.
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In this paper I discuss how reform in science education is interpreted by Barma as she recounts the story of Catherine, a grade 9 biology teacher, who reforms her teaching practices in response to a national curriculum reform in Quebec,... more
In this paper I discuss how reform in science education is interpreted by Barma as she recounts the story of Catherine, a grade 9 biology teacher, who reforms her teaching practices in response to a national curriculum reform in Quebec, Canada. Unlike some cases in response to reform, this case is hopeful and positive. Also in this paper, I address some familiar areas that must be considered when teachers undertake curriculum reform and how science educators may fulfill the role of facilitator and advocate in the support of teachers on the road to reform. The commentary focuses on how Barma retells the story through the lens of activity theory.
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Classroom narratives and stories are rich and powerful in offering deep insights into classrooms and the reality of teaching—a reality critically re-examined in this forum. Discussing Maria’s narratives led to reflections about what it... more
Classroom narratives and stories are rich and powerful in offering deep insights into classrooms and the reality of teaching—a reality critically re-examined in this forum. Discussing Maria’s narratives led to reflections about what it takes to support teachers to become agents of more equitable science practices. Factors such as time and identity-work are key dimensions of the authors’ struggle, but they also address understanding students in profound ways. The ways in which contradictions at different levels in the educational system can become sources of growth, reflection and action are discussed; yet no simple answers follow. Teaching and becoming a teacher are best understood as life-long processes of reflection and action and as political acts that entail challenging many boundaries. They also involve putting oneself into vulnerable roles and positions. This dialogue opens up many questions about how we can collaborate, guide and support both novices and experienced professionals in education as researchers, science staff developers, and teacher educators. It seeks to support the on-going quest to make science education authentic and equitable.
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... 504972 Felicia Moore Mensah a pages 125-132. ... The teacher can point out traits that students in the classroom have as examples or add pictures of famous people or characters. A picture of the character Eddie Munster is hilarious to... more
... 504972 Felicia Moore Mensah a pages 125-132. ... The teacher can point out traits that students in the classroom have as examples or add pictures of famous people or characters. A picture of the character Eddie Munster is hilarious to show to represent the widow's peak trait. ...