The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education
This article argues that what is most at risk in schooling during a global pandemic, or other similar broad challenges to normal functioning, are those elements that might be considered the less traditional and so the most progressive. After setting out some general background common to the challeng...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/1109 |
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| author | Keith S. Taber |
| author_facet | Keith S. Taber |
| author_sort | Keith S. Taber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article argues that what is most at risk in schooling during a global pandemic, or other similar broad challenges to normal functioning, are those elements that might be considered the less traditional and so the most progressive. After setting out some general background common to the challenge faced by schools and school teachers, this argument is exemplified through the case of school science education. Two particular aspects are considered: one related to pedagogy (responding to learners’ alternative conceptions or ‘misconceptions’) and one related to curriculum (teaching about the nature of science). These are considered ‘progressive’ features in the sense that they have widely been championed as ways of improving and reforming science education across a wide range of national contexts but can be understood to have faced resistance both in the sense of being opposed by ‘reactionary’ stakeholders and in terms of the level of support for teacher adoption. It is argued that at a time when the education system is placed under extreme stress, such progressive elements are at particular risk as teachers and administrators may view them as ‘extras’ rather than ‘core’ features of practice and/or as reflecting more ‘difficult’ educational objectives that may need to be de-prioritised (and so neglected) for the time being. In that sense, they are fragile aspects of practice that lack the resilience of more established, and thus robust, features. It is concluded that where progressive elements are especially valued, they need to become sufficiently embedded in custom and practice to no longer be viewed as luxuries but rather to be recognised as core elements of good teaching to be protected and maintained during a period of emergency. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-52564c2e8bc04a38943a4e7dcce81299 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2232-2647 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-52564c2e8bc04a38943a4e7dcce812992025-08-20T01:51:27ZengUniversity of LjubljanaCenter for Educational Policy Studies Journal2232-26472021-10-0111Special Issue678710.26529/cepsj.1109The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science EducationKeith S. TaberThis article argues that what is most at risk in schooling during a global pandemic, or other similar broad challenges to normal functioning, are those elements that might be considered the less traditional and so the most progressive. After setting out some general background common to the challenge faced by schools and school teachers, this argument is exemplified through the case of school science education. Two particular aspects are considered: one related to pedagogy (responding to learners’ alternative conceptions or ‘misconceptions’) and one related to curriculum (teaching about the nature of science). These are considered ‘progressive’ features in the sense that they have widely been championed as ways of improving and reforming science education across a wide range of national contexts but can be understood to have faced resistance both in the sense of being opposed by ‘reactionary’ stakeholders and in terms of the level of support for teacher adoption. It is argued that at a time when the education system is placed under extreme stress, such progressive elements are at particular risk as teachers and administrators may view them as ‘extras’ rather than ‘core’ features of practice and/or as reflecting more ‘difficult’ educational objectives that may need to be de-prioritised (and so neglected) for the time being. In that sense, they are fragile aspects of practice that lack the resilience of more established, and thus robust, features. It is concluded that where progressive elements are especially valued, they need to become sufficiently embedded in custom and practice to no longer be viewed as luxuries but rather to be recognised as core elements of good teaching to be protected and maintained during a period of emergency.https://cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/1109constructivismdialogic teachingonline learningprogressive science educationreform resilienceteaching nature of science |
| spellingShingle | Keith S. Taber The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal constructivism dialogic teaching online learning progressive science education reform resilience teaching nature of science |
| title | The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education |
| title_full | The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education |
| title_fullStr | The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education |
| title_short | The Challenge to Educational Reforms during a Global Emergency: The Case of Progressive Science Education |
| title_sort | challenge to educational reforms during a global emergency the case of progressive science education |
| topic | constructivism dialogic teaching online learning progressive science education reform resilience teaching nature of science |
| url | https://cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/1109 |
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