Wanted: The Intersection of Feminist Pedagogy and Science Education

Abstract

As a graduate student earning a doctorate in science education and a certificate in women’s studies, I often found myself torn between two worthwhile fields that used two very distinct approaches to pedagogy and content. My experiences granted me an opportunity to explore the differences between these two fields and how the incorporation of feminist pedagogy could positively shape future science education courses. Exploring this topic through literature and my own experiences, I first focus on the differences between classic (science education) and feminist epistemology, and the importance of framing science education within feminist epistemology. I then discuss how we can model and enact feminist pedagogy in science education. I conclude with my thoughts on the potential intersection of feminist pedagogy with science education.

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“…girls should not be taught physical science except at the most elementary level, because the expenditure of nervous energy involved in the mastery of analytic concepts would be injurious to their health” — W. Felter, 1906. (Kelly, 1981, p. 1)