Equitable Participation and Science Identification

Central to science teaching and learning is a focus on equity and participation. Through being explicit and prioritizing this focus, we recognize that much of what has historically happened in schools has created barriers to equitable participation and has marginalized some learners, particularly those from underrepresented groups. This is important since we, like others, see learning as the participation in valued pursuits that involves more than acquiring knowledge. More specifically, participation can support learners in drawing on and making connections between their useful experiences and ways of solving problems connected to interests and community. Further, participation in meaningful pursuits can help students begin to see themselves in imaginative ways as they are recognized by others and recognize themselves as the kind of person that can do science, especially as this participation intersects with their other interests and ways of thinking about themselves (e.g., as a maker, a dancer, or an athlete). Given this, the following are some strategies and resources we use to invite students into and sustain participation in equitable ways within MBI units. Many of these strategies aren't new, but we believe they can become even more powerful as they are mapped across the arc of MBI units focused on developing and critiquing explanations and solving problems of consequence in ways that equitably supports all learners.