In our new series, Research You Can Use, we will be sharing research that has happened within our community with practical applications in the classroom. This edition is based on Decolonial STEM Education and the Integration of Critical Global Citizenship Education Framework in an Ontario Secondary School by Kenneth Gyamerah (PhD'24), Jane J. Mao (MEd'23), Alice Johnston (PhD'24), Ethan Hodge (MEd'24), Thashika Pillay, Karen Pashby, and Alana Butler.
On a walk outside, Grade 9 students practised describing signs of spring through their senses. For their science teacher, Amanda, the activity was an unfamiliar way into a familiar topic, and part of a wider effort to rethink whose knowledge and experiences shape STEM learning. A study by Queen’s Education alumni and faculty explores what helped teachers approach this work, what proved difficult, and where other educators (like you!) might begin.
Amanda’s science class was learning about observation and physical properties, but many students were also learning English and finding descriptions difficult. Working with researchers, she took the lesson outdoors and invited students to use their senses to describe signs of spring.
The activity was one approach explored in an Ontario secondary school study involving seven Grade 9 math and science teachers. Researchers examined how HEADSUP (a framework for identifying patterns such as privileging Western worldviews and overlooking historical context) could support decolonial STEM education.
The research encourages educators to reflect on whose knowledge they prioritize in their teaching and how students can experience different perspectives on understanding the world. Educators shared that they engaged in deeper discussions and provided students with chances to examine relevant issues in their lives. They also mentioned facing challenges in allocating time and integrating the framework with curriculum standards. Working with research assistants helped teachers like Amanda try approaches they hadn't used before.
Four ways to integrate these ideas in your classroom:
- Build an observation activity around the local environment. Drawing on Amanda’s example, invite students to describe seasonal changes through their senses and discuss how they relate to the places they observe.
- Invite students to shape an inquiry project. Ask which social or environmental issues matter to them, then help them investigate connections to a math or science concept.
- Use HEADSUP to revisit a lesson. Consider whose perspectives appear, which histories are missing, and whether an activity suggests an overly simple solution to a complex issue. Use those questions to guide a classroom discussion.
- Plan with a colleague. Choose an activity to develop together, observe how students respond, and make time to discuss what you would change. Teachers in the study emphasized the value of exchanging ideas and learning from one another.