Abstract

At 2pm, before the seminar, there will be a meeting of the CEDiR group exploring research opportunities in educational dialogue and STEM . Please contact Rupert Higham (rjeh2@cam.ac.uk) to register interest. Refreshments provided.

This seminar focuses on dialogue and transformative learning in STEM education with a focus on Mexico and the UK, exploring dialogic, creative and critical pedagogies for STEM . The research emphasises the importance of a dialogic approach to STEM in improving life chances for marginalised young people and their communities; if taught through dialogic and transformative pedagogies this approach may enable teachers to empower students to improve their own lives.

The seminar draws on work from a recent British Council project, including a linguistic analysis of educational dialogue gathered in an informal STEM education context: a science museum. Its socio-cultural context is highlighted as an informal and creative learning environment, providing opportunities for outreach to disadvantaged and marginalised communities. The seminar explores the role of two Science museums in England and Mexico in the adoption of a dialogic and transformative approach to STEM education.