Ralph Levinson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Ralph Levinson
Ciência & Educação (Bauru)
Todo o conteúdo deste periódico está sob uma licença Creative Commons (CC Atribuição 4.0 Internac... more Todo o conteúdo deste periódico está sob uma licença Creative Commons (CC Atribuição 4.0 Internacional), exceto onde está indicado o contrário.
Research in Science Education
The School science review, 2018
SwafS-Achievements and recommendations report 2020 [6] Research ethics and research integrity [7]... more SwafS-Achievements and recommendations report 2020 [6] Research ethics and research integrity [7] Institutional changes towards responsible research and innovation [8] Citizen science and citizen engagement [9] Science careers [10] Science education [11] Science communication [12] Gender equality [13] Open Access [14]
Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2021
Socio-scientific issues and socially acute questions enable moral judgement through rational, emo... more Socio-scientific issues and socially acute questions enable moral judgement through rational, emotional, intuitive and imaginative thinkings. Our research focuses more specifically on the place of the myth in student discussions about controversial issues. We have analysed the mythemes expressed through online exchanges between students from England, France and New Zealand about three 'pest'-animal issues, the 'pests' in question being the Badger (England), Wolf (France) and Possum (New Zealand). We observe the expression of recurrent mythemes by issue, one demonizing the animal and encouraging its destruction or control, one protecting its proper nature, one ambivalent proposing a dialogue between the two first ones. These expressions relate to the living socio-cultural contexts of the students. The mytheme expressed by each student remains stable during the discussion. The potential of myths to enable critical thinking in intercultural communication is discussed. Keywords Myth • Socio-scientific issues • Socially acute questions • Debate Socio-Scientific Issues (SSIs) and Socially Acute Questions (SAQs), respectively conceptualised by Dana Zeidler and Troy Sadler (2008), and Legardez and Laurence Simonneaux (2006) are based on rational, emotional, and intuitive thinking to guide controversial issues and to frame moral judgement. Research analysing student argumentation through SSIs or SAQs focuses on the links between the ethical, affective and cognitive dimensions (
International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning, 2019
Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) incorporates the European Commission's approa... more Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) incorporates the European Commission's approach to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). These relationships are elaborated into a pedagogic model encouraging young people to ask real-world questions that interest them, collect evidence to answer the questions and, as a result, to take personal action on their findings. After depicting a pedagogic model for SSIBL, we identify the opportunities for pre-service science teachers (PSTs) adopting a SSIBL approach. We detail SSIBL activity designs that aim to engage students in learning about the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The findings show the prerequisite of using the science curriculum to facilitate SSIBL within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We suggest a SSIBL approach would benefit from co-designed frameworks involving the collaboration of cross-disciplinary groups of teachers, through reflection and enactment on previous SSIBL activities. SSIBL enables prac...
Alexandria: Revista de Educação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 2018
A teoria evolutiva é defendida como eixo organizador do ensino de biologia, porém há várias dific... more A teoria evolutiva é defendida como eixo organizador do ensino de biologia, porém há várias dificuldades para tal, incluindo conflitos com determinadas orientações religiosas que realizam uma leitura literal da Bíblia, como o pentecostalismo. Nesta pesquisa, procuramos compreender de que maneira o ensino da teoria evolutiva é desenvolvido em contextos de grande presença de estudantes pentecostais. Para isso, investigamos duas escolas com grande número de estudantes pentecostais através de observações, entrevistas e questionários. Os resultados mostram que quando os professores discutem evolução, eles desvalorizam ou mostram receio em relação às ideias religiosas dos alunos ou introduzem suas crenças pessoais. Propomos um modelo de diálogo, baseado na ideia de discurso de Habermas e de espaço de busca de France, no qual bases comuns podem ser encontradas a fim de promover a compreensão da evolução sem o intuito de converter pontos de vista diferentes. Mostramos as possibilidades do m...
Cadernos CIMEAC, 2016
Entrevista com Ralph Levinson coordenada pelo Prof. Dr. Danilo Seithi Kato (UFTM). Ralph Levinson... more Entrevista com Ralph Levinson coordenada pelo Prof. Dr. Danilo Seithi Kato (UFTM). Ralph Levinson é professor do Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Londres. Ele dirige o mestrado em Educação para Ciências e orienta trabalhos de doutorado. Seus interesses de pesquisa são questões sociocientíficas controversas, ciência e justiça social, educação para ciências e criatividade e pedagogia em ciência. Ele é o autor de “Towards a theoretical framework for teaching controversial socio?scientific issues” (2006) e de “Science education and democratic participation: an uneasy congruence” (2010). Interview with Ralph Levinson coordinated by professor Danilo Seithi Kato (Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro - UFTM). Ralph Levinson is Reader in Education at the Institute of Education (University of London). He is programme director of the MA in Science Education and supervises doctoral students. His research interests are in socio-scientific issues, science and social justice, science ed...
Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 2021
Global warming and climate change are serious issues facing humanity at present and education nee... more Global warming and climate change are serious issues facing humanity at present and education needs to focus on including informed-decision in classroom practices. The conceptual framework used in this study has provided interconnections that influence beliefs and understandings in providing a knowledge base for making “informed-decision” among high school students. This study was conducted in three year 9 classes in two high schools in the UK and among 65 students. An inquiry intervention model was developed using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) to identify beliefs and understanding and to strengthen students’ knowledge base. This study used a design-based research setting and utilised a mixed methodology. The Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were computed to examine the pre-post-difference among questionnaire items, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to explore the relationship between belief, understanding, and intention....
Ciência & Educação (Bauru)
Recent editorials of this journal have focused on issues close to my heart: the misappropriation ... more Recent editorials of this journal have focused on issues close to my heart: the misappropriation of knowledge in supporting racist ideologies, the role of activism through science education, the political control of scientific knowledge. Throughout my career as a school science teacher to working as an academic in higher education, the problems of enhancing social justice through science education continue to challenge. Educationalists and teachers have, rightly, pressed for a more socially and politically relevant curriculum. Two technoscientific issues dominate national and international governance in an unprecedented way. Both are exemplars of pursuing solutions that must be multidisciplinary, but in examining these solutions, educators must be careful to avoid epistemological traps. Manifestos for a more socially and environmentally conscious curriculum must identify the kind of learning at stake. We have a responsibility to support the epistemic and pedagogical means for transforming science curricula into practise. The first issue is the threat of climate change, which governments believe they can do little about because the imperatives of economic growth and comfortable middleclass lifestyles are at odds with decommissioning fossil-fuelled power stations. One technofix is the use of green technologies (while there have been recent advances in nuclear fusion, scalability and applications remain a long way off). A prevalent approach is to demonstrate that wind, solar and geothermal technologies can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. That is a scientifically appealing solution, but to ignore the social, ethical, and political implications is to compound the environmental challenges we face. The second global issue is the pandemic. Covid-19 was unsparing in the ways it hit poor and rich alike-except of course the rich had resources of health and wealth which helped protect them against its worst excesses. But, as Brazilian educators are only too aware, conspiracy theory and denialism (why am I thinking of a recent President of Brazil?)-the guardians of post-truth-have hampered vaccine production and uptake. As the Amazon is exploited, burned for its natural resources, and indigenous peoples are displaced, the previous President laughs at the protests-claiming that global warming is a hoax. Equally, covid-19 was simply a small germ like the flu. Get over it, people!
Critical Issues and Bold Visions for Science Education, 2018
Alexandria Revista de Educação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 2008
Using Ziman"s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models ar... more Using Ziman"s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are derived from the Scientific Literacy literature to characterize the teaching of socio-scientific issues to high school students. Six indicators are developed to illustrate the characteristics of the models: the nature of the hierarchy of relationships between scientists, teachers and students; the source of knowledge; epistemology; distribution of knowledge in contending participants; nature of pedagogy and assessment. The models differ substantively in their view of the authority of the role of science in society ranging from deficit to collective praxis but it is argued that each model has a pedagogic purpose within a specific social context and that an epistemological thread runs through the five models.
Environmental Discourses in Science Education
Cultural Studies of Science Education
In responding to Jesse Bazzul's and Annette Gough's articles I maintain that contemporary positiv... more In responding to Jesse Bazzul's and Annette Gough's articles I maintain that contemporary positivist science curricula cannot address the urgent issues of sustainability and biopower that confront us. Drawing on the writings and interpretations of Emmanuel Levinas I argue that contemplating the meaning of responsibility to the Other is a radically subversive activity and a means of moving from the neoliberal dominance of science education towards a science one steeped in social justice.
The new advancement in genetics and reproductive technologies is one of the most relevant controv... more The new advancement in genetics and reproductive technologies is one of the most relevant controversial topics concerning students in science education today. This study investigates the role of teachers in providing an environment for students in which they can interchange ideas and discuss ethical issues in science classrooms. This study involved the participation of 24 students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. (Contains 23 references.) (YDS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
1970. They were therefore researching what was happening within the training programme for which ... more 1970. They were therefore researching what was happening within the training programme for which they carried considerable responsibility. The teachers, who agreed to work on the project, and the schools were well known to them.
The requirements of the National Curriculum note the importance of using science (and mathematics... more The requirements of the National Curriculum note the importance of using science (and mathematics) in design and technology activity. Although it is difficult to disagree with this requirement, the nature of the links are not clear. In particular there is little evidence from classroom research that indicates how students use and build upon their scientific understanding. Our previous work indicates that there are difficult problems for both students and teachers and, despite discussions in the design and technology education literature, there is as yet little empirical evidence of how students use science understanding in design and technology activities. We argue here for more research on this issue and analyses of the requirements of design and technology tasks.
Using Ziman‟s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are der... more Using Ziman‟s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are derived from the Scientific Literacy literature to characterize the teaching of socio-scientific issues to high school students. Six indicators are developed to illustrate the characteristics of the models: the nature of the hierarchy of relationships between scientists, teachers and students; the source of knowledge; epistemology; distribution of knowledge in contending participants; nature of pedagogy and assessment. The models differ substantively in their view of the authority of the role of science in society ranging from deficit to collective praxis but it is argued that each model has a pedagogic purpose within a specific social context and that an epistemological thread runs through the five models.
The School science review, 2012
Perspectives on Science (POS) is a unique research-based post·16 course that addresses the histor... more Perspectives on Science (POS) is a unique research-based post·16 course that addresses the history, philosophy and ethical aspects of science. Our central research question was to what extent is POS successful in promoting high-quality discussion in class and what factors influence this. Through questionnaires, interviews and observations of discussion episodes we were able to identify the most prominent characteristics: the instrumental role of the teacher, the introduction of conflict, and a balance between respect for rational argument and the advocacy of a position with passion.
Literature identifies the insufficiency of Le Chatelier’s principle and research describes a numb... more Literature identifies the insufficiency of Le Chatelier’s principle and research describes a number of problems that students have in explaining and describing chemical equilibrium systems. Hence in this study, questionnaires and interviews were used to consider the impact and extent of these issues for chemistry students in two schools. Thematic analysis through iterative coding of student responses resulted in the identification of 3 levels of explanation: A ‘Holistic’ level when students describe how the behaviour of the microscopic and dynamic forward and reverse reactions affect each other resulting in system equilibrium properties; Students explaining at the ‘Mirrored reactions’ level described the forward and reverse reactions behaviours as mirroring each other, but their combined system effect is not identified. For the remaining students, the forward and reverse reactions do not affect each other and are considered separately in explanations (‘Reactions not connected’ level...
Ciência & Educação (Bauru)
Todo o conteúdo deste periódico está sob uma licença Creative Commons (CC Atribuição 4.0 Internac... more Todo o conteúdo deste periódico está sob uma licença Creative Commons (CC Atribuição 4.0 Internacional), exceto onde está indicado o contrário.
Research in Science Education
The School science review, 2018
SwafS-Achievements and recommendations report 2020 [6] Research ethics and research integrity [7]... more SwafS-Achievements and recommendations report 2020 [6] Research ethics and research integrity [7] Institutional changes towards responsible research and innovation [8] Citizen science and citizen engagement [9] Science careers [10] Science education [11] Science communication [12] Gender equality [13] Open Access [14]
Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2021
Socio-scientific issues and socially acute questions enable moral judgement through rational, emo... more Socio-scientific issues and socially acute questions enable moral judgement through rational, emotional, intuitive and imaginative thinkings. Our research focuses more specifically on the place of the myth in student discussions about controversial issues. We have analysed the mythemes expressed through online exchanges between students from England, France and New Zealand about three 'pest'-animal issues, the 'pests' in question being the Badger (England), Wolf (France) and Possum (New Zealand). We observe the expression of recurrent mythemes by issue, one demonizing the animal and encouraging its destruction or control, one protecting its proper nature, one ambivalent proposing a dialogue between the two first ones. These expressions relate to the living socio-cultural contexts of the students. The mytheme expressed by each student remains stable during the discussion. The potential of myths to enable critical thinking in intercultural communication is discussed. Keywords Myth • Socio-scientific issues • Socially acute questions • Debate Socio-Scientific Issues (SSIs) and Socially Acute Questions (SAQs), respectively conceptualised by Dana Zeidler and Troy Sadler (2008), and Legardez and Laurence Simonneaux (2006) are based on rational, emotional, and intuitive thinking to guide controversial issues and to frame moral judgement. Research analysing student argumentation through SSIs or SAQs focuses on the links between the ethical, affective and cognitive dimensions (
International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning, 2019
Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) incorporates the European Commission's approa... more Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) incorporates the European Commission's approach to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). These relationships are elaborated into a pedagogic model encouraging young people to ask real-world questions that interest them, collect evidence to answer the questions and, as a result, to take personal action on their findings. After depicting a pedagogic model for SSIBL, we identify the opportunities for pre-service science teachers (PSTs) adopting a SSIBL approach. We detail SSIBL activity designs that aim to engage students in learning about the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The findings show the prerequisite of using the science curriculum to facilitate SSIBL within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We suggest a SSIBL approach would benefit from co-designed frameworks involving the collaboration of cross-disciplinary groups of teachers, through reflection and enactment on previous SSIBL activities. SSIBL enables prac...
Alexandria: Revista de Educação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 2018
A teoria evolutiva é defendida como eixo organizador do ensino de biologia, porém há várias dific... more A teoria evolutiva é defendida como eixo organizador do ensino de biologia, porém há várias dificuldades para tal, incluindo conflitos com determinadas orientações religiosas que realizam uma leitura literal da Bíblia, como o pentecostalismo. Nesta pesquisa, procuramos compreender de que maneira o ensino da teoria evolutiva é desenvolvido em contextos de grande presença de estudantes pentecostais. Para isso, investigamos duas escolas com grande número de estudantes pentecostais através de observações, entrevistas e questionários. Os resultados mostram que quando os professores discutem evolução, eles desvalorizam ou mostram receio em relação às ideias religiosas dos alunos ou introduzem suas crenças pessoais. Propomos um modelo de diálogo, baseado na ideia de discurso de Habermas e de espaço de busca de France, no qual bases comuns podem ser encontradas a fim de promover a compreensão da evolução sem o intuito de converter pontos de vista diferentes. Mostramos as possibilidades do m...
Cadernos CIMEAC, 2016
Entrevista com Ralph Levinson coordenada pelo Prof. Dr. Danilo Seithi Kato (UFTM). Ralph Levinson... more Entrevista com Ralph Levinson coordenada pelo Prof. Dr. Danilo Seithi Kato (UFTM). Ralph Levinson é professor do Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Londres. Ele dirige o mestrado em Educação para Ciências e orienta trabalhos de doutorado. Seus interesses de pesquisa são questões sociocientíficas controversas, ciência e justiça social, educação para ciências e criatividade e pedagogia em ciência. Ele é o autor de “Towards a theoretical framework for teaching controversial socio?scientific issues” (2006) e de “Science education and democratic participation: an uneasy congruence” (2010). Interview with Ralph Levinson coordinated by professor Danilo Seithi Kato (Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro - UFTM). Ralph Levinson is Reader in Education at the Institute of Education (University of London). He is programme director of the MA in Science Education and supervises doctoral students. His research interests are in socio-scientific issues, science and social justice, science ed...
Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 2021
Global warming and climate change are serious issues facing humanity at present and education nee... more Global warming and climate change are serious issues facing humanity at present and education needs to focus on including informed-decision in classroom practices. The conceptual framework used in this study has provided interconnections that influence beliefs and understandings in providing a knowledge base for making “informed-decision” among high school students. This study was conducted in three year 9 classes in two high schools in the UK and among 65 students. An inquiry intervention model was developed using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) to identify beliefs and understanding and to strengthen students’ knowledge base. This study used a design-based research setting and utilised a mixed methodology. The Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were computed to examine the pre-post-difference among questionnaire items, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to explore the relationship between belief, understanding, and intention....
Ciência & Educação (Bauru)
Recent editorials of this journal have focused on issues close to my heart: the misappropriation ... more Recent editorials of this journal have focused on issues close to my heart: the misappropriation of knowledge in supporting racist ideologies, the role of activism through science education, the political control of scientific knowledge. Throughout my career as a school science teacher to working as an academic in higher education, the problems of enhancing social justice through science education continue to challenge. Educationalists and teachers have, rightly, pressed for a more socially and politically relevant curriculum. Two technoscientific issues dominate national and international governance in an unprecedented way. Both are exemplars of pursuing solutions that must be multidisciplinary, but in examining these solutions, educators must be careful to avoid epistemological traps. Manifestos for a more socially and environmentally conscious curriculum must identify the kind of learning at stake. We have a responsibility to support the epistemic and pedagogical means for transforming science curricula into practise. The first issue is the threat of climate change, which governments believe they can do little about because the imperatives of economic growth and comfortable middleclass lifestyles are at odds with decommissioning fossil-fuelled power stations. One technofix is the use of green technologies (while there have been recent advances in nuclear fusion, scalability and applications remain a long way off). A prevalent approach is to demonstrate that wind, solar and geothermal technologies can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. That is a scientifically appealing solution, but to ignore the social, ethical, and political implications is to compound the environmental challenges we face. The second global issue is the pandemic. Covid-19 was unsparing in the ways it hit poor and rich alike-except of course the rich had resources of health and wealth which helped protect them against its worst excesses. But, as Brazilian educators are only too aware, conspiracy theory and denialism (why am I thinking of a recent President of Brazil?)-the guardians of post-truth-have hampered vaccine production and uptake. As the Amazon is exploited, burned for its natural resources, and indigenous peoples are displaced, the previous President laughs at the protests-claiming that global warming is a hoax. Equally, covid-19 was simply a small germ like the flu. Get over it, people!
Critical Issues and Bold Visions for Science Education, 2018
Alexandria Revista de Educação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 2008
Using Ziman"s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models ar... more Using Ziman"s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are derived from the Scientific Literacy literature to characterize the teaching of socio-scientific issues to high school students. Six indicators are developed to illustrate the characteristics of the models: the nature of the hierarchy of relationships between scientists, teachers and students; the source of knowledge; epistemology; distribution of knowledge in contending participants; nature of pedagogy and assessment. The models differ substantively in their view of the authority of the role of science in society ranging from deficit to collective praxis but it is argued that each model has a pedagogic purpose within a specific social context and that an epistemological thread runs through the five models.
Environmental Discourses in Science Education
Cultural Studies of Science Education
In responding to Jesse Bazzul's and Annette Gough's articles I maintain that contemporary positiv... more In responding to Jesse Bazzul's and Annette Gough's articles I maintain that contemporary positivist science curricula cannot address the urgent issues of sustainability and biopower that confront us. Drawing on the writings and interpretations of Emmanuel Levinas I argue that contemplating the meaning of responsibility to the Other is a radically subversive activity and a means of moving from the neoliberal dominance of science education towards a science one steeped in social justice.
The new advancement in genetics and reproductive technologies is one of the most relevant controv... more The new advancement in genetics and reproductive technologies is one of the most relevant controversial topics concerning students in science education today. This study investigates the role of teachers in providing an environment for students in which they can interchange ideas and discuss ethical issues in science classrooms. This study involved the participation of 24 students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. (Contains 23 references.) (YDS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
1970. They were therefore researching what was happening within the training programme for which ... more 1970. They were therefore researching what was happening within the training programme for which they carried considerable responsibility. The teachers, who agreed to work on the project, and the schools were well known to them.
The requirements of the National Curriculum note the importance of using science (and mathematics... more The requirements of the National Curriculum note the importance of using science (and mathematics) in design and technology activity. Although it is difficult to disagree with this requirement, the nature of the links are not clear. In particular there is little evidence from classroom research that indicates how students use and build upon their scientific understanding. Our previous work indicates that there are difficult problems for both students and teachers and, despite discussions in the design and technology education literature, there is as yet little empirical evidence of how students use science understanding in design and technology activities. We argue here for more research on this issue and analyses of the requirements of design and technology tasks.
Using Ziman‟s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are der... more Using Ziman‟s model of the interface between science, technology and society, five models are derived from the Scientific Literacy literature to characterize the teaching of socio-scientific issues to high school students. Six indicators are developed to illustrate the characteristics of the models: the nature of the hierarchy of relationships between scientists, teachers and students; the source of knowledge; epistemology; distribution of knowledge in contending participants; nature of pedagogy and assessment. The models differ substantively in their view of the authority of the role of science in society ranging from deficit to collective praxis but it is argued that each model has a pedagogic purpose within a specific social context and that an epistemological thread runs through the five models.
The School science review, 2012
Perspectives on Science (POS) is a unique research-based post·16 course that addresses the histor... more Perspectives on Science (POS) is a unique research-based post·16 course that addresses the history, philosophy and ethical aspects of science. Our central research question was to what extent is POS successful in promoting high-quality discussion in class and what factors influence this. Through questionnaires, interviews and observations of discussion episodes we were able to identify the most prominent characteristics: the instrumental role of the teacher, the introduction of conflict, and a balance between respect for rational argument and the advocacy of a position with passion.
Literature identifies the insufficiency of Le Chatelier’s principle and research describes a numb... more Literature identifies the insufficiency of Le Chatelier’s principle and research describes a number of problems that students have in explaining and describing chemical equilibrium systems. Hence in this study, questionnaires and interviews were used to consider the impact and extent of these issues for chemistry students in two schools. Thematic analysis through iterative coding of student responses resulted in the identification of 3 levels of explanation: A ‘Holistic’ level when students describe how the behaviour of the microscopic and dynamic forward and reverse reactions affect each other resulting in system equilibrium properties; Students explaining at the ‘Mirrored reactions’ level described the forward and reverse reactions behaviours as mirroring each other, but their combined system effect is not identified. For the remaining students, the forward and reverse reactions do not affect each other and are considered separately in explanations (‘Reactions not connected’ level...