Current Research

Informal learning for sustainability in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs: Navigating affect and identities to develop relational competencies.

SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2023-2025)

PI: Allison Gonsalves

Co-PIs: Dr. Diane Dechief; Prof. Blane Harvey

Collaborators: Emily Sprowls, Charlene Lewis-Sutherland

In the era of catastrophic climate change and global sustainability challenges, what educational approaches should higher education institutions (HEIs) adopt that contribute to the building of socially, culturally, and environmentally sustainable futures? Currently, we know that many science students participate in informal learning to address sustainability, but we don’t know much about their experiences, or how they navigate the boundary work between formal and informal learning in higher education. We know even less about the affective dimensions of their engagement, and the kinds ofidentity navigations they encounter in this work. In this study, we investigate science student participation in informal sustainability projects (ISPs) that are student-led and community engaged.

Past Projects

  • Learning for the Future: Understanding the impacts of collaborative learning among future teachers, future environmental scientists and youth as they engage issues of sustainability.

    Funding: McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative (2021-2023)

    Investigators: Allison Gonsalves (PI), Emily Sprowls (Co-PI), Blane Harvey (Collaborator)

    This study investigates the outcomes of a sustainability-focussed outreach program which pairs pre-service teachers (PSTs) with environmental science majors (ESMs) to learn alongside elementary-aged youth. We will investigate the impact of the program on: a) PSTs’ knowledge of and perceptions of teaching for sustainability; b) perceptions that ESMs have of their role as environmental science communicators; and c) youths’ engagement in sustainability issues. We also seek insight into the facilitation of equitable collaborations among youth, PSTs, and ESMs, as we support transdisciplinary inquiry-based learning for sustainability.

  • Innovative science education in out-of-school-time spaces: Tracing the impact of a science teaching internship experience for pre-service teachers and youth.

    Funding: SSHRC Insight Grant (2019-2024)

    Investigators: Allison Gonsalves (PI); Jrène Rahm, (Co-PI, Université de Montréal)

    In Quebec, and across Canada and the U.S., preservice teachers (PSTs) often leave elementary teacher education programs unprepared to teach reform (inquiry-based) science. PSTs are also often unfamiliar with elementary-aged youth and the social and learning contexts they come from. This may be because elementary PSTs have limited practical opportunities to develop science teacher identities that are essential to implementing reform science teaching practices. Relatedly, research suggests that youths' disengagement from science begins in the late elementary years and is pronounced in youth from disadvantaged communities. Youth often lack opportunities to participate in inquiry-based science learning situations that support their identification as insiders-to-science. Research suggests that out-of-school-time (OST) science programs can provide opportunities for science to be reconceptualized, and thus support learning for both the youth and the PSTs engaged in the program. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of OST science programs led by PSTs to contribute to 'science identity' development for both PSTs and youth.

    Research Assistants: Emily Sprowls (PhD student, Integrated Studies in Education); Julianna Zelt (MA student, Integrated Studies in Education), Gurveer Brar (MATL, Integrated Studies in Education)

  • Tracing the impact of a science teaching outreach experience on preservice teachers and undergraduate science majors

    Funding: SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2019-2023)

    Investigators: Allison Gonsalves (PI); Jrène Rahm, (Co-PI UdeM), Diane Dechief (Collaborator, McGill)

    This study will evaluate the potential of a science outreach program to contribute to the development of ‘science identities’ (confident feelings as insiders to science) among elementary pre-service teachers (PSTs) and undergraduate science majors (USMs). This outreach program pairs up PSTs and USMs to co-teach science to elementary-aged youth, in a unique transdisciplinary community-university partnership. Science education outreach—teaching science to youth in after school contexts—has been shown to be a critical opportunity to influence both science teaching and practice capabilities among PSTs and USMs. This study will examine the outcomes of an intervention that invites four pairs of PSTs and USMs to co-teach reform-based science to youth in a unique science outreach program in two elementary schools in Montréal. We anticipate that these collaborative educational outreach experiences will provide opportunities for both groups to build their science and pedagogical content knowledge; support their confidence-building as teachers and communicators of science; and promote the development of their science identities and science teacher identities.

    Research Assistants: Emily Sprowls (PhD student, Integrated Studies in Education); Julianna Zelt (MA student, Integrated Studies in Education)