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Peer-reviewed article

Learning Environments at the Margin: Case Studies of Disenfranchised Youth Doing Science in an Aquarium and an After-School Program

January 1, 2008 | Public Programs

In this article, we explore how two informal educational contexts—an aquarium and an after-school science program—enabled disenfranchised learners to adopt an identity as insiders to the world of science. We tell the stories of four youth, relating what doing science meant to them and how they positioned themselves in relation to science. We contribute to the extensive literature on the value of learning beyond the school walls, yet focus on ethnically and linguistically diverse youth from low-income backgrounds who have often been excluded from such settings. We suggest that such out-of-school settings are particularly important to youth who have few other opportunities to interact with and relate to science in positive ways.

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  • 2013 06 04 Image 4
    Author
    University of Montreal
  • 2013 09 24 Photo on 2012 04 09 at 13
    Author
    University of Montreal
  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1007/s10984-007-9037-9
    ISSN : 1387-1579
    Publication Name: Learning Environments Research
    Volume: 11
    Number: 1
    Page Number: 49
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: Elementary School Children (6-10) | Middle School Children (11-13) | Pre-K Children (0-5)
    Environment Type: Public Programs | Afterschool Programs | Aquarium and Zoo Programs
    Access and Inclusion: Women and Girls | English Language Learners

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