Culturally relevant/responsive and sustaining pedagogies in science education: theoretical perspectives and curriculum implications.

The main focus of this paper is to put forward an argument about the value of asset-based, culturally relevant/responsive and sustaining pedagogies in science education, especially in former colonial contexts. Countering the framing hegemony of science education through a historically Euro-dominant lens, we call for a critical analysis of the state of science education in the Netherlands by exploring, specifically, the Dutch Caribbean community which includes Suriname and the former Dutch Antilles and Aruba and the need to respond with a more culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogical stance. In doing so, we provide a concrete example of a CR-SP-focused community-based STEAM program for young children and their parents in the north of the Netherlands. We hope that this paper will provide the foundation to springboard conversations among educators and researchers with an interest in designing, enacting and researching CR-SP-informed programs and curricula geared for historically marginalized families and children.

Academic integrity, STEM education, and COVID-19: a call to action.

With the global pandemic educators have had to move their courses to virtual spaces, and this quick change has brought up concerns, especially in STEM education where there are ongoing discussions of adapting laboratories and shifting lecture and assessment practices to online learning. One issue that has become more pressing, beyond the financial and technological implications, is that of academic integrity violations. This position paper looks at the intersection academic integrity and equity and social justice in STEM higher education, where there is a lack of research and publications exploring the inequities that exist. The researchers have expertise in these areas and hold positions in as faculty, student, and advisor. The paper's main focus represents a review of the current literature and calls educators to action to change the narratives in STEM and higher education, taking into account the impact of COVID-19 and the shift in the education conversations that have happened due to the pandemic.