Introduction
Culture impacts one’s overview, behavior, and life decisions in multiple ways. A person’s values and priorities are often based on the background, family, and community that an individual belongs to. Furthermore, it is important to consider that how the individual perceives information is partly influenced by subjectivity even when the message is primarily constructive. Science is a field that is mostly objective and based on factual data. However, how an individual learns scientific information is affected by multiple factors. The aspects that matter are how the message is being shared, whether the topics that are being discussed are appropriately explained, and to what extent the needs of a particular individual are met. One’s cultural background can either benefit or disrupt how the person can perceive and understand scientific information. Nonetheless, culture is a significant influence on the experience of learning science, which is why it is essential to consider individual approaches when providing information to students with different backgrounds.
Western Constructivism in Science
While it is certain that science is a discipline that is objective and based on factual data, how information is taught can differ based on country, teacher, and classroom setting. However, a limitation that may occur is teaching a subject without considering the constructivism of the society from which the curriculum and information are being adopted. An example would be a history curriculum in India versus one in the US. While certain information will overlap due to the importance of certain global events or significant personalities, students in India will learn more about the past of their country instead of mainly focusing on American history and vice versa. An argument that can be made is that science is much more objective since the same phenomenon is similar no matter in which part of the world they occur. However, how the message is delivered has to differ. An example would be math, which is arguably one of the most objective disciplines.
A child from London will answer the test question of how long it takes for a driver to arrive from London to Birmingham if the speed is 70 km/h. On the other hand, a student from China will have the question of how long it takes to drive from Beijing to Shanghai. While the problem with implementing a standard curriculum for all cultures is much more complex, the examples highlight the importance of differentiating information sharing based on certain factors. Researchers point out that many countries tend to apply the Western science curriculum, which appears to be ineffective in national school settings (Baker & Taylor, 1995). Moreover, the language in which information is being shared, traditional explanations, and prior knowledge are all factors that alter how non-westers students perceive scientific data. Limiting the gap between western and non-western science teaching does not correlate with a detrimental change in scientific facts. Instead, how they are explained by either using traditional examples, the appropriate linguistic approach and a consideration of one’s present knowledge can mitigate the risks linked to applying one science teaching style to all students.
Funds of Knowledge
Every person has a particular set of knowledge, skills, and worldviews. These are shaped by one’s individual experience and background, which, for the most part, highly influences how a person thinks, learns, and interacts in the environment in which they operate. Researchers refer to the term “funds of knowledge” as a notion that illustrates that every individual has certain knowledge that is intrinsic and is affected by culture (Basu & Barton, 2007). Based on this premise, no one lacks knowledge, but it is rather personal, which is why learning can be difficult based on the person’s background. An example would be a young person growing up in a farming community and knowing practical information about plants and harvesting. In other situations, someone may live close to elderly generations and know how to care for a person with special needs. This type of knowledge is practice-based and applies to individuals but also to their communities and families (Hammond, 2001). Thus, a person from a rural area may know more about animals while someone whose parents have dealt with a particular disease knows more about anatomy or pharmaceutical data.
Such information is shaped by culture, yet it also applies to science. Since science is the discipline that studies the natural world, students who have direct experience interacting with nature on a certain level already have evident knowledge regarding the specific domain that the experience covered. Nevertheless, suppose a teacher does not consider such experience as a valid tool to be used while teaching the subject. In that case, the student may feel intimidated and not a valuable academic entity in the classroom. On the other hand, these overviews are false since the knowledge exists; it just is not being applied when needed. In this case, mentors have to implement certain techniques to create an environment in which personal experience is valid and valuable in the scientific realm. A person who has the opportunity to utilize first-hand experience and be praised for it rather than have to adapt to the set academic environment is more likely to be encouraged to study more while integrating the funds of knowledge. This is not only an excellent way of teaching science but also of making a connection between personal life and school disciplines that directly cover natural processes.
Collateral Learning
As exemplified prior, the knowledge that a student gains throughout a lifetime outside the school setting are rarely considered by teachers when sharing scientific information. However, such experiences give individuals a basis for further improving and turning the subjective knowledge received as a result of certain cultural factors into an academic concept. Teaching science, as with every other discipline, is, for the most part, creating an environment in which the receiver of the message is interested in the subject. However, due to the inadequate teaching styles or the overall indifference to science as a discipline, leading someone towards a more active approach to learning may be challenging. Nonetheless, the teacher has to apply specific techniques to help an individual not only understand but also love learning concepts related to natural phenomena and processes.
An effective way of attracting one’s attention to a subject is by exacerbating a level of relatability. Thus, an individual who identifies a topic as applicable and correlating with one’s personal real-life experience is more likely to consider focusing on the message. The concept of collateral learning illustrates the importance of teaching science without diminishing certain aspects of one’s intrinsic cultural beliefs (Aikenhead & Jegede, 1999). Collateral learning, however, implies that two detrimentally different concepts coexist in one’s mind. In the case of teaching science, this notion highlights the presence of two overviews, one being scientific and one leaning towards cultural specificities. The conflict often appears when the traditional way of thinking is minimized through scientific data. Thus, the students’ ambiguity may be destructive, and the risk of choosing one side while disregarding the other increases.
Needless to say, the argument does not imply that facts have to be altered based on one’s subjective values. However, for internal conflict to be avoided, it is crucial to refer to the possibility of the two paradigms being both valuable. For example, a student knows in regards to traditional medicine due to the community they grew up in and learned such information. Teaching science does not mean telling the student that evidence shows little proof of such treatment being ineffective. Instead, an argument can be made that people choose different ways of dealing with health conditions based on their traditions, resources, and communities. These options can be different, yet they address a similar issue and are not intrinsically exclusive of each other. In this case, the two value systems, one being scientific and one cultural, create a symbiotic correlation that allows the student to learn new information without losing the cultural identity in the process. This is not only beneficial in sharing information in a way that is accessible and proficiently perceived. It also has positive connotations in regards to the student feeling validated and understood rather than having to alter the effects of his heritage to follow a Westernized curriculum.
Values Shaped by Culture
Everyone has a unique set of values and a belief system that is relatively constructive and subjective in terms of experience and knowledge concerning a particular individual. However, as exemplified through sociological frameworks, one’s culture can also affect how a person perceives the world. Science is certainly a subject that is useful no matter the country or ethnicity since it covers multiple areas that directly affect people in the 21st century, such as technology and environmental studies. However, research shows that students from less developed countries view science as a more meaningful subject in comparison to those from developed countries. The study has examined questionnaires and has determined a difference in responses that highlight the difference in which this discipline is perceived (Schreiner & Sjøberg, 2005). Thus, individuals from countries that are statistically poorer view scientists as role models who have a significant impact on the society where they belong and the world as a whole.
On the other hand, individuals from countries with high living standards and incomes are more indifferent towards the science of a discipline that has a deep meaning within their communities. This can be attributed to the desire to contribute to the development of a community that requires changes. The motivation is higher when the circumstances require significant changes, which is why students from developing countries are more likely to have the desire to contribute to bettering the situation scientifically. The research highlights the difference in opinion and illustrates the desire of certain students to be actively involved in the discipline. This correlates with change and improvement, which is more appropriate in a setting where the need for change is more urgent. However, this also identifies the cruciality of providing such students with appropriate knowledge and tools to be prolific in understanding the concepts that will then help them change the situation within their communities. Since there is desire, the only seemingly helpful solution would be providing the resources. In this case, the resource is knowledge shared in a way that is culturally appropriate and easy to comprehend based on the individual characteristics of the society.
Culture-Based Science Teaching
Science, while a fact-based discipline centered around exact data, is different in terms of how one perceives it. As with any subject, the receiver of the information interprets it subjectively, which is why even facts can become distorted if not communicated appropriately. Appropriate science teaching is both a sociological and psychological premise since an individual learns partly due to the person’s own experience, knowledge, and interest in the subject. The importance of applying individual approaches is highlighted by the wide use of similar curricula, which, as mentioned prior, can rarely be fully customized and attributed to a different culture. The way science is taught is not only either beneficial or distortive to one’s overall knowledge as a result of attending the classes.
Another essential factor is the lack of inclusivity, which may give a student the experience of not being intelligent or adaptive enough. This is especially relevant when it comes to different terminology that is complex and challenging to understand and remember. Researchers provide an example using the word chlorophyll, which gives plants a green color. This seemingly complicated notion can be easily explained by making the analogy with boiling vegetables that, as a result, lose their coloration (Aikenhead & Jegede, 1999). The parallel will not only help the student understand the subject by applying personal experience but also create an environment in which each person can learn something new despite not having direct interactions with specific terms. It reduces the gap between high and low academic results, gives individuals confidence in their knowledge, and considers culture while combining it with scientific connotations.
Conclusion
Learning science and cultural background are two correlating notions since one’s perception shapes the information that is being received. The current science curriculum follows a Western framework, which is challenging to adapt to a different environment. Moreover, teaching science without considering the specific knowledge and experience of a minority may lead to ineffective results in terms of retaining, understanding, and ultimately learning new information. On the other hand, considering the funds of knowledge that each person has, which also applies to the individual’s background, minimizes the gap between uninterest and activity in pursuing scientific disciplines and even careers. Moreover, the concept of collateral learning tends to lack internal conflict when science and culture are not mutually exclusive but are rather seen as two aspects that can coexist in terms of sharing or receiving a message. This is why an individual approach that considers specific values and overviews attributed to a particular minority appear to be a prolific way of creating favorable environments where different students can academically and intellectually strive. Since learning does not imply that information shared within the community is necessarily faulted or incorrect, the risk of feelings of lack of inclusion and unintelligence is minimized.
References
Aikenhead, G. S., & Jegede, O. J. (1999). Cross-cultural science education: A cognitive explanation of a cultural phenomenon. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(3), 269-287.
Baker, D., & Taylor, P. C. (1995). The effect of culture on the learning of science in non‐western countries: The results of an Integrated Research Review. International Journal of Science Education, 17(6), 695-704.
Basu, S. J., & Barton, A. C. (2007). Developing a sustained interest in science among urban minority youth. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(3), 466-489.
Hammond, L. (2001). Notes from California: An anthropological approach to urban science education for language minority families. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(9), 983-999.
Schreiner, C., & Sjøberg, S. (2005). Science education and young people’s identity construction – Two mutually incompatible projects? Science Education and Youth’s Identity Construction, 1-17.