Rona Robinson-Hill

In Spring 2020 Dr. Robinson-Hill was interviewed by a past student from Spring 2019, Jackson Z. Minor. The purpose of the interview was to fulfill a requirement for an assignment from “Women and Gender Studies,” Z’s minor at BSU. After completion, Dr. Hill and Z decided to transform his essay into a manuscript titled, “Integrating Feminist Pedagogy into Science Teacher Education.” Once everything shut-down, Dr. Hill and Z began research to begin the transformation process and submitted the manuscript in July 2020. COVID-19 delayed the review process, but with patience and additional email reminders to the editor of the journal we finally received a revise and resubmit notification in late fall. Z contacted Dr. Hill after determining the direction of the suggested revisions; the revised manuscript was re-submitted on 12/28/21 and the manuscript was accepted for publication in the Teaching and Learning section of the Science Education and Civic Engagement Winter 2021 edition. This was outstanding news for both authors because this was a first publication for Z, a secondary science education major, and a first publication with a student for Dr. Hill in her primary research area at BSU describing the impact of her feminist pedagogy on science teacher education. In Spring 2020 Dr. Robinson-Hill was interviewed by a past student from Spring 2019, Jackson Z. Minor. The purpose of the interview was to fulfill a requirement for an assignment from “Women and Gender Studies,” Z’s minor at BSU. After completion, Dr. Hill and Z decided to transform his essay into a manuscript titled, “Integrating Feminist Pedagogy into Science Teacher Education.” Once everything shut-down, Dr. Hill and Z began research to begin the transformation process and submitted the manuscript in July 2020. COVID-19 delayed the review process, but with patience and additional email reminders to the editor of the journal we finally received a revise and resubmit notification in late fall. Z contacted Dr. Hill after determining the direction of the suggested revisions; the revised manuscript was re-submitted on 12/28/21 and the manuscript was accepted for publication in the Teaching and Learning section of the Science Education and Civic Engagement Winter 2021 edition. This was outstanding news for both authors because this was a first publication for Z, a secondary science education major, and a first publication with a student for Dr. Hill in her primary research area at BSU describing the impact of her feminist pedagogy on science teacher education.

Jackson Z. Miner is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in Secondary Life Science Education, a major in Biology with a concentration in Zoology, and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. He is starting his career as a secondary science educator, and has a passion for diversity, inclusion, and equity.

In Fall 2020 Dr. Hill moved her traditional face-to-face elementary science methods course to a 100 % online format. With little training in online teaching, she was determined to create an inquiry-based program embedded with culturally responsive teaching using the BSCS 5E Learning Model. Due to the online format and the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Hill did not have access to the pre-arranged practicum experiences she normally provided for the diverse underserved students in Muncie as a required practicum in her science methods course. Instead she created a “Create-Your-Own-Practicum” experience that she would financially support through the “Training Future Scientist Program” funds and personally guide the elementary education majors through in this life-changing inquiry. The students that participate in this enrichment experience will gain confidence to teach science and five bonus points. Three students volunteered to teach over 15 diverse underserved students in Indiana and Kentucky individually the group lesson plan they designed with their co-teachers in her class. The stellar pre-service teachers are list below. Let’s see what these future world-changers have to say after the practicum.

• Kaitlin J. “Two things I have learned from this practicum that I did not learn in the regular class that I could share with a student that did not participate in a teaching practicum….the importance of student choice and student interest.” (Fall, 2020)
• Rachel M. “I was able to see a connection between inquiry and today’s lesson. When he was completing the post-test, I was able to see him really grow.”(Fall, 2020)
• Abigail M. “One thing that I learned from the practicum is that the students LOVE doing anything that involves creativity. They were so excited to be able to get their hands on the poster and use that time to express themselves.”(Fall, 2020)