Reflective practice at the intersection of the arts, science, and engineering: Ethnographic beginnings of a youth program in transition

Abstract

This study focuses on the reflective pedagogical practice of “debriefs” in a youth program focused on the arts, sciences, and engineering. Building on previous research on out-of-school (OST) and hybrid learning environments and grounded in sociocultural theory and “layers of learning,” this study draws on ethnographic data from one cycle of programming to examine the organizing devices of a distributed teaching and learning workshop setting. Discourse analyses of debrief discussions revealed the ways that OST educators learn to see students’ shifts in participation. Implications for both teacher and OST educator professional development emphasize how an interpretive lens on noticing student learning within the interaction and setting can surface ideological and valued practices.