REQUIRED READING:

Ash, D. Scientific discourse and cultural and linguistic diversity in informal learning settings.
(submitted to Science Education, Fall 2004 supplemental issue)

1. Return to our roots
   Vygotsky---everyday and scientific
   Let us think together about how we can gain a better understanding of the everyday knowledge that all people bring into the learning setting. This goes beyond cultural relativism. Then think about the canonical science that is presented in school, or museums please focus first on observational sciences like astronomy, biology, geosciences.
2. Discourse analysis
   Let's think in terms of activity, not single utterances or
   questions--what does discourse analysis get us--across learning settings?

RELATED READINGS

Ash, D (2003). Dialogic inquiry in life science conversations of family groups in museums, Journal of Research in Science Teaching 40(2), 138-162.

Ash, D. (2002). Negotiation of biological thematic conversations in informal learning settings. In G. Leinhardt, K. Crowley, & K. Knutson (Eds.), Learning conversations in museums (pp. 357-400). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Ash, D., & Levitt, K. (2003). Working within the zone of proximal development: formative assessment as professional development, Journal of Science Teacher Education 14(1), 23-48.