Getting started with integrating equity into your physics class

Our framework for integrating Energy and Equity in high school physics instruction

What is this framework? 

The Energy and Equity Project developed a framework describing five different ways equity can be incorporated in science teaching. These five axes can help teachers expand their thinking about how to incorporate equity, so that they can try new approaches in their classes. We invite teachers to categorize their current approaches to incorporating equity into their classes, and try new ones.

Dominant approaches: Supporting students to “play the game”

“Dominant” approaches to equity support students to succeed in physics as it is: they uphold current norms and expectations in physics while expanding access and improving achievement for students in groups that are underrepresented in the field.

Access: students should have equal opportunity to learn in school, and academic resources should be distributed equitably.

Examples:

• Closed captions on videos
• Clearly communicating with students that they are eligible to take physics

Achievement: school achievement should be equitable; achievement gaps and gaps in representation in the STEM workforce should be closed.

Examples:

• Mastery-based grading
• Students have access to adequate prerequisites for follow-on courses

Critical approaches: Supporting students to “change the game”

“Critical” approaches to equity critique physics as it is, identifying this field along with all structures and institutions in US society as having been fundamentally shaped by systems of oppression.

Identity: Students should see themselves represented in the curriculum and as scientists.

Examples:

• Highlighting diverse scientists across multiple dimensions of identity (race, gender, (dis)ability etc.)
• Using culturally responsive pedagogy
• Use the Inclusive Scientists Slide Deck to introduce students to diverse scientists in every unit 
• Use the Lessons for Increasing Awareness of Identity and Engagement in  Physics Class

Power: Science teaching should challenge the values embedded in science concepts; recognizing political, economic, and cultural origins and applications.

Examples:

• Teaching physics concepts in a historical context
• Talking about funding sources and purposes
• Share a short video during your energy unit to frame science content within a historical context and run a discussion with students

Justice approaches: Supporting students to “change the world”

“Justice” approaches to equity represent potential efforts to “change the world,” placing physics learning in the service of community movements:

Justice: Science disciplines are tools to be put to use by justice movements to support the resilience and thriving of people and lands.

Examples:

• Teaching physics topics needed to address global and local concerns
• Asking “should” questions
• Include an action
• At the end of a unit, students wrote letters to their legislators about a local bill or energy issue

Where did this framework come from?

Over the course of the 5-year project, we conducted research around how teachers learn about integrating equity into their teaching. We combined these learnings and existing scholarship on equity in science education (Gutierrez’s “dominant and critical” approaches to equity and Philip and Azevedo’s “equity discourses”), to develop this framework for integrating equity into high school science teaching.

How does the Energy and Equity Framework connect to the Portal?

This Energy and Equity Portal is designed for teachers to find, share, and try materials that connect equity to science concepts. The Portal has materials that address all axes of the framework with most of the materials focusing on the critical axis and justice axis of the framework.

Why are most of the materials focused on connecting energy and equity?

We have found that the topic of energy is one of the easiest physics topics to make connections to equity. Teachers often start applying the Energy and Equity Framework in their teaching by adding lessons to their traditional energy units around energy generation, use, and access, and its impact on land and people.

How do I actually start integrating equity into my physics teaching?

Start small

We have found that making a connection between a physics topic you are teaching and some aspect of equity is a great way to get started.

• Look through the Inclusive Curriculum Project - Physicist Slide Deck and find a physicist involved in the content you are teaching. Introduce them to your class.

• Find a connection between one of your physics problems and an equity issue. The problems below are examples of how to do this. 

• Make connections to equity issues when teaching about energy, for example looking at the impacts of energy resources on people and land.

As you gain more experience

Once you’ve tried some smaller lessons, reflect on the Framework for Integrating Energy and Equity at the top of this page and think about how you are incorporating the five aspects of equity. Look for aspects of the framework that you haven’t tried implementing in your classroom, and find ways to incorporate them. Over time, develop a habit when planning your course where you are always looking for opportunities for students to reflect on the framework dimensions of identity, justice and power.