Exposing the invisibility of marginalized groups in Costa Rica and promoting pre-service science teachers’ critical positional praxis

Abstract

Herein, we report on preliminary findings from an on-going, mixed methods research project with secondary science pre-service teachers in Costa Rica during the last year and half of their professional preparation. Our study focuses on enhancing pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy in the integration of critical cross-cultural education with STEAM (science, technology, engineering practices, arts and mathematics education). Overall findings indicate a strong and significant positive impact on the participants’ perceptions of preparedness to enact more culturally and socially relevant approaches for STEAM teaching. However, our focus on this chapter is to mainly share surprising insights into the invisibility of marginalized ethnic groups in Costa Rica, and the role of teachers’ own ethnic/cultural identity (positionalities) can play in becoming much needed social change agents. These findings have implications for teacher education programs that are committed to the professional preparation of teachers as caring, inclusive and culturally competent individuals who can contribute to making STEAM education more accessible and socially meaningful to all students everywhere.