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Associate Professor Sara Tolbert

Contact

Department: School of Teacher Education

Email: sara.tolbert@canterbury.ac.nz

Phone Number: +64 3 369 3999 ext. null

Office: Rehua 401

Languages: English, Spanish

Reimagining science and education for a just, caring, & sustainable world
About
Research / Creative works
Supervision
Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

  • Science education curriculum and pedagogy (primary and secondary)
  • Environmental studies
  • Preservice/initial teacher education
  • Youth empowerment and community engagement
  • Multilingual/multicultural education
  • Sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts of science and education
  • Science and technology studies
  • Feminist science studies
  • Solidarities in science and education
  • Matters of care
  • Teacher leadership
  • Transdisciplinary studies

Researcher Summary

Sara Tolbert (Tangata Tiriti) is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at University of Canterbury in Aotearoa New Zealand, previously Associate Professor in Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona (USA). Sara is a former science and ESOL teacher and environmental educator, and has worked with students in multilingual contexts in the USA, Aotearoa New Zealand, Mexico, and Guatemala. She earned her Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies from University of Colorado-Boulder (USA), her Masters degree/Teaching Credential with ESOL endorsement from the University of Georgia (USA), and PhD in Social Contexts of Education and Science Education from the University of California-Santa Cruz (USA). Her scholarship draws from feminist studies, anti-colonial/critical theory, environmental humanities, science-and-technology-studies, and critical pedagogy to explore possibilities for justice through science and education in the Anthropocene(s). Some of her current projects include Postdigital Pedagogies of Care, Pāngarau Unleashed: a Multiple Case Study of De-streaming Secondary Mathematics,  Freire: A Praxis of Radical Love and Critical Hope for Science Education, and Reimagining Science Education in the Anthropocene. She co-leads the Ōtautahi Food Justice Research Collaborative, a UC CURe initiative, and the UC Learning for Earth Futures research cluster.

Subject Area: Disciplines

  • Education: Bilingual and Immersion Education; Community Education; Critical Literacies; Cultural Studies; Diversity; Education for Sustainability; Educational Leadership; Environmental Education; Languages Other Than English; Pedagogy; Politics of Education; Practice-based Research; Pre-Service Teacher Education; Science Education; Socio-Cultural Theories of Education; Teacher Education; Teacher Learning
  • Science & Technology: Science & Technology

Prizes and Awards

  • National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship ( 2015 - 2017)

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles
  • Frausto Aceves A., Torres-Olave B. and Tolbert S. (2022) On love, becomings, and true generosity for science education: honoring Paulo Freire. Cultural Studies of Science Education 17(2): 217-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-021-10098-w.
  • Krishnamoorthy R. and Tolbert S. (2022) On the muckiness of science, ethics, and preservice teacher education: contemplating the (im)possibilities of a ‘right’-eous stance. Cultural Studies of Science Education 17(4): 1047-1061. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-022-10132-5.
  • Saha S., Tapuke S., Kennedy B., Tapuke K., Hersey S., Wright F., Tolbert S., Macfarlane A., Leonard G. and Tupe R. (2022) Use of “Our Supervolcano” virtual field trip to support bicultural classrooms in Aotearoa New Zealand. Science Activities 59(2): 84-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00368121.2022.2056115.
  • Saha S., Tapuke S., Kennedy B., Tolbert S., Tapuke K., Macfarlane A., Hersey S., Leonard G., Tupe R. and Ngaropo P. (2022) A place-based virtual field trip resource that reflects understandings from multiple knowledge systems for volcano hazard education in Aotearoa NZ: Lessons from collaborations between Māori and non-Māori. Journal of Geoscience Education http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2022.2109397.
  • Tolbert S., Gray S., Rivera M. and Schindel A. (2021) Teaching science to transgress: Portraits of feminist praxis. Journal of Research in Science Teaching http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tea.21723.
  • Williams J. and Tolbert S. (2021) “They have a lot more freedom than they know”: science education as a space for radical openness. Cultural Studies of Science Education 16(1): 71-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-020-10016-6.
  • Tolbert S. and Bazzul J. (2020) Aesthetics, string figures, and the politics of the visible in science education. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy 17(1): 82-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15505170.2019.1689539.
  • Tolbert S., Mackey G., Manning R., Carter H. and Hayward B. (2020) Social Agency and Ecoliteracy: Seeds of Change for Teacher Education in Uncertain Climate Futures. Set: Research Information for Teachers Online First.
  • Bazzul J. and Tolbert S. (2019) Love, politics and science education on a damaged planet. Cultural Studies of Science Education 14(2): 303-308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-019-09913-2.
  • Tolbert S., Grino P. and Sonam T. (2019) Sociocultural perspectives in science education. Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Education http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.580.
  • Tolbert S., Knox C. and Salinas I. (2019) Framing, adapting, and applying: Learning to contextualize science activity in multilingual science classrooms. Research in Science Education 49(4): 1069-1085. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-9854-8.
  • Gunckel KL. and Tolbert S. (2018) The imperative to move toward a dimension of care in engineering education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 55(7): 938-961. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tea.21458.
  • Higgins M. and Tolbert S. (2018) A Syllabus for Response-able Inheritance in Science Education. Parallax 24(3): 273-294. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13534645.2018.1496579.
  • Lyon E., Stoddart T., Bunch G., Tolbert S., Salinas I. and Solis J. (2018) Improving the preparation of novice secondary science teachers for English learners: A proof of concept study. Science Education 102(6): 1288-1318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sce.21473.
  • Tolbert S., Schindel A. and Rodriguez AJ. (2018) Relevance and relational responsibility in justice-oriented science education research. Science Education 102(4): 796-819. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sce.21446.
  • Williams J. and Tolbert S. (2018) Finding the Freedom to Resist: Connecting Everyday and Spectacular Resistance. Society and Space Walking Out!
  • Schindel A. and Tolbert S. (2017) Critical caring for people and place. Journal of Environmental Education 48(1): 26-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2016.1249326.
  • Tolbert S. and Bazzul J. (2017) Toward the sociopolitical in science education. Cultural Studies of Science Education 12(2): 321-330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-016-9737-5.
  • Tolbert S. and Eichelberger S. (2016) Surviving teacher education: a community cultural capital framework of persistence. Race Ethnicity and Education 19(5): 1025-1042. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2014.969222.
  • Tolbert S. and Knox C. (2016) ‘They might know a lot of things that I don’t know’: investigating differences in preservice teachers’ ideas about contextualizing science instruction in multilingual classrooms. International Journal of Science Education 38(7): 1133-1149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1183266.
  • Tolbert S. (2015) "Because they want to teach you about their culture": Analyzing effective mentoring conversations between culturally responsible mentors and secondary science teachers of indigenous students in mainstream schools. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 52(10): 1325-1361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tea.21240.
  • Tolbert S. (2011) Science education as a pathway to teaching language literacy: A critical book review. Cultural Studies of Science Education 6(1): 251-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11422-010-9302-6.
Chapters
  • Tolbert S., Azarmandi M. and Brown C. (2022) A Modest Proposal for A Pedagogy of Alienation. Postdigital Science and Education: 195-212.Springer International Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97262-2_10.
  • Hayward B. and Tolbert S. (2021) Conversations on citizenship, critical hope, and climate change. In Wallace M; Bazzul J; Higgins M; Tolbert S (Ed.), Reimagining science education in the AnthropocenePalgrave.
  • Lyon E. and Tolbert S. (2021) The Role of Teacher Education in Teaching Science to Emergent Bilingual Learners. In Luft J; Jones G (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Science Teacher EducationRoutledge.
  • Schindel A., Grossman B. and Tolbert S. (2021) Mobilizing privileged youth and teachers for justice-oriented work in science and education. In Swalwell K; Spikes D (Ed.), Anti-oppressive education in "elite" schools: promising practices and cautionary tales New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
  • Wallace M., Bazzul J., Higgins M. and Tolbert S. (2021) Another complicated conversation. In Wallace M; Bazzul J; Higgins M; Tolbert S (Ed.), Reimagining science education in the AnthropocenePalgrave.
  • Holmes A. and Tolbert S. (2020) Holmes, A. & Tolbert, S. (2020). (Relational) conscientization through Indigenous Elder praxis: Renewing, restoring, and (re)story-ing.. In Gkiolmas AS; Skordoulis CD (Ed.), Towards critical environmental education: Where are we now? Current and future perspectives: 113-128.Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50609-4_8.
  • Bazzul J., Tolbert S. and Kayumova S. (2019) New materialisms and science classrooms: Diagramming ontologies and critical assemblies. In Milne C; Scantlebury K (Ed.), Material Practice and Materiality: Too Long Ignored in Science Education: 117-130. Cham: Springer International Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01974-7_9.
  • Collet I. and Tolbert S. (2019) Butterflies for girls, tornadoes for boys: Primary school science teaching in France and Geneva. Gender in Learning and Teaching: Feminist Dialogues Across International Boundaries: 114-126. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781351066464.
  • Schindel A., Tolbert S. and Rodriguez A. (2019) Engaging in research practices as critical scholars/activists: A metalogue. In Bazzul J; Siry C (Ed.), Critical voices in science education research: Narratives of hope and struggle: 189-199. Cham: Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99990-6_18.
  • Tolbert S. (2019) Queering dissection: "I wanted to bury its heart, at least". In Taylor C; Amade-Escot C; Abbas A (Ed.), Gender in learning and teaching: Feminist dialogues across international boundaries: 39-49. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
  • Tolbert S., Schindel A., Gray S., Kenny L., Rivera M., Kessler Snook N. and Widimaier C. (2019) Empowerment. In Ford D (Ed.), Keywords in radical philosophy and education: Common concepts for contemporary movements: 191-209. Leiden: Brill | Sense. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004400467_014.
  • Tolbert S., Calabrese Barton A. and Moll L. (2018) What can teachers do to restructure power dynamics in science classrooms? Exploring the personal and social transformative power of science learning through a funds of knowledge approach. In Bryan L; Tobin K (Ed.), 13 Questions Reframing Education's Conversation: Science: 51-67. New York: Peter Lang Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.3726/b11305.
  • Bazzul J. and Tolbert S. (2017) Reassembling the natural and social commons. Educational Commons in Theory and Practice: Global Pedagogy and Politics: 55-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58641-4_4.
  • Bazzul J. and Tolbert S. (2017) Reassembling the natural and social commons: The critical project for education. In Means A; Ford D; Slater G (Ed.), Educational commons in theory and practice: Global pedagogy and politics: 55-73. United States: Palgrave MacMillan. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58641-4.
  • Stoddart T., Solis J., Tolbert S. and Lyon E. (2017) Preparing pre-service secondary teachers to teach science to English Learners: Translating theory into practice. In Oliveira A; Weinburgh M (Ed.), Science teacher preparation in content-based second language acquisition: 97-115. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43516-9.
  • Tolbert S. and Schindel A. (2017) Altering the ideology of consumerism: Caring for land and people through school science. In Reis G; Mueller M; Gisewhite R; Siveres L; Brito R (Ed.), Sociocultural Perspectives on Youth Ethical Consumerism Netherlands: Springer International Publishing AG. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65608-3.
Reports
  • Tolbert S. (2018) Secondary Science Education for English Learners.The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Commissioned by Committee on Supporting English Learners in STEM Subjects.

Student Supervision

Displaying all items.
    Current
  • PhD - Mather A: Lessons from Christchurch earthquakes and COVID-19 on urban food resilience
  • PhD - Saha S: Improving caldera risk literacy through digital storytelling
  • PhD - Spurgin C: Structure and Agency in Science Teacher Becoming: Enactments of Agency, Identity and Power During Science Teacher Preparation
  • PhD - Watson A: Using a Geopark to drive geological and environmental education
  • Completed
  • PhD - Canipe M: Preservice Elementary Teachers: Actual and Designated Identities as Teachers of Science and Teachers of Students (2016)
  • PhD - Fisher R: Case Studies in Teaching Evolution: The Intersection of Dilemmas in Practice (2016)
  • PhD - Graves V: Exploring my memoir as a centering place movement toward the nature of Indigenous education: Dream, vision, spirit, and ceremony (2018)
  • PhD - Grino P: Science Teaching and Indigenous Education in Latin America: Documenting How Indigenous Teachers Teach Science in Southern Mexico (2019)
  • PhD - Holmes A: Geographies of home, memory, and heart: Mohawk landscapes, elder intergenerational pedagogies, language, and knowledge woven in place (2017)
  • PhD - Knox C: Curricular Framing of an Environmental Contamination Curriculum: Power, Positionality, and Intention (2018)
  • PhD - Sonam T: Buddhism at a Crossroads: A Case Study Of Six Tibetan Buddhist Monks Navigating The Intersection Of Buddhist Theology And Western Science (2017)
  • Masters - Mintrom C: Food access in low socioeconomic neighbourhoods: A study on community experiences of the local food environment in Woolston, New Zealand (2020)

Key Methodologies

  • Qualitative inquiry
  • Mixed methods
  • Participatory action research
  • Anticolonial and feminist methodologies
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