Annabel Stoler

Research

The introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards in 2013 has brought forth a new vision of science-as-practice. This requires schools to shift from traditional instruction focusing on memorization of facts towards providing ways for students to make sense of science ideas and grapple with the uncertainty inherent in scientific work. Annabel studies this shift by working with teachers and students to design learning environments that focus on collaboration, modeling, and investigation.

Central to this work is a vision of epistemic justice that values the heterogeneity of students’ ideas and experiences. While most education reforms claim to have a goal of teaching all students, the reality is that schooling is steeped in power dynamics that serve to perpetuate the success of some children and the failure of others. Annabel's research aims to understand these structures and re-envision science practice as a way to disrupt inequities rather than perpetuate them. She uses a lens of critical care to better understand how classroom communities position students in ways that allow them to generate knowledge by taking risks and collectively engaging with scientific phenomena.