Modeling Research-informed STSE Activism

• In this class, you will be guided through the method of performing a research-informed STSE activism project. Your teacher will guide you through the steps he/she went through when conducting his/her own project.

Performing an STSE Activism Project

1. Secondary research2. Primary research3. Actions

Secondary Research

• Use internet, books, interviews, videos, etc.• At your computer, look up

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/data/index.htm

• Find the peak hours of cycling (both EB (eastbound) and WB (westbound) for your chosen intersection.

• You have 5 minutes!!! GO!

Step 1

Choose a topic!

Teacher’s Topic

Bike lanes

Step 2

What do you want to find out about?

What the teacher wants to know more about

• Why are people for/against bike lanes in Toronto?

• What are the pros?• What are the cons?

Step 3

Explore both sides of the issue

Teacher’s Pros and Cons

PRO: -good for health -can reduce traffic flow - better for environment -fun -makes downtown less congested (parking)CON:-can be dangerous -makes cars mad -can congest roads -scarier to drive

Step 4

What is your stance?

Step 5

Make a survey

Teacher’s Survey

Teacher’s Survey

Think About it….

• Where do you think the teacher stands on this issue?

Teacher’s Stance

Pro bike lanes

Step 6

Data collection.

Give out the surveys and collect the data. Arrange it in such a way that it is easy for you to sort through, and easy for others to understand.

Teacher’s Data Collection

• We gathered all the filled in surveys, as in the next slide, and filled in the information in a table. We then graphed the information.

Possible ways to Present the Data

Question Yes No SometimesDo you cycle in Toronto

10 6 3

Step 7

• Data analysis

• Note that not everyone will complete your survey or participate (ex. Of the 27 people we approached, only 19 filled out the survey. Some were very elaborate with answers, some gave ambiguous answers that didn’t quite answer the question).

Step 8Forms of Action

-Posters-Videos-Brochures-Interviews-Radio advertisements-Letters-Opinion pieces (ex. Novels, plays, etc)-Boycot-Activism through direct action-Modeling ideal behaviour-Teaching-Lobbying-Inventing

Correlational Study

• In looking at the bike lanes study, we asked 13 girls and 14 boys. Only 8 boys responded, and 11 girls.

• Using gender as one parameter, and whether they cycle in Toronto as the other, we will graph the information, and see if there is a relation between gender and cycling.

• This kind of study, where we find relationships and potential causes is called a correlational study. This study is often preformed to find the causes of cancer.

Correlational Study

Females who cycleMales who cycleMales who do not cycleFemales who do not cycle

Correlational Study

• It appears as though, with our parameters, and in our study, there was no strong correlation between gender and if people cycle.

• For better, more conclusive results:-Have a variable studied over time-Have a variable parameter-Show information on a graph that is easier to read correlation (ex scatter graph, line graph, etc)

Experiment

• Alternatively we could conduct an experiment.• The experiment could be to see how long it

takes to go a certain route by public transport vs bicycle.

Experiment

• The difference between a correlational study and an experiment is that the former involves the natural changes in possible independent variables. The latter involves the forced change in a possible independent variable.

• A dependant variable changes, depending on other variables in the experiment (ex. Time it takes to get to work based on mode of transportation)

• An independent variable does not change based on the change of other variables in the study.

Activism performed by us

1) Took part in the Jarvis Street protest. Cyclists from all over Toronto came to congest Jarvis St. to protest Mayor Rob Ford’s decision to remove the bike lanes.

2) We demanded a post to lock our bikes outside of an office building be installed. After weeks of perseverance, in the forms of letters and appointments, it was finally installed.

Time to work!

• Due at the end of class:• Answer the following questions:1. What are some problems with our survey? (ex.

Sample size, questions asked, information received, etc).

2. What would you have done differently?3. For finding out about bike lanes, would you

have preformed a correlational study, a primary research project, or an experiment?