The sociopolitical importance of genetic, phenomenological approaches to science teaching and learning

This article discusses Wolff-Michael Roth’s theoretical framework for a phenomenological, genetic approach to science teaching and learning based on the work of Edmund Husserl. This approach advocates the inclusion of student lifeworlds in science education and underlines the importance of thinking about subjectivity in both science and science education. Roth’s phenomenological approach exposes several important social, political, and cultural questions for science education. Drawing from Edmund Husserl’s philosophy, social theorists, and science education literature, this article discusses some of these important concerns with the goal of highlighting the productive power of a phenomenological approach to science pedagogies.