Resumé

J. Lawrence Bencze, Ph.D.

I am a ‘retired’ (Emeritus) Associate Professor in the Dept. of CTL at OISE, University of Toronto. Although I no longer teach courses, I do some university service work – including as ‘Chair’ for doctoral exams and some tasks with the SMT Centre in CTL. Mostly, though, I focus on my STEPWISE-informed research & publication programme. Some publications from this research are highlighted on this page. Refer also to my ORCID record, my department’s profile for me and a PDF copy of my full curriculum vitae. If you would like copies of unpublished manuscripts (e.g., conference papers), please write to me at: larry.bencze@utoronto.ca.

PUBLICATIONS

Recent Journal Articles

Refereed

  • Bencze, J.L. (in press). Re-visioning ideological assemblages through de-punctualizing and activist science, mathematics & technology education. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics & Technology Education, 20(4), xx-xx. [invited]
  • El Halwany, S., Bencze, L., Hassan, N., Schaffer, K., Milanovic, M. & Zouda, M. (in press). Becoming alive within science education (research): Thinking with life history(ies), bodies and stickiness. Cultural Studies of Science Education, .
  • Tsoumparis, D., Bencze, L., Curtis, S., & Zouda, M. (in press). Practical suggestions for promoting science student actions to overcome social and environmental harms. School Science Review, .
  • Bencze, L., Pouliot, C., Pedretti, E., Simonneaux, L., Simonneaux, J., & Zeidler, D. (2020). SAQ, SSI and STSE education: Defending and extending ‘science-in-context’. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 15(3), 825–851.
  • Bencze, L., El Halwany, S., Milanovic, M., Qureshi, N., & Zouda, M. (2019). Roadblocks to critical and active civic engagement in/through school science: Stories from the field. Educação e Fronteiras, 9(25), 48-71. [invited]

Non-refereed

  • Bencze, J.L. (2020). Post-pandemic science & technology education: An opportune and necessary ideological battle. Journal for Activist Science & Technology Education, 11(2), 33-54.
  • Bencze, J.L. (2020). Stepwise progress towards more widespread altruistic uses of science and technology. Journal for Activist Science & Technology Education, 11(1), VI-VIII.

Recent Book Chapters

  • Bencze, J.L. (in press). A manifesto for eco-socialist worldings through science & technology education. In J. Bazzul, M.F.G. Wallace, M. Higgins & S. Tolbert (Eds.), Science x education x Anthropocene (pp. xx-xx). New York: Palgrave-MacMillan.
  • Bencze, J.L., & Carter, L.C. (2020). Capitalism, nature of science and science education: Interrogating and mitigating threats to social justice. In H.A. Yacoubian & L. Hansson (Eds.), Nature of science for social justice (pp. 59-78). Dordrecht: Springer.
  • Bencze, L., El Halwany, S., & Zouda, M. (2020). Science teacher education promoting critical and active public engagement to address socioscientific problems. In M. Evagorou, J. Alexis Nielsen & J. Dillon (Eds.), Science teacher education for responsible citizenship: Towards a pedagogy for relevance through socio-scientific issues (pp. 63-83). Dordrecht: Springer.
  • El Halwany, S., Zouda, M., Pouliot, C., & Bencze, L. (2020). Student-teachers’ relationships to knowledge and to their practices for critical and activist STSE education. In K.W. Clausen & G. Black (Eds.), The future of action research in education: A Canadian perspective (pp. 171-193). Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Refereed Books (all)

Refereed

  • Weinstein, M., Pouliot, C., Martins, I., Levinson, R., Carter, L., & Bencze, L. (in preparation). Science education towards social and ecological justice: Provocations and conversations. Dordrecht: Springer.
  • Bencze, J.L. (ed.) (2017). Science & technology education promoting wellbeing for individuals, societies & environments. Dordrecht: Springer (Summary).
  • Bencze, J.L., & Alsop, S. (eds.). (2014). Activist science & technology education. Dordrecht: Springer (Advert.).
  • Alsop, S., Bencze, L., & Pedretti, E. (eds.) (2005). Analysing exemplary science teaching: Theoretical lenses and a spectrum of possibilities for practice. Buckingham: Open University Press (Cover).

Non-refereed

  • Milanovic, M., El Halwany, S., Krstovic, M., Mitchell, K., Padamsi, Z., Qureshi, N., Schaffer, K., Zouda, M., & Bencze, L. (2019). Science education for civic action: A ‘STEPWISE’ project resource guide for teachers. Toronto: STEPWISE Research and Publication Team (PDF & Site).
  • Zouda, M., Schaffter, K., Pouliot, C., Milanovic, M., El Halwany, S., Padamsi, Z., Qureshi, N., & Bencze, L. (2019). Ban the dust: A graphic novel about citizen action to eliminate urban dust pollution. Toronto: STEPWISE Research and Publication Team [Novel; Suggested Pedagogy].

Upcoming Conferences

Some Conference Papers

Recent Academic Talks

  • Bencze, J.L. (invited). Resisting ‘The Borg’: Striving for ecojustice? A Keynote Address. Lebanese American University & Lebanese Association for Educational Studies, Curriculum Reform Conference: Beirut, Lebanon. 29-30Jan,5-6Feb2021.

EDITORIAL WORK

Editorial Board Memberships

  • Cultural Studies of Science Education. This journal’s priorities highly align with my socio-political views. Supporter by Springer publishers, they also host the annual CSSE Forum – a small conference featuring longer, small-group, discussions. As a Board member, I also serve as Lead Editor for submitted manuscripts – which involves initial overall review and coordination of expert reviews of each manuscript to which I have been assigned.
  • Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education. This series of books published by Springer also aligns with my political views and is edited by Dana Zeidler – a prominent scholar regarding socioscientific issues in science education. I am periodically asked to review proposals for academic books for this series.

Journal Manuscript Reviewer

Journal Co-founder/Editor

Dr. Steve Alsop at York University in Toronto and I co-founded/edit JASTE, a community-reviewed & open-access journal, in 2009. Our latest issues are highlighted at right (below on phones). JASTE 11.1, advertised through our video about it, is the third in a series of school-based issues featuring student RiNA project reports based on STEPWISE pedagogy. Our most recent issue, JASTE 11.2, features academic articles discussing possible – and/or perhaps necessary – influences of the CoViD-19 pandemic on science & technology education. Please consider helping us advertise these and other JASTE issues.

Journal Guest Editor

I co-edited or edited issues of three journals, including:

  • CSSE 12.4 (2017): Biopolitics & Science Education;
  • CJSMTE 10.3 (2010): Activism through SMT Education;
  • Orbit 31.3 (2000): Science, Math. & Technology (Education) for All.

EDUCATIONAL & WORK BACKGROUND

Education

  • PhD, Education (U. Toronto [OISE]), 1995); Thesis: Bencze, J. L. (1995). Towards a more authentic and feasible science curriculum for secondary schools. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Toronto: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, The University of Toronto.
  • BEd, Biology/Chemistry (Queen’s U., 1977).
  • MSc, Biology (Queen’s U., 1977); Thesis: Bencze, J. L. (1977). Cytogenetic and fine structural analysis of polytene chromosomes from Drosophila melanogaster. Unpublished MSc Thesis. Kingston, ON: Queen’s University.
  • BSc, Biology (Queen’s U., 1974).
  • Secondary School Diploma, PCVS, Peterborough, ON, 1970.
  • Secondary School Diploma (Technology Studies), ASCVI, Peterborough, ON, 1968.
  • Elementary School Diploma, St. Peter’s Elementary School, Peterborough, ON, 1964.

Work Experience

  • Associate Professor (Emeritus), Science Education, OISE/UT, since July 1, 2018.
  • Assistant-Associate Professor, Science Education, OISE/UT, 1998-2018 (tenured, 2003).
  • Assistant Professor of Education, College of Education, U. Sask., 1997-98.
  • Independent Science Consultant, 1995-97.
  • Consultant, Intermediate & Senior Science, York CDSB, Ontario, 1988-92.
  • Teacher of Science, Elementary & Secondary Independent, Private & Public Schools, Ontario, 1977-88.

FORMER UNIVERSITY TEACHING

My university teaching was always co-affected by my academic reading, educational research and publication programme. Some major influences, which effected my curriculum development (see Resources), included:

A summary of my university-based teaching is linked at right/below.

Personal Note

After ‘retirement’ on July 1, 2018, from teaching and most university committee work, I moved to Kingston, ON, mainly for family reasons. Apart from the current pandemic restrictions, however, I am usually in Toronto for meetings with graduate students, colleagues, teachers and others for 1-2 days per week. I often can be quickly reached by email at: larry.bencze@utoronto.ca.