Embracing a 'Terra Plena' Ethos in Urban Science Education
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| Title: | Embracing a 'Terra Plena' Ethos in Urban Science Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Marijke Hecht (ORCID |
| Source: | Science Education. 2026 110(3):974-986. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Evaluative |
| Descriptors: | Urban Education, Science Education, Colonialism, Holistic Approach, Place Based Education, Ecology, Systems Approach, Indigenous Knowledge, Ethics |
| DOI: | 10.1002/sce.70046 |
| ISSN: | 0036-8326 1098-237X |
| Abstract: | Conceptual and material forms of the colonial logics of "terra nullius"--the fiction that both lands and minds are empty and should be filled--are embedded in many science education practices which draw on Eurocentric-based orientations towards land and knowledge. For science education to reach its potential in effecting substantive change for people and planet, I propose a theoretical framework for educators and educational researchers to practice an ethos of "terra plena," meaning full earth, where both cultural and natural histories are (re)positioned as vital for learning in ways that challenge dominant notions of land as property. "Terra plena" rests in tension with "terra nullius" by forcing an explicit coupling of visions for healthier environmental futures with our deeply troubled pasts and presents. It positions communities as places of educational possibility where care-centered interactions between and among human and more-than-human communities become vehicles to repair the world. If "terra nullius" is both conceptual and material, then "terra plena" must be as well. The proposed theoretical commitments and pedagogical practices graft existing approaches, including critical place-based pedagogy, socioecological systems thinking, and Indigenous land-based pedagogies. I focus on urban science education as a prime opportunity to practice "terra plena." With the majority of the world's human population now urban and many peoples living on lands we are not Indigenous to, "terra plena" offers a pathway for the embodied ethical repair work needed to meet our responsibilities to support the material transformation of cities into healthy, just, multispecies communities. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1502184 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1502184 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Embracing a 'Terra Plena' Ethos in Urban Science Education – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marijke+Hecht%22">Marijke Hecht</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2299-6534">0000-0003-2299-6534</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Science+Education%22"><i>Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 110(3):974-986. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 13 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Education%22">Urban Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Colonialism%22">Colonialism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Holistic+Approach%22">Holistic Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Place+Based+Education%22">Place Based Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecology%22">Ecology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systems+Approach%22">Systems Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indigenous+Knowledge%22">Indigenous Knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1002/sce.70046 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0036-8326<br />1098-237X – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Conceptual and material forms of the colonial logics of "terra nullius"--the fiction that both lands and minds are empty and should be filled--are embedded in many science education practices which draw on Eurocentric-based orientations towards land and knowledge. For science education to reach its potential in effecting substantive change for people and planet, I propose a theoretical framework for educators and educational researchers to practice an ethos of "terra plena," meaning full earth, where both cultural and natural histories are (re)positioned as vital for learning in ways that challenge dominant notions of land as property. "Terra plena" rests in tension with "terra nullius" by forcing an explicit coupling of visions for healthier environmental futures with our deeply troubled pasts and presents. It positions communities as places of educational possibility where care-centered interactions between and among human and more-than-human communities become vehicles to repair the world. If "terra nullius" is both conceptual and material, then "terra plena" must be as well. The proposed theoretical commitments and pedagogical practices graft existing approaches, including critical place-based pedagogy, socioecological systems thinking, and Indigenous land-based pedagogies. I focus on urban science education as a prime opportunity to practice "terra plena." With the majority of the world's human population now urban and many peoples living on lands we are not Indigenous to, "terra plena" offers a pathway for the embodied ethical repair work needed to meet our responsibilities to support the material transformation of cities into healthy, just, multispecies communities. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1502184 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502184 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/sce.70046 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 974 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Urban Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Colonialism Type: general – SubjectFull: Holistic Approach Type: general – SubjectFull: Place Based Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Ecology Type: general – SubjectFull: Systems Approach Type: general – SubjectFull: Indigenous Knowledge Type: general – SubjectFull: Ethics Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Embracing a 'Terra Plena' Ethos in Urban Science Education Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Marijke Hecht IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0036-8326 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1098-237X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 110 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Science Education Type: main |
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