Thriving in-between the cracks: Deleuze and guerilla science teaching in Singapore

Abstract

The radical philosophies of difference articulated by Deleuze and Guattari are just beginning to impinge the field of education although less so within science education. One common thread among the numerous concepts and neologisms (especially the rhizome) that have been coined is the necessity for thinking and acting in what they call ‘experimental’ modes, which shifts our focus onto the eternal process of becoming rather than merely (re)producing states of being. I reflect upon these seemingly utopian ideas in the light of recent educational changes in Singapore aimed at preparing competent citizen–workers for the knowledge economy and globalization. In particular, this paper shows how one elementary science teacher adopted guerilla tactics while negotiating these sometimes conflicting transitions in policies. I argue that neither mandated, top-down reforms nor drastic experimentation by individuals alone are most productive but rather working in the ephemeral in-between spaces of the rhizome, which Deleuze and Guattari had all long championed.

摘要

德勒兹与加达里的有关差异的激进哲学思想已在教育领域产生影响, 而其对科学教学的影响则稍显逊色。德勒兹与加达里提出了众多的概念, 也创造出许多新词语(尤其是 ‘根茎’, 利卓姆), 而贯穿其中的一个观点是, 我们要在所谓的‘试验’状态中思维与行动, 要关注永恒的生成过程, 而不是仅仅维持(复制)存在。本文探讨这些近似乌托邦式的观点对新加坡最近推行的旨在培养知识经济及全球化环境下的高素质公民-劳动者的教育改革的启发意义。将着重研究一位小学科学教师在解读有时自相矛盾的转型中的教育政策过程中所采取的游击式教学策略。作者认为, 指令性的, 自上而下的教育改革以及单枪匹马式的大幅度的教学实验皆不可取, 而德勒兹与加达里长期以来所倡导的于稍纵即逝的, 根茎的夹缝中求生才最有成效