Tasting Education Viewing Curriculum, Pedagogy, Learning, and Educational Research Through the Sense of Taste

Laura Jewett, PhD. is a Professor of Curriculum Theory and Curriculum Studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Research interests focus on the triptych of consciousness, culture and curriculum.

Zulitazhira Hinojosa is a high school biology teacher at Johnny G. Economedes High School in Edinburg, Texas. She teaches in an inclusive classroom, where she supports both exceptional and on-level learners in mastering foundational biology content and preparing for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness end-of-course biology exam. Hinojosa holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Special Education from the University of Texas Permian Basin, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. As a proud UTeach alumna, Hinojosa is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of educators. She formally and informally supports pre-service , first-year and veteran teachers through roles as a UTeach mentor , ECISD INSPIRE Mentor, and district curriculum writer. Her passion for addressing the public school teacher shortage in Texas is evidenced by her sustained involvement in mentorship and teacher preparation efforts. As both a teacher and an emerging scholar, she is dedicated to bridging theory and practice by drawing from educational research to inform her instruction while allowing the realities of public schooling to shape her scholarly inquiry. Her pedagogical priorities center on inclusive, justice-oriented science education that respects all students' diverse ways of knowing. She embraces what is known as an epistemological pluriverse which is a recognition that knowledge takes many forms and emerges through varied cultural, material, and embodied experiences.