Tag Archives: science education

Dana’s Contributions to Module 2

The Ethnos Project

From their Home Page:

The Ethnos Project is a research initiative that explores the intersection of Indigeneity and information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as:

  • open source databases for Indigenous Knowledge management
  • information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) initiatives
  • new and emerging technologies for intangible cultural heritage
  • social media used by Indigenous communities for social change
  • mobile technologies used for language preservation

The essays found in this site seem incredibly appropriate for our learnings in this course. The founder of The Ethnos Project, Mark Oppenneer, might be a “Wannabe”, however! I tried to learn more about him, only to find that either another person with the same name, or the founder of this page, was fired from his teaching job for inappropriate relations with a student.  From Oppenneer’s LinkedIn profile, it appears to be the same person… What intrigues me about this website, is how polished it looks and how interesting the essays seem to be. My question is this: is the founder a “Wannabe” and should this site be not accessed should this be the case???

Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science

Anyone who says that Facebook is a waste of time, is not using Facebook to its full potential.

Recently, I joining a Science Teacher FB group and this group has actually revolutionized my teaching in only 4 weeks. Not only have I adopted something called Two Stage Exams, but someone recently posted a link to this incredible resource, Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science. What is particularly jaw-dropping, is that I saved this link two weeks ago, long before I watched this week’s video interviews. The co-author of this online book is none other than Lorna Williams!!!!

This book is a MUST READ for anyone teaching science.  I have only had time to look at a few of the chapters but the one chapter that particularly applies to this week’s module is Chapter 9: Changing Students’ Perceptions of Scientists, the Work of Scientists, and Who Does Science

This chapter summarizes a study that was done with Grade5/6 students and Grade 11/12 in a First Nations Studies course. The stereotypes harboured  by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal  students are eye-opening, to say the least. As a science educator, what can I do differently in my practice to help my students see past these stereotypes?  Am I do anything that reinforces these stereotypes?

Sask. First Nation chief says tobacco offering from visiting school’s coach a step toward reconciliation

From the CBC, September 30, 2017. Here is the original Facebook post from Chief Evan Taypotat.

People stereotype, consciously and unconsciously– stereotyping is often due to making assumptions, without taking the time to educate oneself of the truth.  However, this was an example of someone taking the time to understand Indigenous culture and showing respect, in an authentic way.

Colorado River should have same legal status as a person: lawsuit

From the CBC, October 10, 2017.

In Week 6 of our studies, we were asked if we thought if cultures have rights to protect themselves?

Should the lawyer representing the Colorado River win his case, he may wish to move on to representing culture in the courts, as well!  Although the article is a quick read, spending time listening to the lawyer’s arguments in the interview is recommended as it may provide you with extremely compelling reasons that make it obvious that our natural resources should be protected in court, as if they were a person.

Stop believing this myth: No, Native Americans are not “anti-science”

Although this website is highly irritating with its pop-up ads, the article itself is worth a read. I took some time to learn about the Salon website (you know, to check on something called “Authority”…) and according to Wikipedia (I know my credibility is sinking fast now…), Salon.com is a left-wing tabloid style, media outlet. NONETHELESS, I am posting this article because IF what it says is actually true, this article would be very valuable to anyone wishing to “braid” Indigenous science into their lessons.  I would highly advise folks to use this as a stepping stone to research more into the topics it provides.

Module 3 Weblog – Anne Coustalin

For this module’s Weblog, I focus on teachers and educators as I explore the following questions: How can we prepare ourselves to teach from a land-based approach? Where does land-based education fit with place-based learning?  What examples are there of students using land-based education to walk in both worlds?  I also continue my journey exploring two-eyed seeing and how it helps us understand integrative education.

 

CBC UnReserved interview with Tasha Spillet: Indigenous Learning on the Land instead of a classroom

In this interview, Tasha Spillet a Cree and Trinidadian Winnepeg educator describes the importance of land-based education for students but also for educators. Ms. Spillet is one of the instructors in the University of Saskatchewan’s land-based education cohort masters degree. She describes how land-based education shifted the way she views herself and the world and she speaks to the importance for educators of engaging in their own land-based education (instead of just reading articles about it). Another interesting feature of this interview was that Ms. Spillet spoke to land-based education in urban settings as benefiting indigenous youth, many of whom are disconnected from their cultural identity and need to be encouraged to also see their urban landscape as their land: “Underneath the concrete is still our land” (Spillet, 2017).

For more about this program, see this article: Land-Based Education: Taking Knowledge back to its roots

 

Land-based learning brings native and non-native cultures together

(Newspaper article)

“The First” Land-based learning camp (video)

This camp is hosted by the Living Sky School Division. It is purposefully intended to serve Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and restore or rebuild their connection to the land and to each other. Discussion about the initiative emphasizes teaching students to walk in both worlds.  “In these classes we have kids that come from both cultures . . . It is important for kids of native culture to realize the importance of keeping their own culture, but it’s just as important for western people to understand that it is a blessing to have First Nation culture alive”.  The speaker is Kim Pasche, a Swiss-born experiential archeologist and one of the instructors at the camp. He emphasizes to students that all of them (Indigenous and non-Indigenous came from hunter-gatherer society, but for some of them that society has been lost. Indigenous Elders and educators join non-Indigenous educators to explore the land from both perspectives simultaneously.

 

Indigenous Land-based Learning Programs

This site, created by a fellow UBC student for ETEC 521, highlights several different land-based learning initiatives offered in Canada (and one in the United States). While discussion of the programs on the site is limited, it does offer a brief analysis of the focus and approach of each camp and serves as a useful portal to investigate different land-based learning initiatives. It includes reference to Integrative Science camps in Nunavut that use Two-Eyed Seeing as their guiding philosophy.

 

Green Teacher: Education for Planet Earth  (Fall 2009 issue)

This issue is dedicated to exploring Two-Eyed Seeing: Integrative Science. It is a treasure trove of work on two-eyed seeing and offers many concrete examples of two-eyed seeing in the context of education. It also links to work on walking in both worlds.

From the editorial: “In this issue we present some of the learning activities that they and others have designed for teaching science in this way, thus enabling students to take the best from both world views, Indigenous and Western” (p. 2). The issue starts with an excellent article by Hatcher, Bartlett, Marshall and Marshall “Two-Eyed Seeing: A cross-cultural science journey” and also includes trans-disciplinary, cross-cultural science units on:  birds; traditional medicines; Traditional legends and astronomy; and Solstices and Equinoxes. This issue is highly recommended to anyone looking for a deeper understanding of Two-Eyed Seeing and concrete examples of what it looks like in the classroom.

 

Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society (December 2014 edition)

I came across this fantastic Special Issue on Indigenous Land-Based Education in my research. It has a number of great articles and in particular a valuable editorial essay entitled “Learning from the land: Indigenous land based pedagogy and decolonization” by Matthew Wildcat, Mandee McDonald, Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox and Glen Coulthard. I appreciated the connection drawn in this article and in the entire issue between land based education and decolonization. I also appreciated the ability to learn about the related experiences of several different Indigenous groups within that context.

Going Local

I am making this post in the order that I found these resources as I feel it illustrates my research path. I’m getting warmer.

Cherubini, L. (2014). Aboriginal Student Engagement and Achievement: Educational Practices and Cultural Sustainability. Vancouver: UBC Press.

This online book uses stories from the Aboriginal Student Program at an Ontario high school to illustrate the implementation of best practices and programming for aboriginal student engagement and achievement. The book describes the program derived in part from Ontario’s Ministry of Education and outlines the outcomes of the program with intent of others learning from their success. Access to the book requires UBC library login.

http://books1.scholarsportal.info.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks3/upress/2015-11-25/1/9780774826570

Henderson, R., Williams, K. & Crowshoe, L. (2015). Mini-med school for Aboriginal youth: experiential science outreach to tackle systemic barriers. Medical Education Online, 20.

I originally thought that this article might contribute to my final project. Upon reading it, I don’t think it applies to my goals, but is a fascinating summary of a program with admirable goals. The University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine runs a mini-med school for indigenous junior and senior high students. The program supports the overarching goal of improving health care services for aboriginal people as well as addressing the under representation of aboriginal people in medical professions. I look forward to reading future reports on the success of this program. Available online at UBC library.

Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative. (n.d.). Promising Practices in Aboriginal Education. Retrieved from http://www.maei-ppw.ca/professional_development.html

This website composed by the non-profit group Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative is invaluable for practitioners. The site has reference documents on 80 issues relating to Aboriginal Education. The documents range from tip sheets to full reviews of implemented programs. I know that I will be accessing this site again.

Alberta Education. (2015). Guiding Voices: A curriculum development tool for inclusion of First Nation, Metis and Inuit perspectives throughout curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/fnmigv/index.html

This resource will be a primary resource for my final assignment. It is a guide for curriculum developers in Alberta and a required toolkit for use by curriculum developers in Alberta. Curriculum developers are responsible for the Alberta Programs of Studies, which then guide course development. Ideally, the same principles and guidelines should follow from these guidelines.

Robb, M. (2005). Our words, our ways: teaching First Nation, Metis and Inuit learners. Retrieved from teachinghttps://education.alberta.ca/media/563982/our-words-our-ways.pdf

I have finally hit the jackpot on locally developed resources on Aboriginal Education. This document outlines the cultural background of Aboriginal groups in Alberta and touches on strategies for education. This resource was developed by teachers and elders in Alberta for teachers in Alberta. I can’t wait to dive in.

Module 4.2 Indigenous Science Education

This video highlights the Indigenous Science Education Program put together by Macquarie University.  The goal is to engage Indigenous students through science by providing positive role models.  The program is part of the science curriculum at Maclean High School.  The program was started at the request of local elders as they were noticing an increase in high school drop-outs by grade 12.  Uncle Ron (an elder in the program) comments, “There was an outcry from a lot of the Aboriginal people. They weren’t getting a fair go at school. The white system was only meant for all the white people so we decided to do a system that was meant for both you know?” The program recognizes and respects Indigenous culture.  Andrew Ford, a science teacher in the program mentions how the elders are the driving force and that the elders give a lot of the verbal knowledge while he gives that scientific back up.  He also states: “but the elders basically drive what we do out here on the field. This is their country, this is their knowledge”.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3576726.htm

Module 3.1 – Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum

Post 1: Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum

http://ankn.uaf.edu/publications/handbook/

The topic covered in Week 9 (Culturally Responsive Education) was directly related to my topic of choice for the final research paper, so of course I had to delve deeper! I found a website that featured a “Handbook for Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum” in both online and PDF format published by the Alaska Science Consortium, the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (ARKSI), and the Alaska Department of Education. In it, the author (Sidney Stephens) outlines ways in which to involve cultural experts, topics of cultural significance, cultural standards, science standards, and best practices for integrating curriculum into culture.