https://www.macleans.ca/society/how-western-science-is-finally-catching-up-to-indigenous-knowledge/
This article from Macleans was an interesting read. George Nicholas from Simon Fraser University takes a look at the differences between Western and Indigenous science and Western science’s reluctance to accept traditional knowledge. He acknowledges that both sciences have value, which makes me think about how valuable it could be to incorporate multiple ways of knowing into science education.
This article from National Indigenous Television, News, and Programs (a division of Australia’s Special Broadcast Service), explores how Indigenous oral histories have preserved scientific knowledge for generations. Krystal de Napoli, a Gomeroi astrophysicist, explains how the Dreaming stories of Torres Strait Islanders contains ancient knowledge about stars and astronomy.
I really enjoyed this read and thought it did a wonderful job of explaining how stories can contain multitudes of knowledge from many different interconnected subject areas and allow for a deeper understanding of the environment.
You can find the article here.
The document linked in this blog was a very interesting read. Dr. Darren Ranco, an anthropologist and member of the Penobscot Nation, worked with a team to develop the Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) program. When it was first developed in 2013, WaYS was offered to teens so they could learn about STEM and environmental stewardship. The part of the document that really piqued my interest described the expansion of the program into Maine University. There are now four courses being offered that weave together western science and Indigenous science.
I came across the following article, Settler Educators Teaching Indigenous Perspectives and History by Dr Angela Nardozi who is an educator at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at U of T. She shares 3 points to assist settler educators in teaching about Indigenous perspectives and histories:
A few of the resources mentioned in the article worth noting:
The full article can be found here.
As a person teaching an Indigenous language, I find the potential for VR and XR to be used as tools for teaching Indigenous languages to be quite fascinating. I think there is a lot of potential to enhance the learning experiences of students by using these XR technologies. In person language classes are a great way to learn; however, students interested in learning their Indigenous language are often not located near where the classes are held. XR technologies offer a potential to bring a learning experience that is more tangible to the online learner. As XR technology improves, there may be potential to teach plant names or place names while the learner is in a Mixed Reality environment that allows the learner to ‘see’ and ‘interact’ with the plants and or place names. The article below shows how Georgian College is now using VR to teach Anishnaabemowin. The youtube video link is from the Immersive Learning Research Network World Conference 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ryQS0QpTQ
Teaching an Indigenous Language Using Social VR at Georgian College
In the following video, Dr. Leroy Little Bear discusses Indigenous knowledge and western science at a talk in Banff. He is wonderful speaker and connects quantum physics to his Blackfoot knowledge. He uses humour and familiar characters (such as the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland) to explain complex ideas. The most important message I took away from the talk was that Indigenous science and western science are both legitimate sciences and are really just different ways of looking at and describing natural processes.
What I liked about the video is that it is engaging and helps broaden the understanding that different ways of knowing are all valid. There are some differences in how cultures look at the world, but in the end, we are all striving to understand the same thing.
Module 1 – Post 5
For my last post, I wanted to explore a digital tool being developed and used by Inuit communities. The Arctic Elder Society has produced a social network application with the guiding principles of:
It combines Inuktuk information and tools for knowledge sharing, mapping, and preserving languages. They also focus on privacy and data sovereignty. One of the most interesting features is the SIKU Ice Profiles page, there are photos, descriptions, and terms in various Inuktut dialects.
Learn more about the app here: https://siku.org/about
Module 1 – Post 3
I would like to showcase the Wandering Spirit School located in Toronto, Ontario. When searching for Indigenous education made for and by Indigenous communities, I was surprised to see the Indigenous-led school my nieces currently attend and love.
Wandering Spirit School, which started in the late 1970’s, has a very beginning. The Toronto District School Board was resistant to recognizing the institution as a legitimate school, and the urban Indigenous community had complex responses as they saw potential conflict in acknowledging their dual identities in a time when it wasn’t safe (and you could argue, still isn’t safe).
Today the school is a vibrant place my nieces love. They learn the Ojibway language, eat traditional foods and learn to prepare them, practice horticulture, and learn other subjects that support their dual life in an urban center. In reading more about their school, especially in Berg’s 2016 article below, I’ve come to realize they are a pioneer in uplifting and implementing Indigenous Knowledge in an urban setting.
Further academic reading on the school:
Berg, S. (2017). The Name Unspoken: Wandering Spirit Survival School. In: Bascia, N., Fine, E., Levin, M. (eds) Alternative Schooling and Student Engagement. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54259-1_15
The school’s description on the Toronto District Schoolboard’s webpage.
Indigenous Friends Association (IFA) is an Indigenous-Led tech not-for-profit organization that aligns closely with the discussions of Module 1. IFA responds to the Calls to Action #7 and #66, and aims to provide Indigenous Peoples and allies with the tools to build partnerships and promote digital projects that are rooted around Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Understandings.
Two programs which IFA has are the Indigital program aimed at promoting wellness and technology education through Indigenous Worldviews. As well as the IndigiMobile Program. This program incorporates imagining, creating and deploying digital applications that integrate traditional knowledge and values.
Here is an interview with one of the allies that discuss how they created a Social Media App Indigenous Friends that connected Indigenous people.
https://www.indigenousfriends.org/
Module 1 – Blog Post 1
In my search for digital artifacts around Indigenous Instructional Design, I travelled to the University of Calgary’s Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, where Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, Ph.D., and Lorelei Anselmo have authored the guide: Indigenous Ways of Knowing Course Design.
The site addresses WHAT Indigenous ways of knowing are, PRINCIPLES to consider when integrating these practices with your course design, along with the WHYS and HOWS of using them. The webpage has a user-friendly design, featuring drop-down menus to explore specific areas of interest, and a list of further resources to explore.
Of special interest are these sections that focus on our accountability in sharing and integrating Indigenous Ways of Knowing:
Though I wish there was a reference to the technology aspect of course design, this resource is a great start in understanding what you can and should do.