Abstract:
Worldwide, there are increasing calls to incorporate First Nations perspectives in K-12 science education. Those who are involved in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs in universities, where future primary/elementary teachers receive their formal qualifications, have an important role in developing the confidence and capability of emerging educators to implement such approaches to teaching and learning science in school settings.
Most science educators are trained predominately in what is called ‘Western modern science’ or ‘Eurocentric’ science, and have adopted Eurocentric perspective. Therefore, these science educators need to recognize that science builds on knowledges from many other cultures and has been influenced by Western onto-epistemologies. There is a need to unpack these perspectives and challenge the assumptions that there is a single universal way of knowing and doing science.
As a starting point, an international group of non-Indigenous science educators from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have formed a community of practice to share how we are coming to understand First Nations ways of knowing the natural world and explore culturally responsive approaches in our respective ITE science education programmes.
In this paper presentation, we related stories of our practices through narrative inquiry method, sharing our respective experiences in diverse contexts. We draw on frameworks unique to each of the three countries (i.e., Kaupapa Māori, Two-Eyed Seeing, Two-Ways) to guide our approaches.
Our narratives showcase example of how we are navigating policy – from national directives to teacher qualification, and how they impact instruction. Our narratives also showcase our strategies for implementing curriculum content, assessment, and pedagogy specific to science education – from the nature of science to forest ecology and physics.
Through narrative inquiry, we discuss how to negotiate the epistemological differences across the knowledge systems with our students. Reflecting on our practices, we highlight three key learnings that are relevant for all science educators, along with the role of frameworks to guide the positioning of Indigenous perspectives as equal to those of Western science, as dual lenses to make sense of the natural world.
Most science educators are trained predominately in what is called ‘Western modern science’ or ‘Eurocentric’ science, and have adopted Eurocentric perspective. Therefore, these science educators need to recognize that science builds on knowledges from many other cultures and has been influenced by Western onto-epistemologies. There is a need to unpack these perspectives and challenge the assumptions that there is a single universal way of knowing and doing science.
As a starting point, an international group of non-Indigenous science educators from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have formed a community of practice to share how we are coming to understand First Nations ways of knowing the natural world and explore culturally responsive approaches in our respective ITE science education programmes.
In this paper presentation, we related stories of our practices through narrative inquiry method, sharing our respective experiences in diverse contexts. We draw on frameworks unique to each of the three countries (i.e., Kaupapa Māori, Two-Eyed Seeing, Two-Ways) to guide our approaches.
Our narratives showcase example of how we are navigating policy – from national directives to teacher qualification, and how they impact instruction. Our narratives also showcase our strategies for implementing curriculum content, assessment, and pedagogy specific to science education – from the nature of science to forest ecology and physics.
Through narrative inquiry, we discuss how to negotiate the epistemological differences across the knowledge systems with our students. Reflecting on our practices, we highlight three key learnings that are relevant for all science educators, along with the role of frameworks to guide the positioning of Indigenous perspectives as equal to those of Western science, as dual lenses to make sense of the natural world.