Stewardship 12
Specialized Science 12:
Braiding Indigenous Knowledge & Science with Environmental Citizenship & Sustainability Science
Specialized Science 12:
Braiding Indigenous Knowledge & Science with Environmental Citizenship & Sustainability Science
Communities, educators and students must understand and act upon environmental sustainability practices in response to the detrimental impacts of climate change (United Nations, 2021). Teachers and learners are increasingly incorporating First Peoples Principles of Learning into their classrooms and curricula (BC Curriculum, 2018; FNESC, 2007). However, there are gaps in resources regarding the intricate relationships between Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and environmental stewardship (Aikenhead & Michell, 2011; Fuchs & Tan, 2021; Whyte et. al., 2016). The Stewardship 12 course was collaboratively designed by educators at Four Directions Secondary alongside local Indigenous educators and knowledge keepers to develop a course that is rooted upon First Peoples Principles of Learning and Indigenous Science methods and perspectives.
The above images were created by SD73 Graphics and the information about the First Peoples Principles of Learning were obtained from fnesc.ca
The goals of the Stewardship 12 course are as follows:
(1) Address the critical role that TEK, Indigenous science, Indigenous languages, and Indigenous leadership have in connecting students to land and place and building environmental citizenship and sustainability practices (Aikenhead & Michell, 2011; Turner, Ignace & Ignace, 2000).
(2) Teach and foster sustainable ways of living among learners and educators by acknowledging, learning from, and weaving together TEK, Indigenous science, Indigenous languages, Indigenous leadership, environmental citizenship and sustainability science (Aikenhead & Michell, 2011; Demssie et al., 2020; Snively & Williams, 2016; Whyte et. al., 2016).
(3) Connect local (Secwépemc) knowledge and global research and literature into resources developed for both teachers and students.
(4) Demonstrate what Indigenous Science looks like within the British Columbia curricular framework; a Science 12 course that is rooted within First Peoples Principles of Learning, experiential learning opportunities, thematic inquiry, and sustainability citizenship practices (https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/12/specialized-science).
(5) Educate about how Indigenous people, language and cultures locally and globally are negatively impacted by climate change (Cajete, 2020).
(6) Highlight how Indigenous languages and leadership are intricately connected to sustainable land practices and biodiversity of plants and animals, (Arriaga-Jimenez et. al., 2018; Chiblow and Meighan, 2021; Turner, 2014; Ignace & Ignace, 2017; Wilder et. al., 2016).
(7) Critically and creatively analyze how to respond to the devastating effects of climate change through restoration efforts that balance Indigenous knowledge and perspectives with Western scientific knowledge to embody respect, reciprocity, and responsibility through stewardship practices (Dickson-Hoyle et al., 2022).
The impacts of climate change on Indigenous peoples, communities, and languages are being felt and seen locally and globally. The essential role of Indigenous science and TEK needs to be at the forefront of education as we work toward active practices of reconciliation, restoration, and language revitalization. To create environmental stewards and caretakers of the land, we must teach and learn with a harmonized balance of Indigenous science knowledge and protocols alongside of Western science and environmental sustainability practices and put Indigenous language revitalization at the forefront of this educational journey.
The following inquiry and systematic review, "Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM," underpins the purpose and development of the Stewardship 12 course. The results of this systematic review are in line with the vision and goals of the Stewardship 12 course.
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