Cultural Processes in Science Education: Supporting the Navigation of Multiple Epistemologies

Community-Based Research
Participatory Action Research
Program interviews with Native learners and educators

In this article Bang and Medin discuss how Native learners engage in multiple epistemological approaches to science education. Dominant approaches to science education heavily rely on operating with a western perspective and can often whether unintentionally or not invalidate Indigenous knowledges and science. Due to the lack of representation of Indigenous people within STEM fields, it is difficult to develop culturally and epistemologically distinct approaches to science education for Native learners. Bang and Medin work with Indigenous peoples in Wisconsin, specifically the Menominee in addition to urban Indian people with whom they connect with through the Chicago Indian community. This research seeks to understand how including Indigenous learners in the process of science education development and design can empower Native students. In addition to this, validate and build upon the growing work of Indigenous knowledges and sciences.

Community-based research that considers input from elders, community and a holistic understanding of education and science
Tribal ethical review with Menominee Reservation

Involving Indigenous learners in the process to create and design learning space
Re-designing new kinds of science learning
Empowering science education
Self-determining Indigenous learning about science and science education

Creating curricula around science education for Indigenous learners
Summer science program
Learning plant ecology through garden education
Learning about invasive species

Community-based summer science programs
In this work researchers collaborated with community to create summer science programs for Indigenous learners. Within this, learners were able to integrate Indigenous knowledge’s and teachings around plants, with that of western science.
Implementing multiple epistemological approaches to science education enables learners to create a critical foundation of education and the ability to navigate multiple systems. When done in this way, it not only seeks to epistemologically balance Indigenous and western science, but enable learners to self-determine the path of their learning and critically engage with curriculum and teaching.

"The reframing of the design of learning environments, focused on authentic problems, placed-based issues, and the integral inclusion of parents, elders, and other community members opens new spaces for adults in Indigenous communities to engage both with science and with science education." (page, 1024)

Science education
STEM
education
Indigenous education