Ancestral Computing for Sustainability: Centering Indigenous Epistemologies in Researching Computer Science Education

Abstract

This article offers Ancestral Computing for Sustainability (ACS) to dismantle the logics of settler colonialism that affect accessibility, identities, and epistemologies of computer science education (CSE). ACS centers Indigenous epistemologies in researching CSE across four public universities in the United States. This paper describes Ancestral Computing for Sustainability and explores reflections of two students engaging as researchers in ACS inquiry. Drawing on Indigenous methodologies and Participatory Action Research, they share their reflections as co-researchers in ACS through storywork. These critical reflections include their relationship to computing, observations of the interdependent work within ACS, ethics and sustainability, and their experiences within the focus groups. The article ends with recommendations for furthering ACS as a decolonial approach that centers Indigenous epistemologies in CSE. Recommendations for CSE education include Ancestral Knowledge Systems and adding sustainability as a topic within computing education pathways and building student-faculty relationships based on trust is recommended to foster students’ academic and personal growth within CSE education and research.

Perspectives of Distance Learning Students on How to Transform Their Computing Curriculum: “Is There Anything to Be Decolonised?”

“…A number of decolonisation interventions are focused on redressing gaps and absences to bring Indigenous knowledge and belief systems into STEM education more generally [20]. This includes challenging unsustainable extractive practices that underpin computing technologies by the introduction of ancestral knowledge into computer science education [21,22]. Building on traditions of using ICT for development (ICT4D) as well as the historical use of ICTs by progressive and social justice movements, many decolonising initiatives are using technology to support marginalised and Indigenous communities to bring their knowledge online [23], including online spaces such as Reddit to build resilience among Asian American and Pacific Islanders [24].…”

“…They outline how for African American and other Indigenous/earth-centred communities, 'their ancestral knowledge may be embedded in the daily lived experience and cultural aspects of life such as foodways (family recipes, food stories/ethnographies; farming and food growing practices); language (expressions, sayings, idioms); childrearing and family socialization practices (family reunions, oral histories); and religious/spiritual aspects (dreams, visions, baptismal and tent revival stories); and other dimensions of shared family knowledge.' [22] (p. 437).…”

Perspectives About the State of Undergraduate Computing Education in Nigeria

“…Existing research on undergraduate computing education in Nigeria has primarily focused on elementary and secondary education (Basson, 2021;Dlamini & Dewa, 2021;Tshukudu et al, 2023), cultural relationships and methods (Arawjo & Mogos, 2021;López-Quiñones et al, 2023), and technology's role in improving learning experiences (Agbo et al, 2021;Bukar et al, 2016;Olutola et al, 2021;Thomas et al, 2020;Uzorka & Olaniyan, 2023). Some research has explored the relationship between undergraduate education and graduate employability, emphasizing the importance of practical skills and real-world examples (Chukwuedo & Ementa, 2022).…”