Ininiwi-Kiskānītamowin: A Framework for Long-Term Science Education

Abstract

This article first describes an integration of the theoretical models currently found in the literature that discusses the implementation of science programs in Indigenous contexts. The article then reports on the findings from a two-day conference discussing best practice for incorporating Indigenous knowledge in science education, which involved 50 science teachers, consultants, and administrators from urban, rural, and First Nations communities in Manitoba. Participants read "Ininiwi-Kiskānītamowin," a proposed framework for a lifelong strategy on science and math education; presented information about their individual science programs; and participated in an action research project that identified the components that were common across all programs. The four common components were Elders, language, culture, and experiential learning, which we then incorporated more explicitly into the Ininiwi-kiskānītamowin framework. The investigation also implicated a modification of the Ininiwi-kiskānītamowin framework-to assist Indigenous communities as they developed science programming that acknowledged Elders, culture, language, and experiential learning as essential to instilling a sense of place.Résumé: Cet article présente d'abord une intégration des modèles théoriques actuels dans la littérature, qui traitent de la mise en place de programmes scientifiques dans des contextes autochtones. Ensuite, l'article analyse brièvement les résultats d'une conférence de deux jours sur les pratiques d'excellence visantà intégrer les connaissances autochtonesà l'enseignement des sciences, conférenceà laquelle ont participé 50 enseignants, consultants et administrateurs provenant de différentes communautés urbaines, rurales et autochtones du Manitoba. Les participants ont lu le «Ininiwi-kiskānītamowin», un cadre visantà mettre au point une stratégieà long terme d'enseignement des sciences et des mathématiques, ils ont donné des informations sur leurs propres programmes scientifiques et ont participéà un projet de recherche-action pour déterminer quelś etaient les points communsà tous les programmes. Ces points communsétaient les suivants: les anciens, la langue, la culture et l'apprentissage expérientiel. Ceséléments ont ensuiteété incorporés de façon plus explicite dans le cadre «Ininiwi-kiskānītamowin». L'une des implications de cette recherche est donc la modification du cadre «Ininiwi-kiskānītamowi n» afin d'assister les communautés autochtones dans le développement de programmes scientifiques qui reflètent l'importance

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