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Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Into an Undergraduate Earth Systems Science Course Mark H Xoa:dau to Maunkaui: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into an Undergraduate Earth Systems Science Course Mark H. Palmer1, R. Douglas Elmore2, Mary Jo Watson3, Kevin Kloesel4, Kristen Palmer5 ABSTRACT Very few Native American students pursue careers in the geosciences. To address this national problem, several units at the University of Oklahoma are implementing a geoscience “pipeline” program that is designed to increase the number of Native American students entering geoscience disciplines. One of the program’s strategies includes the development of an undergraduate course called ‘Earth Systems of the Southern Great Plains.’ The course focuses on geoscience topics that relate to the southern plains (particularly Oklahoma), emphasizes “sense of place,” integrates indigenous knowledge and geoscience content, makes use of Kiowa stories and metaphors, and uses Native American Art as a vehicle of learning. Students in the course are required to put living indigenous philosophies into practice through teaching activities and the construction of geoscience models using everyday materials. The course is designed to highlight the integrated nature of Earth processes, elicit students’ experiences through exploration of case studies illustrating links between indigenous knowledge and Earth processes, and demonstrate the process of practicing science. Formative student evaluations are providing useful information and the course is evolving. Preliminary assessment results suggest that integrating Native American culture, art, and geoscience content is a successful approach. INTRODUCTION communities, and contribute to the growing science and The course ‘Earth Systems on the Southern Great technology workforce in Oklahoma and surrounding Plains’ is an introductory Earth System Science course that regions. integrates indigenous knowledge into the geosciences and The introductory undergraduate course uses a uses Native American art as a vehicle of learning. The multidisciplinary approach with a global perspective and course is part of a project at the University of Oklahoma builds on the “connectedness with the planet” that is a (OU) entitled “Diversity in Geosciences: Development of a part of Native American beliefs (Cajete, 2000). The course ‘Pipeline’ for Native American Students,” the objective is is designed to; 1) cover selected topics in greater detail to develop opportunities for Native American students to than in most introductory courses, while highlighting the participate in geoscience education and research. integrated nature of Earth processes, 2) elicit students’ Data from the National Science Foundation (Huntoon experiences through exploration of case studies and Lane, 2007), indicate that certain groups, including illustrating links between indigenous knowledge and Native Americans (Riggs and Semken, 2001), are Earth processes, and 3) demonstrate the process of underrepresented in geosciences at the undergraduate practicing science. The course focuses on geoscience topics and graduate levels. This is certainly the case in the that relate to the southern plains (particularly Oklahoma) geoscience-related colleges (The College of Atmospheric and emphasize “sense of place.” A “sense of place” refers and Geographic Sciences or CGS) and The College of to the set of meanings of and attachments to places held Earth and Energy or CEE at the University of Oklahoma). by individuals and/or by groups and that is important in In Oklahoma, 17-18% of the population is Native their cultural and educational philosophies -- in this case, American. Yet in 2006 only 3% of the students in both of Native Americans (Semken, 2005). Native American colleges were Native American. Native American stories, metaphors, and images are also important aspects students comprise only 7.1% of the total student of the course. population at OU. Projections indicate that in the next 5 In this paper we describe how indigenous knowledge years the numbers of Native American High School and Native American art are incorporated into the course. students in Oklahoma will increase by approximately 20- We also discuss the use of Kiowa stories and metaphors, 25% (Western Interstate Commission for Higher and how our undergraduate students put living Education, 2003). The opportunity exists to increase the indigenous philosophies into practice through teaching number of Native Americans in the geosciences, provide activities and the construction of geoscience models using rewarding educational and career opportunities for the everyday materials. students, make important connections with families and BACKGROUND 1 Department of Geography, University of Missouri-Columbia, 8 Stewart Hall Columbia, MO 65211-6170; [email protected] Many factors contribute to the lack of participation in 2 School of Geology and Geophysics, University of Oklahoma, 100 East the geosciences by American Indian and Alaska Native Boyd Street, Suite 810 Norman, OK 73019; [email protected] students including the distinct lack of professional 3 School of Art and Art History, University of Oklahoma, 520 Parrington mentors (practitioners and academics) in the geosciences Oval, Room 202 Norman, OK 73019; [email protected] and differences in worldviews between scientists and 4 College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 100 East Boyd St., SEC Suite 710, Norman OK 73019; traditional indigenous practitioners (Zappo, 1998; [email protected] Mullens, 2001; Aikenhead, 1996; Nelson-Barber and 5 Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School, Columbia Public Schools, 10 E. Estrin, 1995; Deloria and Wildcat, 2001; Semken, 2005). Broadway Columbia, MO 65203; [email protected] 137 Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 57, n. 2, March, 2009, p. 137-144 For example, one ecological observation argues that Because there is familiarity, there is engagement between Western culture is based on control, manipulation, the students and professor. The learning environment is planning, modeling, power and competition, and the reciprocal because wisdom is embedded in places and Navajo way is based on cooperation and reciprocation landforms, constantly reminding and teaching life lessons (Grinde and Johansen, 1995). This suggests that there is a (Semken, 2005; Basso, 1996). This suggests that landforms, divide between the meanings and values engrained within creeks, rivers, and the sky are not passive objects, but the natural sciences and indigenous knowledge (Grinde rather related, active participants in the nurturing of and Johansen, 1995; Semken, 2005). This view creates a intellectual development among indigenous peoples. dichotomy between indigenous knowledge on the one Less work involved the integration of indigenous hand and science on the other. Furthermore, Native knowledge with atmospheric science concepts and American communities are often conceptualized as being processes. However, the book Weather, Nature, Culture either traditional or non-traditional. Dichotomies may (Strauss and Orlove, 2003) provides some insights on help explain the philosophical divides between Native folklore, unusual weather events, and visual American thought and Western science. However, one representations, though not entirely from the perspective scholar warns that dichotomies unintentionally present of native peoples in the Americas. indigenous knowledge as a closed-system, archaic and A number of other institutions and professors have frozen in time, while science is a dynamic, progressive incorporated indigenous knowledge into programs and open-system that thrives on changes and adaptations courses that are related to geosciences. For example, (Agrawal, 1995). In reality, both systems are open and faculty and administrators at Native American institutions susceptible to transformations. The level of openness may such as Kansas’ Haskell Indian Nations University vary among Native American tribes across space on a recognize that a holistic approach to understanding the regional, community, or individual scale. This may be Earth as a system is an important part of students’ especially true for Oklahoma which is home to over 40 curricula in forestry and environmental science (Sloan and Native American tribes, and is a landscape of blended Welton, 1997). Holistic approaches to managing natural ethnicity. New research on this topic is needed before a resources can be found on tribal lands owned by the more substantial socio-spatial theory can be presented. Menomonee and Yakima tribes (McCorquodale et al., One can argue that indigenous knowledge and the 1997). An example of this would be sustainable forest geosciences are dynamic and ever-changing. This is not management practices on Menomonee land (Lemons, et. merely a practical statement, but is rather based on the al 1997). living indigenous philosophy of relatedness. Research on Native American students suggest they A common philosophical idea among Native are 1) more skilled in visual and ‘hands on’ tasks than in Americans is the notion that everything within the cosmos verbal communication, 2) more oriented toward is interrelated (Cajete, 2000); everything changes. For observation than verbal instruction, 3) are better able to instance, “The meaning of the Lakota aphorism, handle spatial than sequential activities, and 4) more “mitakuye oyasin” (we are all related), is shared by all comfortable with group learning activities than with Indigenous people. Its shared meaning stems from the individual activities (e.g., Anderson and Adams, 1992; fact that it is a guiding
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