Decolonizing actions that speak louder than words: Science education through multiple lenses in Nunavut by Marc Higgins A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education FACULTY OF EDUCATION LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO © Marc Higgins April 2010 ii Library and Archives Bibliothèque et ?F? 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. 1+1 Canada Lakehead UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES NAME OF STUDENT: Marc Higgins DEGREEAWARDED: MEd ACADEMIC UNIT: Education TITLE OF THESIS: Decolonizing actions that speak louder than words: Science education through multiple lenses in Nunavut This thesis has been prepared under my supervision and the candidate has complied with the Master's regulations. ? Signature of Supervisor Agarol __&4¿/<2*?\& Date LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF EDUCATION MEd THESIS REPORT FORM Candidate's Name: Marc Higgins Field of Study: Educational Studies The undersigned members of the Supervising Committee certify that they have read, and recommend to the Department Graduate Studies in Education Committee for acceptance, the report of a Thesis entitled DECOLONIZING ACTIONS THAT SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS: SCIENCE EDUCATION THROUGH MULTIPLE LENSES IN NUNAVUT in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education. ¿Ql-a. ' TPvffi-Mj Supervisor: Lisa Korteyfeg T '¿??? ( -----------Committee Member:^r R.?,Paul^Berger Date: March 3, 2010 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ¡? Note to the Reader on Verb Tenses ? Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 1 - Positional Piece - RE:Visiting past identity, revealing decolonizing touchstones . 5 Preface 5 Growing up in New Brunswick 7 Science Education 101 19 Elsipogtog, New Brunswick 11 Dream Team 15 In the present, looking to the future 18 Chapter 2 - Literature Review - RE:Considering the nature of (multicultural) science (education) (forali) 20 Introduction 20 Multicultural science education 21 Worldviews 25 Border crossing and the culture broker 32 Nature of science as a component of a postcolonial curriculum 34 Setting the stage for intercultural dialogue 36 Chapter 3- Methodology- RE:Conceptualizing the reel/real 38 Prelude to methodologically messy moments 38 Research which places respect first 39 Twin lens methodology - participant-driven videography 44 Twin lens methodology- video-auto-ethnography 48 Ethical preparations for the field 52 Data analysis methods and coding tools 54 Chapter 4- Data Story- Rebelling tales from the field 58 Chapters- Data-analysis- Reviewing videos 65 Data themes 65 Participant perceptions on science 66 Personal perceptions on research/education process 73 Chapter 6 - Research Findings - RE:Defining decolonized science education? (through multiple lenses) 81 Science education as a decolonized practice? 82 Twin lens methodology- video as a tool for multi-perspectivity 86 Decoloniz(ed/ing) science education through the video (twin) lens 97 Afterword 100 References 101 m Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank the research participants and their community of Iqaluit, Nunavut as they were warm and welcoming. Every time I go back to Nunavut, I am often the one who is taught although I am the one going to teach, this year was no exception. I would like to thank Dr. Ghislain Deslongchamps and my high school prom date for pushing me towards this grand and fulfilling (mis)adventure. I would like to thank both Actua and NRI for allowing me to modify existing camp structures to make this research possible. I would like to thank Dr. Andrea Belczewski, my first mentor in Aboriginal science education, for setting me off on this path, and continuing to support me along it. I would like to thank Dr. Connie Rüssel, who's office visits were filled with laughter. With her positive "make it happen" attitude, I could allow myself to dream big. I would like to thank Dr. Paul Berger, my committee member, for being a caring Qallunaat, for sharing insights regarding education in Nunavut and for modeling in practice what it means to be a critical pedagogue. I would like to thank Dr. Lisa Korteweg, my supervisor, for standing behind me every step of the way, from the very inception of the project to its very end - be it words of wisdom, a deluge of digital resources, or the ever appreciated office time made when time was not always available. A kind word also goes out to all my peers who helped throughout the process in various forms, be it editing for grammar and flow or providing further avenues of thought. Thank you lsmel Gonzalez, Emily Root, Blair Niblett, Jocelyn Burkhart, Natalie Rowlandson, Melissa Hill, Meghan Jewell, Brooke Costello. Lastly, I would like to thank my family for believing in me. IV Note to the Reader on Verb Tenses Oftentimes within this thesis, there are instances where the verbs are used in the present tense when discussing events in the past. In these situations, I have intentionally chosen to use the present tense to indicate that these events (or feelings) continue to apply to this day, even ¡f the way in which they apply are not the way they might have applied in the past. Drawing from Richardson's (1994) writing-as-a-method-of-inquiry, this intentional choice serves the purpose of allowing multiple interpretations of the words before us (Richardson, 1994, 1997, 2001) in the postmodern sense. Part of the focus is on the meaning of the relationship between, and the interpretation of, the past and the present (Somerville, 2007) as "the inherent capacity of time to link, in extraordinarily complex ways, the past and present to a future that is uncontained by them has the capacity to rewrite and transform them" (Grosz, 1999, p. 7). These instances speak directly to the nature of decolonizing journeys - they are processes. As I progress along my own journey, I continue to address my own Eurocentrism and better learn to see Aboriginal culture. While I grow from the process, there is always more to be done. ? Abstract Education ¡? Nunavut, still largely based on EuroCanadian knowledge and Western teachings, ¡s a negative experience for many Nunavut youth - the result of cultural inappropriateness and worldview mismatch. The mismatch is one between an appropriate learning experience and the character, values, and traditions of Nunavut - and it remains especially pronounced in science education. In addressing this mismatch, I strive to decolonize both practice and practitioner by using movie camera lenses: in the first instance, to lend voice to lnuit youth's perspectives on science and, in the second instance, to turn the lens inward to address my own Eurocentric worldview and how it impacts the science education I deliver. Through this decolonizing synergy, I search to understand and deliver science education that strives to reach tenets of respectful research - to enact decolonizing actions that speak louder than words. 1 Introduction Schooling in Nunavut is still largely based on EuroCanadian knowledge and Western teaching, and is still largely a negative experience for Nunavut youth communities. The locus of the problem is not one of achievement but rather one of cultural inappropriateness (Aylward, 2007; Barnhardt & Kawagley, 2008; Battiste, 2005; Mason, 2006) -there is need for appropriate learning experiences that match the character, values, and traditions of Nunavut (Cajete, 1999; Mason, 2006; Peat, 2002). Currently, one of the most obvious mismatches is between lnuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), "all aspects of traditional lnuit culture including values, world-view, language, social organization, knowledge, life skills, perceptions and expectations" (Nunavut Social Development Council, 1998) and science education.