Culturally sustaining pedagogy in an outdoor environmental science education program to support high school students’ identities as Indigenous people and scientists

Abstract

This collaboration between the Nez Perce Tribe and the University of Idaho aimed to address the unique needs and perspectives required for Tribal Natural Resources Management (TNRM). TNRM involves the governance and caretaking of the land and waters, emphasizing the recognition of cultural significance, sovereignty, self-determination, and traditional knowledge systems. A workforce development program was created, focusing on Fisheries, Forestry, and Fire Management, while being grounded in Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous STEM identities, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The philosophical foundations of the program emphasized the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge and learning approaches alongside technical skills. By broadening the conceptions of “what counts” in science, students were encouraged to recognize the value of Indigenous knowledge and develop a sense of responsibility toward caring for the Land and waters. Data collected from the program revealed its success in helping students connect Indigenous ways of knowing to their understanding of STEM. Students found meaning in Indigenous knowledge as a means to perpetuate Nimiipuu lifeways, while also recognizing the utility of Western STEM. The involvement of Elders and Native professionals as teachers in the STEM curriculum highlighted the importance of intergenerational knowledge transmission. By combining Indigenous ways of knowing with technical skills, the program successfully laid the groundwork for students to become future leaders in Tribal Natural Resources Management, equipped with the necessary cultural, environmental, and scientific expertise to caretake Lands and waters effectively.

Keywords:

• Indigenous STEM identity
• STEM identity
• tribal natural resources management
• workforce development

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge that this work took place within the current reservation boundary and aboriginal territory of the Nimiipuu. We are grateful for the contributions of many people to this program, including the Elders Silas Whitman, Leroy Seth, and Lee Bourgeau, who generously contributed their time, teachings, and knowledge to the curriculum; staff at the NPT Fisheries, Forestry, and Education, Cultural Resources, and Fire Management programs; teachers and administrators at Lapwai High School; Bridge Idaho Upward Bound staff; and staff at the University of Idaho McCall Field Campus. The National Science Foundation funded this work under award #1513349. We wish to thank the editors and reviewers who provided several rounds of valuable critical feedback that improved the manuscript. Finally, we ask that if future authors wish to cite ideas shared in this paper that they will cite the knowledge holders who shared those ideas. For example, co-authors Alicia Wheeler and Josiah Pinkham, Elder Silas Whitman and the Nez Perce Tribe Education Program are all specifically referenced. Please cite these knowledge holders if referring to the knowledge they shared.

Disclosure statement

The authors report that there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of the United States under award #1513349.