Engaging Inuit youth in environmental research: Braiding Western science and Indigenous knowledge through school workshops

Figures & data

Figure 1. Engaging Inuit youth in contaminants research through school workshops that braid Inuit knowledge and Western science. © 2019 Martin Patenaude-Monette.

Figure 2. Inuit Nunangat communities participating in the NCP ringed seal monitoring program and locations of school workshops held in 2016 and 2018.

Table 1. Activities co-created among project partners for educational school workshops on ringed seal ecology and contaminants (see Supplemental Material for additional information on workshop activities).

Activity	Objectives	Learning outcomes
Observing and feeding zooplankton	Explore Arctic food webs through experimental observations of zooplankton (Daphnia)	Learn about zooplankton Learn about Arctic food webs Learn how to use a magnifying glass, a microscope and a pipette
Ringed seal dissection led by local Elders	Promote knowledge exchange among Inuit youth, Elders, hunters and researchers through traditional butchering of a ringed seal and scientific sample collection	Learn about traditional methods for harvesting and processing seals Learn about ringed seal anatomy Learn about identifying abnormalities in harvested animals Learn about scientific sampling
Arctic food chain game (tag game)	Reinforce understanding of contaminants biomagnification through an active game	Learn about Arctic food chains Learn about contaminants biomagnification across food chains
Ringed seal stomach dissection (using mock seal stomach made of jelly)	Apply methods used by scientists to study ringed seal diet	Learn about ringed seal diet Learn about the scientific method (collect samples and create graphs)
Health and well-being puzzle	Generate a discussion with students on the benefits of country food consumption	Learn about the nutritional benefits of country food Learn about human health and wellbeing Learn about the effects of contaminants on human health
Inuktut lesson about seal anatomy led by local Elders and teachers	Promote knowledge exchange among Inuit youth, Elders and researchers through Inuktut lesson about seal anatomy	Learn about ringed seal anatomy Learn vocabulary in Inuktut and English on ringed seal anatomy
Ringed seal contaminants puzzle	Illustrate where ringed seals accumulate contaminants in their body	Learn about ringed seal anatomy Learn how ringed seals accumulate contaminants in different parts of their body Learn about health benefits and risks associated with ringed seal consumption
Ringed seal artwork (using seal-shaped drawing paper)	Let student express through art what they have learned from the ringed seal workshop	Learn about ring seal morphology
Project presentations by scientific researchers	Introduce students to the project and introduce core concepts related to seal ecology and health	Learn about ringed seal ecology, contaminants, food chains, food webs, bioaccumulation and biomagnification
Seal skin preparation activity led by local Elders	Promote knowledge exchange among Inuit youth, Elders and researchers through seal skin preparation	Learn how to scrap the fat off a seal skin Learn about different techniques used to prepare seal skin Learn about what can be made with seal skin
Discussion on Inuit knowledge led by a northern college student	Promote Inuit knowledge exchange among Inuit youth, Elders, hunters and researchers	Learn about local Inuit knowledge Learn about how to conduct a discussion or interview with an Elder Learn about social science methods
Ringed seal teeth observation	Apply methods used by scientists to age ringed seals	Learn about why it is important to know the age of a seal when studying contaminants Learn about seal teeth Learn how to age a seal by counting annuli (rings) from seal teeth using a microscope
Hydrophone and GPS tracking tag demonstration	Understand methods used by scientists to listen to seal sounds and track seal movements at sea	Learn about equipment used by researchers to record seal sounds (hydrophone) and track seal movements (GPS tracking tag) Learn to differentiate sounds made by different marine mammals
Discussion on scientific careers led by a northern college student	Demystify environmental science career paths among students (grades 9-12)	Learn about college and university programs in environmental sciences Learn about career paths in environmental sciences
Contaminant transport game	Understand how contaminants are transported to the Arctic	Learn about where contaminants come from, how they are transported to the Arctic and enter Arctic food webs
Illustrated activity booklet on ringed seals and contaminants (including artwork, cartoons, crosswords)	Introduce ringed seal anatomy and ecology and explain complex processes and concepts (bioaccumulation, biomagnification, contaminant transport)	Learn about seal anatomy and seal species Learn about where ringed seals live Learn about human pollution Learn about where contaminants come from, how they are transported to the Arctic and enter Arctic food webs

Figure 3. Project overview: workshop planning, delivery and assessment stages.

Figure 4. Examples of workshop activities: a) ringed seal dissection: Peter Amarualik Sr. shows students how to butcher a seal (Resolute Bay, 2016); b) seal stomach dissection: students look for different beads (each bead corresponds to a seal prey) by digging in a mock stomach made of jelly (Resolute Bay, 2016); c) observing and feeding plankton: Mick Appaqaq (Nunavut Arctic College student) helps students observing plankton on magnifying glass (Sachs Harbour, 2016); d) Inuktut lesson about seal anatomy: Elder Paul Sanertanut leads an Inuktitut lesson (Arviat, 2018).

Table 2. Summary of best practices for engaging Inuit youth in environmental research through school workshops as identified by workshop instructors, students and school personnel.

Best practices identified		Examples
	Involve community partners at each step of the project	Work with community partners during workshop planning, implementation and assessment (to secure funding, develop culturally appropriate activities, implement workshops and assess outcomes)
	Gather feedback from workshop participants, instructors and school personnel and use this feedback to prepare next workshop	Conduct a workshop assessment using student surveys, debrief guides, notes, informal conversations and emails and apply insights gained to refine workshop content and delivery
	Have a flexible approach to workshop programming	Arrive in the community a few days before the workshop, have extra activities at hand and assemble a qualified and diverse team of instructors
	Alternate short presentations with interactive hands-on activities	Present only a few PowerPoint slides at a time, include interactive games that imply moving, bring fun scientific artifacts
	Adapt to audience diversity (age, language, group size and learner types)	Focus on one age-group per activity, have the option to do the workshop like a science exhibit (ideal for large groups)
	Leave educational material with teachers	Prepare material that is easy to use by teachers (e.g., activity booklet or poster reviewing key concepts) and targets specific age groups when developing material
	Ensure adequate training for workshop instructors	Provide cultural training to non-Inuit instructors, pedagogy training for all instructors; obtain support and advice from local partners (teachers, Elders) in implementing training activities
	Involve northern college students and early career researchers as workshop instructors	Work with universities and local colleges to recruit early career researchers and college students and involve them in workshop planning and implementation

Table 3. Main workshop benefits according to instructors, students and school personnel.

Benefits for students	Benefits for northerners	Benefits for researchers
Connect to science through hands-on activities	Be informed about latest research results	Learn about Inuit culture, realities and concerns
Acquire knowledge on ringed seal ecology and contaminants	See their knowledge valued and promoted	Learn from Inuit knowledge
Learn from Inuit Elders and hunters	Share knowledge across generations	Develop science communication skills
Strengthen Inuktut skills	Be involved in an innovative school project	Identify appropriate practices for engaging and communicating with Inuit youth and northerners
Meet “real scientists” and break stereotypes	Become engaged in contaminants research	Share information with northern residents
Discover science career opportunities	Train the next generation of northern environmental leaders	Network with other researchers and northern residents
Have fun	Strengthen relationships with researchers	Strengthen relationships with northerners