Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM Education: A Systematic Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Systematic Review Design and Search Process
2.2. Study Screening and Eligibility
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Study Characteristics
3.2. Program Characteristics
3.2.1. Programs in Informal Settings
3.2.2. Practice in Formal School Settings
3.2.3. Programs Involving Both Formal and Informal Contexts
3.3. Features of the Program Practice
3.4. Reported Outcomes
3.4.1. Supporting Indigenous Students’ Science Learning
3.4.2. Indigenous Students’ Understandings of and Attitudes towards Their Own Cultures and Traditions
3.4.3. Indigenous Students’ Appreciation of the Connection between Science and Indigenous Knowledge
4. Discussion
4.1. Formal and Informal Contexts
4.2. Underrepresentation of Indigenous Teachers & Limited Support for Non-Indigenous Teachers
4.3. Cultual Relevance and Scientific Inquiry: Main Feasures of the Programs
4.4. For Diversity of STEM and/or for Indigenous Resurgence
5. Final Thoughts
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Coding Category | Sub-Category | Examples of the Codes |
---|---|---|
Study characteristics | Publication outlet | Cultural Studies of Science Education, Journal of STEM Education, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education |
Publication year | 2011, 2012, 2013 | |
Region | North America, Asia, Africa | |
Research design | Case study of implementing a program or practice, Experiment design with controlled and experimental groups | |
Research method | Qualitative, Quantitative, Mixed methods | |
Program characteristics | Program context/setting | Formal school context, Informal context |
Program implementer(s) | Classroom teachers; Indigenous knowledge holders, Researchers, Other | |
Recurrence | Yearly, Not recurring | |
Length of the program | 2 weeks, 6 months, 1 semester, 1 academic year, 1 learning unit, no info | |
Number of students | 26, 42, two classes, no info | |
Learning topics | Topics related to nature and/or environment, Other | |
Features of the educational practice (i.e., characteristics of the practice or intervention in the program) | Scientific inquiry, Design and making, Cultural relevance, Technology involvement, Dialogical/communicative focus, Multimodal practice, Literacy practice, Other | |
Outcomes of the program | Overall outcomes | Positive, Negative, Null |
Outcomes reported | Conceptual learning in science, Nature of science (NOS), Interest in and attitudes towards science or STEM, Postsecondary education and career options, Identity as science learners, Understandings of traditional Indigenous knowledge, Interest and pride in Indigenous knowledge and cultures, Connection and complementarity between science and Indigenous knowledge |
Program Feature Category | Explanation |
---|---|
Scientific inquiry | Engaging students in scientific inquiry using (Western) science methods for doing scientific investigation, such as formulating hypotheses and collecting data by designing and doing experiments |
Design and making | Engaging students in hands-on design and making, such as building dioramas, models, and devices |
Cultural relevance | Emphasizing Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous ways of knowing, connections to the local communities, etc. |
Technology involvement | Providing students with opportunities to interact with digital technologies, such as using software for computer simulation, using GIS for geo-information collection and analysis, using online platforms for communication |
Dialogical/communicative focus | Engaging students in collaborative group work with the dialogical or communicative focus, providing students with opportunities to communicate and discuss with peers |
Multimodal practice | Either the instruction was communicated/implemented multimodally or by engaging students in multimodal practice |
Literacy practice | Focus on literacy practice, such as (scientific) vocabulary building, narrative writing, creative writing, and students’ storytelling |
Others | Others not included in the above categories |
Outcome Category | Sub-Category | Explanation |
---|---|---|
I: Science-related Outcomes | Conceptual learning in science | Development of scientific knowledge and understandings, and development of procedural knowledge and skills of scientific inquiry |
Nature of science (NOS) | Development of understandings of NOS | |
Interest in and attitudes towards science or STEM | Development of interests in and positive attitudes towards science and other STEM subjects | |
Postsecondary education and career options | Willingness to pursue a postsecondary education and/or a career in science or STEM areas | |
Identity as science learners | Construction of identity as science learners through such as building confidence in learning science | |
II: Indigenous culture-related Outcomes | Understandings of traditional Indigenous knowledge | Development of understandings of Indigenous knowledge and their own traditional cultures |
Interest and pride in Indigenous knowledge and cultures | Interest in, pride of, and appreciation of their own traditional cultures | |
III: Outcomes related to the complementarity | Connection and complementarity between science and Indigenous knowledge | Awareness and appreciation of the connection and complementarity between the two knowledge systems: Western science knowledge and Indigenous knowledge |
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Jin, Q. Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM Education: A Systematic Review. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090555
Jin Q. Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM Education: A Systematic Review. Education Sciences. 2021; 11(9):555. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090555
Chicago/Turabian StyleJin, Qingna. 2021. "Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM Education: A Systematic Review" Education Sciences 11, no. 9: 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090555
APA StyleJin, Q. (2021). Supporting Indigenous Students in Science and STEM Education: A Systematic Review. Education Sciences, 11(9), 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090555