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School Science and Mathematics Storylines

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Abstract

In celebrating the Journal’s 20 years of publication, one of its many storylines in science education is identified, and a potential second storyline in mathematics education is introduced. The first looks back 20 years to trace a trajectory of articles about enhancing school science with Indigenous ways of living in Mother Earth. The second looks ahead to what may likely evolve into a trajectory about enhancing school mathematics with Indigenous mathematizing. The article ends by describing a recent research study that gives detailed texture to this emerging trajectory.

Résumé

Alors que l’on célèbre les 20 ans de publication du Journal, deux de ses nombreuses trames sont recensées. La première retourne 20 ans en arrière pour tracer une trajectoire d'articles sur le rehaussement de la science scolaire par l’intégration des modes de vie autochtones sur la Terre Mère. Une deuxième trame se penche sur ce qui pourrait probablement devenir une trajectoire de rehaussement des mathématiques scolaires par l’intégration de la mathématisation autochtone. L'article se termine par la description d'une étude récente qui présente moult détails sur cette nouvelle trajectoire.

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Notes

  1. Hill Street Blues was a popular comedy TV series that appeared 1981–1987 and won several awards. It followed the daily work life of a New York precinct.

  2. “Postcolonial” does not mean colonialism has ended, but rather, it means all forms of systemic colonialism are identified, critiqued and changed, with respect to social justice.

  3. By political necessity, the status quo organization of science textbooks needed to be maintained, rather than follow the Indigenous-oriented organization used in Rekindling Traditions (Aikenhead, 2002a). By adding Indigenous content to the textbook was enough of a major change for science teachers, without revamping the organization of science topics as well.

  4. At the end of the R&D project, all participants decided to have their real names used in public documents, rather than be anonymous.

  5. These heuristic flexible categories discourage simplistic dichotomies concerning student achievement. They are not meant to be used in tracking students. Categorization is ephemeral, influenced by many variables, such as mathematics topic, teacher, age, SES and systemic racism.

  6. The Provincial Education Sector is a consortium of the Ministry of Education with 28 Boards of Education across Saskatchewan.

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Funding

This R&D study was funded by the Stirling McDowell Foundation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and by in-kind funding from the North East School Division, Melfort, Saskatchewan. Their support was crucial to the study.

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  1. College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, 538 Blackburn Cres., Saskatoon, SK, S7V 1E8, Canada

    Glen Aikenhead

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  1. Glen Aikenhead
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Correspondence to Glen Aikenhead.

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Aikenhead, G. School Science and Mathematics Storylines. Can. J. Sci. Math. Techn. Educ. 20, 682–699 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-020-00115-5

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