“I Didn’t Know My Ancestors Were Engineers”: Describing Elementary Science Teachers’ Disposition for Indigenous Science and Engineering within an Energy Focused Summer RET Program through Holographic Epistemology

Indigenous science knowledge (ISK) and Indigenous engineering knowledge (IEK) predate western modern science (WMS) as a way of knowing science and engineering, respectively. However, the traditional science curriculum in the United States is predominantly built from a WMS perspective. These two perspectives should not be conflicting but rather complementary; for example, WMS and engineering tend to focus on investigating and solving human needs, while ISK and IEK prioritize sustainability, relationship with land, and reciprocity. In Montana, the Indian Education for All (IEFA) standards were mandated in 1999 to be part in K-12 curriculum at all grade levels and subject areas. However, for teachers to integrate curriculum and their instruction and restore ISK and IEK into the pantheon of science and engineering knowledge among K-12 students in Montana, teachers need access to high-quality professional development in creating ISK- and IEK-focused curriculum and instructional materials. This descriptive case study using an Indigenous research paradigm describes a research experience for teachers (RET) program that focused on energy, engineering, and IEFA for 11 elementary science teachers in the state of Montana. By collecting data from the group sessions, storywork, field trips, and lab work during the RET, Meyer’s (2013) Holographic Epistemology framework was used to analyze talking circles, sessions, online discussions, and final lesson plans and presentations and determine changes in teachers’ body, mind, and spirit in and for ISK and IEK, as well as development of their pedagogical design capacity (PDC). Changes to the body dimension were observed through their lesson planning, while transformations in their mind and spirit dimensions were demonstrated through their perceptions and intuitions regarding ISK and IEK. To support that learning knowledge was primarily transmitted contextually via storywork through relationships with the Indigenous mentors while WMS and engineering were frontloaded at the beginning of the lab experiences by the research mentors. Findings suggested that teachers’ spirit dimension, or their intuition of ISK and IEK, changed first and led to changes in their body and mind. Teachers had demonstrated a shift in their values, beliefs, and attitudes regarding ISK and IEK, which resulted in a change in their mind and body dimensions, demonstrated by their lesson planning and discussions. Teachers also developed a model for IEK which included cultural and environmental sustainability. They designed lessons using illustrative IEK examples integrating rich indigenous knowledges of tipis, sweat lodges, tanning hides, and bison bone strength to their elementary lessons and ideas. The RET was successful in developing their ISK and IEK dispositions, and future programs should focus on changes on teachers’ spirit dimension, which includes their values, beliefs, attitudes, and affect. Further research is needed to develop a comprehensive model of IEK which includes tribally-specific exemplars that are both historical and modern, are developed through mentorships, in relationship, and with reciprocity and respect for protecting and sharing knowledge. The model of IEK and lesson plan developed from the present research study provides a framework to further develop the concept of IEK within STEM education.