The Place of Indigenous Knowledge in Tertiary Science Education: A Case Study of Canadian Practices in Indigenising the Curriculum

Vivian Hauser, Catherine Howlett & Chris Matthews

The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education Vol. 38S, 2009, pp. 46-57

In Australia, Indigenising the curriculum is increasingly acknowledged as a possible avenue for addressing Indigenous under-representation in tertiary science education in a culturally appropriate and relevant manner. While no Australian university has implemented such a program, there is much to be learnt about the inherent complexities of Indigenising curriculum before it is pursued. In Canada, however, innovative university programs have been implemented that imbed Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum. This paper details key findings from research that sought to learn from Canadian practices in Indigenising tertiary science curriculum, by exploring the practices and experiences of two Canadian programs: Trent University’s Indigenous Environmental Studies program, and Cape Breton University’s Integrative Science program.