Indigenous Knowledge and Science Education

An understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) must take into account that each system has emerged from a particular set of circumstances and incorporates a dynamic, coherent worldview based on a body of assumptions that may differ radically from those of the current Western scientific paradigm. Further, any consideration of the current forms of science education in relation to Indigenous ways of knowing must acknowledge and engage with the historical and ongoing realities of colonization, imperialism, and the destruction of Native cultures that shape the contexts in which such a discussion takes place. Although both the legacy of colonialism and the ongoing struggles of Indigenous communities are global phenomena, this entry focuses primarily on the Indigenous knowledge systems and experiences of North America.