An idea for a dilemma [teaching]
Oct. 25th, 2022 01:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rebeccmeisterI've been pondering a dilemma for quite some time now. For Introductory Biology, I adopted the approach that my PhD advisor took for teaching the course, teaching it from the perspective of the history and nature of science.
The big problem with this approach is that it winds up being extremely colonialist - the prominent figures discussed literally tend to be white Europeans from the colonial era. Darwin and Wallace; but also Pasteur; Crick, Franklin, and Racist Watson; Hardy and Weinburg; et cetera.
It took until I was today years old for me to think: maybe what I'm after is a retooling that could be called Indigenous Biology.
A quick oogling later, and I see there are some potential texts, an Indigenous-Led Biology Initiative for genomic data, and at a nearby institution, a Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. Existing resources seem to be mostly geared towards the Ecology aspect of Biology, but I think I can now start to see how to link in more of the cellular and molecular aspects as well - or at least how to start asking questions about how to do this.
Our College also offers (small) fellowships to faculty seeking to retool their teaching. I think that means I could do things like go and visit nearby indigenous leaders, to talk with them about what kind of storytelling might be appropriate and beneficial for introductory Biology. Or I could possibly bring people to our campus - as guest lecturers, even.
There's some pondering left to do, but this is at least the germ of an idea that's new to me, so it's time to talk it over and I know of at least a couple of people who might have thoughts and perspective to consider.
The big problem with this approach is that it winds up being extremely colonialist - the prominent figures discussed literally tend to be white Europeans from the colonial era. Darwin and Wallace; but also Pasteur; Crick, Franklin, and Racist Watson; Hardy and Weinburg; et cetera.
It took until I was today years old for me to think: maybe what I'm after is a retooling that could be called Indigenous Biology.
A quick oogling later, and I see there are some potential texts, an Indigenous-Led Biology Initiative for genomic data, and at a nearby institution, a Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. Existing resources seem to be mostly geared towards the Ecology aspect of Biology, but I think I can now start to see how to link in more of the cellular and molecular aspects as well - or at least how to start asking questions about how to do this.
Our College also offers (small) fellowships to faculty seeking to retool their teaching. I think that means I could do things like go and visit nearby indigenous leaders, to talk with them about what kind of storytelling might be appropriate and beneficial for introductory Biology. Or I could possibly bring people to our campus - as guest lecturers, even.
There's some pondering left to do, but this is at least the germ of an idea that's new to me, so it's time to talk it over and I know of at least a couple of people who might have thoughts and perspective to consider.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 05:50 pm (UTC)Exciting idea!
If you have any interest in plants, you might enjoy the book "Braiding Sweetgrass"
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Date: 2022-10-25 11:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 08:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 11:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-30 07:36 am (UTC)