1. Figure1: Figure 1. Study design diagram.
Pooled student responses did not show any significant differences indicating identical average perceptions (pre- and post-course) of students regarding: Elder co-educators, interest in STEM, and identity as scientists (Figure 2).
Racial/Ethnic differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist for White and Non-White students. *p < 0.05
Pooled student responses did not show any significant differences indicating identical average perceptions (pre- and post-course) of students regarding: Elder co-educators, interest in STEM, and identity as scientists (Figure 2).
Pooled student perception differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist.
Racial/Ethnic differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist for White and Non-White students. *p < 0.05
Indigenous medicine Elders co-instruct a health science course to improve students’ interest in science and minority students’ science identity
ABSTRACT
RESULTS
RESULTS
Figure 2:
Pooled student responses did not show any significant differences indicating identical average perceptions (pre- and post-course) of students regarding: Elder co-educators, interest in STEM, and identity as scientists.
Figure 3:
Figure 3 shows intervention differences between No Elders (USA) (n=11) and Elders (Canada) (n=17) pre-course (A) and post-course (B). We noted no significant differences between pre- and post-course opinions of participants in the context of Elder as a co-educator or self-identity as a scientist.
There was no statistically significant variation in STEM interest between students taught an online STEM course without Elder co-educators (USA) or with Elder co-educators (Canada) pre-course. However, post-course students who were exposed to Indigenous science co-educators (Elders, Canada) reported significantly greater (p= 0.021) interest in STEM than students lacking such exposure.
Figure 4:
Figure 4 shows pooled U.S. and Canadian participants in regards to racial/ethnic differences, designated White and non-White students, with no significant differences pre- (A) and post- (B) course in STEM interest and their opinion on the merit of Elders as co-educators.
Examining how students identify themselves as scientists, we note a statistically significant difference between White and non-White students in the pre-class survey (p= 0.016). White students initially identified more strongly as scientists
After taking the online Ethnomedicine course blending Indigenous and Western science, regardless of exposure to Elder co-educators, both student pools reported similar self-identity as a scientist, since more non-White students agreed with this affirmation after the course than before the course.
(Not Shown) Figure 5 shows learning outcomes (quiz results) as a function of average weekly quiz scores, with no significant differences between students regarding (A) exposure to Elder knowledge (intervention differences) or (B) their ethnicities (racial/ethnic differences).
Introduction: Underrepresented North American minorities (URMs; Blacks, Latinos, and Aboriginal Amerindians) fare better in postsecondary science education if they have a science identity that does not conflict with their ethnic/racial identity. The literature also suggests that Western Medicine science (WM) courses and programmes that incorporate Indigenous Traditional Medicine science (IM) teachings and/or IM teachers can contribute to retention of URMs in the sciences. Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) is an orientation of research especially suitable for work with Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this CBPR study is to assess the impact of IM Elder co-instructors to an Ethnomedicine course upon students’ overall interest in the sciences and students’ science identity.
Methods: The research team conducted a pedagogical 2X2 factorial design quasi-experiment, regarding an online Ethnomedicine course offered at North American tribal colleges and mainstream universities taught either with or without IM Elder co-educators. Of the total study participants (n=28), 15 were White and 13 were non-White. The Ethnomedicine course was offered at two North American mainstream research-intensive universities, and two North American tribal universities serving Aboriginal Amerindians. Pre- and Post- course surveys and quizzes were administered to participants. The outcome measures of interest were assessed and analyzed using SPSS.
Results: Findings show that students taught with IM Elder co-educators have significantly greater interest in the sciences than do students not exposed to Elders’ teachings. Before the course, minority students reported significantly less self-identification as a scientist than did White students, but reported a similar identity as a scientist to White students post-course.
Discussion: Many Elders are respected gatekeepers to Indigenous Medicine science. The presence of Elders as co-instructors in a university health science course can positively impact students’ interest in the sciences, and minority students’ identity as a scientist. This work establishes the need for convergence of IM and WM in the health sciences. Further study of this convergence should be undertaken to improve health science education, policy, research, and pedagogy, to benefit all students including minority students, in the sciences.
Figure1: Figure 1. Study design diagram.
Figure2: Pooled student perception differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist.
Figure 3: Intervention differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist without Elders (U.S.) and with Elders (Canada). *p < 0.05
INTRODUCTION
Today, less than one in seven students in the United States receives a degree in the sciences(1). While underrepresented minorities (URMs) comprise approximately 30% of the U.S. population, only 10% of URM postsecondary students study in the sciences. Researchers seek to identify the reasons for the low enrolment of postsecondary students in the sciences, and especially, low enrolment and high attrition of URM students. Previous studies show that science self-efficacy and science identity support mediates the effects of training in the sciences and improves commitment to a career based in the sciences(2). The purpose of this community-based participatory research(3) study is to determine if the presence of Aboriginal Indigenous Medicine science Elders in a university health science course improves URM student interest in the sciences and their identity as a scientist.
DISCUSSION
Minorities, especially North American Aboriginal people, are underrepresented in postsecondary education, especially in the sciences. We successfully delivered concurrently an online health science course to four North American universities in the United States and Canada. Furthermore, Indigenous Medicine science Elders served as co-educators to this course, and this was associated with positive outcomes. Despite the low participation of Aboriginal students, we show that minority students in particular have a strengthened science identity upon completion of the course. We feel that this provides some evidence for future strategies aimed at improving minority student resilience in Western Medicine science courses and programmes, through mindful recognition and acknowledgment of the merit of Indigenous Medicine and Science in such courses.
METHODS
Figure 4: Racial/Ethnic differences: student perceptions regarding Elder co-educators, STEM interest, and self-identity as a scientist for White and Non-White students. *p < 0.05
A short-term longitudinal pilot study, of 2X2 factorial design was conducted upon an online health science course: Evidence-Based Ethnomedicine: Medicinal Plants & Culture; which was offered at two North American research-intensive universities, and two tribal colleges/universities (TCUs). Participating research universities: University of Regina (U of R), Regina, SK, Canada; Wayne State University (WSU), Detroit, MI, USA. Participating TCUs: First Nations University-Regina (FNUniv-Regina), SK, Canada; First Nations University-other campus (FNUniv-Other), SK, Canada. Pre- and Post- surveys and quizzes were administered to participants. Surveys assessed: (1)student perception of the merit of IM Elder co-educators in a health course; (2)student interest in STEM; (3)student science identity; the quizzes measured student content knowledge. A total of (n=28) students participated from three different universities; we had (n=11) students from WSU, (n=11) students from U of R, (n=6) students from FNUniv-Regina, and (n=0) students from FNUniv- other campus. ANOVA and ANCOVA models were used to provide a statistical analysis of significant difference in means for several groups and a student’s t-test was used to determine if two sets of data were significantly different. The alpha level was set to ≤0.05, and SPSS 21 software was used to analyze the data.
REFERENCES
Committee on Underrepresented Groups and the Expansion of the Science and Engineering Workforce Pipeline National Science Board. Science & Engineering Indicators. (2010) Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads Washington, DC: NAS, 286.
Chemers M, Zurbriggen E, Syed M, Goza B, Bearman S. (2011) “The role of efficacy and identity in science career commitment among underrepresented minority students”. J. of Social Issues, 67:
Ferreira, MP & F Gendron. (2011) “Community-based participatory research with traditional and indigenous communities of the Americas” Int. J. of Critical Pedagogy, 3(3):