Integrating a sustainability education model into STEM courses at a tribal college

Abstract

Indigenous scholars have been historically excluded from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and are currently underrepresented in STEM degree programs and jobs. Having a population with STEM skills is crucial for rural sovereign Native American communities to manage their natural resources, infrastructures, and technologies. Thus, STEM education must be transformed to welcome and support the achievement of Indigenous scholars. This research explores the impacts of implementing a Sustainability Education (SE) pedagogy in science courses at a tribal college that serves rural and semirural Native American students. Using pre- and post- surveys as well as phenomenographic interviews this work aims to understand student attitudes towards the combined science and sustainability curriculum. Results indicate that students are receptive to this curriculum and that they have a positive experience in sustainability focused science courses. Additionally, the SE science courses positively impacted students’ science identities, which has been shown to contribute to persistence in science. Tribal Colleges and Universities and other institutions of higher learning can use this work to better understand what leads to Indigenous student success in STEM and update pedagogies accordingly.