Faculty

Norman Thomson - Special Interests

d) International Education

The role of indigenous knowledge in preserving the past and providing information for understanding the present and making positive changes for the future is critical to our globally interdependent world community. Education serves as the most important medium for preservation and making changes in global societies.Y´ Of all the continents, Africa is most known for its hominid fossils providing pathways for our origins and the beginnings of science knowledge.

Language and biological extinctions are of growing international concern. With respect to language, the problem is that nearly one-half of the world's 6,000 to 7,000 languages (2,400 are endangered and 50% of these are considered dying) are facing rapid extirpation (Brenzinger, 1992; Cox, 2000; Krauss, 1992; Wass, 1999) with the possibility that up to 90% will disappear in the 21st century (Weuthrich, 2000). These languages include indigenous knowledge systems (see Kimmerer, 2002) in science. Africa has at least 1,000 distinct indigenous languages (Bamgbose, 1991) and at least 200 of these are facing language death (Sommer, 1992). In their passing, several thousand years of science knowledge may become extinct.

Concern for the place of indigenous languages and knowledge in African education has existed as a persistent problem for Africans (Bunyi, 1999; Bamgbose, 2000) and, it has been particularly challenging in the sciences (Cleghorn, 1992; Rollnick, 2000). What is new is that scientists are now active participants in the dialogue (Cox, 2000; Wass, 1999; Kimmerer, 2002). Their concern emanates from the realization that indigenous cultural knowledge and values are linked to efforts for conserving biological diversity (Cox, 2000; Kimmerer, 2002). Since extinction is forever, a concern, responsibility, and role for science education researchers is to join this effort to preserve and promote indigenous science knowledge in Africa. The challenge is especially important for those science educators who recognize that meaningful learning is best constructed through children's lived experiences. And, given that there is international agreement that indigenous culture, cultural identities, and self-determination are recognized fundamental human rights (Ayton-Shankar, 1995); it has become a challenge and responsibility for science educators to become active advocates in promoting indigenous science education.

Photographs taken at the Sixth Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL) Conference, Antigua Guatamala, 8-10 August 2002