| NSF Org: |
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 30, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | January 14, 2014 |
| Award Number: | 1114461 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Robert Russell
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2011 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2017 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,043,130.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,043,130.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1608 4TH ST STE 201 BERKELEY CA US 94710-1749 (510)643-3891 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1608 4TH ST STE 201 BERKELEY CA US 94710-1749 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | AISL |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
Native Universe: Indigenous Voice in Museums, a collaboration between the Indigenous Education Institute, University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, builds on the successful NSF-funded Cosmic Serpent collaborative (DRL 07-14631/DRL 07-14629). The Cosmic Serpent professional development project explores commonalities between native and western science, enabling participants to use STEM as an entry point for museum programs and exhibits. Native Universe endeavors to move to the next level by creating a professional development program which fosters systemic institutional change through the infusion of indigenous voice in programs and exhibits focusing on environmental change. Topics to be explored include species distribution, environmental vulnerability, adaptation of human systems, and science and policy issues on the local, regional, and global levels. This project is designed to assess how cultural background and exposure to indigenous knowledge systems integrated with western science influence these perspectives; develop sustainable institutional competence in presenting multiple perspectives on environmental change; and create models for inclusion while building an enduring community of practice.
The project design relies upon a conceptual framework grounded in the literature on indigenous voice and traditional ecological knowledge, as well as current models for institutional change. Front-end, summative, and process evaluation will address questions related to how science museums facilitate engagement and inclusion of indigenous voice in the presentation of environmental change content, stages of readiness, and the emergence of models for this process. Methods for data collection include reflective logs, pre-post questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews at multiple points to measure the degree and nature of change within museums, as well as how change was initiated, supported, and sustained by staff.
Project deliverables include three museum case studies developed during 9-month residencies, public experiences for visitors, a culminating virtual conference, and a dynamic community of practice among museums committed to indigenous voice in informal science education. The museum residencies will take place at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and the Museum of the North in Alaska. Intensive case studies will be conducted at each site following the Diné Strategic Planning Process (consisting of initiation, growth, implementation, and renewal) and featuring the Ìmiloa Astronomy Institute as a model for institutional change. Exhibits and programs have been identified at each site that will be developed or expanded to integrate environmental change content and native perspectives. Dissemination of the project findings will be accomplished through publications, conference presentations, videos, webinars (four per year), and the virtual conference.
It is anticipated that this project will impact over 1.2 million visitors at the collaborating institutions, in addition to the professional audience of museum staff. Native Universe may provide valuable interpretive tools for the field to understand and address the challenges associated with integrating cultural perspectives and science content. The museum case studies will contribute knowledge about the cultural process of science learning, and may transform the way science is presented in museums by leveraging indigenous voice to enhance public awareness and understanding of environmental change from a culturally-grounded perspective. The overall benefit is increased participation of indigenous individuals in STEM and increased public science literacy in the area of environmental change.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
For NSF DRL 1114461, 1114535 and 1114467
Project Background
Native Universe: Indigenous Voice in Science Museums is a full-scale development project funded by the National Science Foundation designed to build institutional capacity in leadership and practice among science museums to be inclusive of Indigenous voice and perspectives, particularly in terms of environmental change and the human relationship to nature from Indigenous perspectives. Through a series of intensive residencies at three Case Study Museums (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and the Powerhouse Science Center in Durango, Colorado), project investigators collaborated with museum staff and volunteers, Indigenous communities, and informal learning researchers to understand how cultural perspectives impact science learning about environmental change. The project documents the extent to which it is possible to transform institutional culture and museum learning opportunities to incorporate Indigenous voice in a deep and sustained way. Evaluation questions focused on the extent to which the case study museums gained capacity and skills around the inclusion of Indigenous voice, and what strategies and components best supported change. Mixed methods were used to answer the evaluation questions, including PhotoVoice, focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and a pre-post survey.
Project Outcomes
The Diné strategic planning model (Maryboy and Begay, 2007) provided the framework for assessing and synthesizing project outcomes:
In the East (Ha’a’aah), a place of initiation, data from the baseline study paint a picture of the case study museums as having many opportunities, resources, and internal capacity to deepen inclusion of Indigenous voice. Challenges were also apparent, including internal structures, budget/business models, support for doing the work, and limited awareness of local Native communities and understanding around how to connect to and build relationship with Native communities. There were also some key questions emerging across all the sites about what the intended outcomes or deliverables were for Native Universe, what it meant to include Indigenous voice in the museum, what it meant for the museum to focus on partnerships with Native communities given the diversity of Native cultures living in each of the regions, how the project would impact the strategic direction of the institution, and how the project would impact their own work.
In the South (Shadiah), a place of growth and organization, the museums began unearthing a richer understanding of relationships, starting with the realization that their relationships with the Indigenous communities were not as deep as they assumed. The museums became more aware of how to engage in authentic understanding of community partnership as opposed to ‘servicing’ and/or ‘project driven’ models. This paradigm shift also included changing from a perspective of being paid to conduct services, to creating a collaborative space for working alongside Native communities. All three museums created portals within their internal calendar system for Native focused programming, inviting in Native groups to plan and implement programs that were of value to them. Over time, all three museums showed some understanding of what partnership means from a Native perspective, and that they take time and personal commitment to build. Across all museums the highlight of the residencies were the activities that lent themselves to the connection to the land and the environment which heightened understanding of Indigenous worldviews.
In the West (Ii’ii’aah), a place of activation, the programs selected for documenting public outcomes related to awareness and understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing were successful at all three museums. Based on the positive comments of those who attended these public events, and the increase in awareness and interest of both western science and Indigenous knowledge, the OMSI Family Science Night, Native American Cultural Night and the Native Foods and Basketry Festival at ASDM, and the Navajo Sheep Harvest at PHSC achieved their goals. Through all of these events, the museums deepened relationship and trust with partners, planning with them and not for them; as a result, partners felt a sense of ownership of and comfort within the museum space.
In the North (Nahookos), a place of transformation, renewal, and evaluation leading to sustainability, relationships with local Native partners were strengthened and deepended. Staff gained awareness and understanding of local, land-based Indigenous communities and urban Indian populations, and Native partners gained a sense of trust and commitment on the part of the museums. All museum sites showed signs of building a reflective practice around the inclusion of Indigenous voice, with conversations around bringing in Indigenous perspectives becoming more prevalent during planning for exhibitions, program, and other community engagement. Two of the sites added positions to support the inclusion of Indigenous voice, including a rotating community liaison for the local AISES chapter, a community advisory board, and a board member. All sites shifted to a “planning with” vs. a “planning for” community engagement model, and some permanent changes were made to the interpretive framework at one of the sites through exhibits and signage.
Last Modified: 09/30/2017
Modified by: Laura Peticolas
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