2017 (Fall) Suwyn Family Lecture Series in Education
Introducing
Megan Bang
Megan Bang (Ojibwe and Italian descent) is an associate professor of the Learning Sciences and Human Development in Educational Psychology at the University of Washington. She teaches in the Teacher Education Programs and is affiliated faculty in American Indian Studies. She is the former Director of Education at the American Indian Center (AIC), where she served in this role for 12 years. In addition she was the counselor and GED instructor at the Institute for Native American Development at Truman College, a community college. She served on the Title VII parent committee for 6+ years for Chicago Public Schools. She is a former pre-school, middle-school, high-school, and GED teacher, youth worker, and museum educator. She has directed professional development programs with in-service and pre-service teachers, and after school programs in community-based organizations. She is currently the Director of Native Education Certificate Program at the University of Washington to support in-service, pre-service and informal educators working in and with Native communities.
Megan’s research is focused on understanding culture, cognition, and development broadly with a specific focus on the complexities of navigating multiple meaning systems in creating and implementing more effective learning environments with Indigenous students, teachers, and communities both in schools and in community settings. Her work focuses on decolonizing and indigenizing education broadly with a focus on “STEAM.” More specifically she works to create learning environments that build on Indigenous ways of knowing, attend to issues of self-determination and work towards socially and ecologically just futures.
Megan serves on several editorial boards including: Journal of American Indian education, Curriculum & Instruction, Mind, Culture, and Activity, and Curriculum Inquiry. She serves on the board of Directors for Grassroots Indigenous Multi-media and organization focused on Ojibwe language revitalization and Na’ah Illahee Fund an organization focused on empowering Indigenous women and girls.
Megan is the birth mother of three and has raised many of her nieces and nephews. She is a daughter, niece, sister, and partner as well.
ABOUT THE TALK
From Megan Bang: “This talk will focus on the role of Indigenous science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education in bringing about just and sustainable futures that ensure the thriving of Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples ways of knowing are based in relations with our homelandswaters and the relational responsibilities we have. While historically science and science education had been tools of colonialism and empire, decolonial landwater based education can transform the the pedagogical paradigms we utilize in educational spaces in ways the support thriving and resurgent Indigenous youth. In this talk I will share work in a ISTEAM programs with K-12th grade Indigenous youth that not only ensures they have opportunity to learn and continue Indigenous science – something Indigenous peoples have always done – but also achieve and appropriately utilize western science towards generative ends.”