The Yukon is the most westerly of Canada's 3 territories, located north of British Columbia and bordering Alaska in the United States. The territory is sparsely populated with the majority of its population residing in the capital city of Whitehorse. The remainder of the population is distributed across 14 communities, most of which are represented by a different language-based and, more recently, politically defined self-governing First Nation. These geo-graphic, demographic, and political elements have historically impacted edu-cation in the Yukon, both negatively and positively. The continuing implica-tions of these influences on science education in the Yukon are important considerations addressed in this chapter.
Recent developments in Canada's Yukon Territory draw attention to how political changes have potential for accelerating practices in education that are responsive to Indigenous Peoples' cultural knowledge systems and practices. In this study, through the use of case study methodology, an account of the changes that have occurred in one First Nation are presented. Further, the study seeks to identify the processes influencing the development. Finally, tensions at the classroom, school, and community levels arising from these changes and anticipated changes are described.
More recent developments in Canada's Yukon Territory draw attention to how political changes have potential for accelerating practices in education that are responsive to Indigenous Peoples' aspirations for formal education including cultural knowledge systems and practices. In this study through the use of case study methodology an account of the changes that have occurred in one Yukon First Nation are presented. Further, the study seeks to identify the processes influencing the change and the influences of these changes on teachers' teaching and students' learning. Finally, tensions at the classroom, school, community level arising from these changes and anticipated changes are described.
More recent developments in Canada's Yukon Territory draw attention to how political changes have potential for accelerating practices in education that are responsive to Indigenous Peoples' cultural knowledge systems and practices. In this study, through the use of case study methodology, an account of the changes that have occurred in one First Nation are presented. Further, the study seeks to identify the processes influencing the change and the influences of these changes on teachers' teaching and students' learning. Finally, tensions at the classroom, school and community level arising from these changes and anticipated changes are described.
More recent developments in Canada's Yukon Territory draw attention to how political changes have potential for accelerating practices in education that are responsive to Indigenous People's cultural knowledge systems and practices. In contrast to other provincial jurisdictions across Canada, treaties were historically never negotiated in the Yukon. Over the past three decades the Governments of both Canada and the Yukon have moved towards actualizing policy developments with YFNs (Yukon First Nations), called Self-Government Agreements (SGAs). The SGAs have come to finalization within the last decade and set out the powers of the First Nation government to govern itself, its citizens and its land. Self-government agreements provide self-governing First Nations (SGFNs) with law-making authority in specific areas of First Nation jurisdiction, including education. With the establishment of SGFNs, each FN, with the required co-operation of Yukon Education (YE), faces the challenge of reversing assimilation and regaining a sense of identity especially within the processes that influence the education of their children, especially at the school and, more specifically, classroom level. Although this reversal draws into question the need for changes in the content or what of classrooms, it moves beyond this to reconsider the how and why of classrooms. This paper draws from a variety of data including the accounts of key stakeholders (First Nation Chief, Elders, parents, students and Education Manager; Local Teachers and Principal; Government Leader and Curriculum Director) in describing the processes contributing to this change and the tensions that remain, ultimately at the classroom level.
