PhD student finds connections across classrooms in Canada and Brazil

Werklund School of Education PhD student David Scott has recently returned from the Universidade Federal de São Carlos where he researched how initiatives in Brazil to include indigenous perspectives in the classroom might inform similar policies in Alberta. A recipient of the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement, Scott spent four months studying with Petronilha Beatriz Gonçalves e Silva.

“My wish to study with Dr. e Silva was based on the parallels between her work studying curricular and pedagogical initiatives in Brazil to address the perspectives of African-Brazilians and indigenous peoples and my work examining an initiative in Alberta asking educators to engage social studies through aboriginal perspectives,” says Scott.

Scott believes this area of study is particularly important now because efforts like the Idle No More movement have shone a spotlight on the need to repair aboriginal and non-aboriginal relations in Canada.

“I think we are in a pivotal time in Canada’s history," he says. "Former colonial relationships with aboriginal people are no longer acceptable and we need new kinds of relationships that honour the contributions of aboriginal people to Canada.”

Darren Lund, Scott’s supervisor, shares this sentiment. "David's doctoral research is poignant and timely, as we move forward with the Werklund School's plans for celebrating and enhancing indigenous ways of knowing in meaningful ways in our programs and courses."

While in Brazil, Scott had a number of experiences he credits for helping him develop into an international scholar, including interviewing community members of an indigenous village, and sitting on the defence committee of an indigenous undergraduate student in the department of physical education.

“I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of Portuguese and Brazilian culture in the hopes that I would become a more globally minded scholar. It was a rich experience that made me aware of the tremendous international opportunities that exist for both doctoral students as well as new professors.”

Now that he is back in Calgary, Scott will share his expertise with future teachers as the new director of student experience in the Werklund School’s Undergraduate Programs in Education office.