Embracing materiality as a core element of Arctic pedagogy

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Abstract

Arctic pedagogy has arisen as a distinct set of practices that are particularly relevant for learners in northern regions. Here, we advocate to expand notions of Arctic pedagogy by formally including theories of materiality and sensory engagement into the framework. We posit that materiality, especially when place-based, offers a route to mediate and connect learners with emotion and culture, as well as disciplinary content. This paper presents four different examples of learning activities in northern settings, three of which use specific place-based materials as the basis for investigations, and one that was place-based in narrative but did not focus on direct place-based material engagement. Data sources were different for each intervention, including pre and post data capture via postcards, questionnaires, and/or participant interviews. The findings across the first three cases indicate that the activities that richly drew from local materials and contexts and that included sensory elements afforded learning in the affective or identity-related realms. These results contrasted with the fourth activity, in which the learning was largely content based. The combined results underscore the value of direct, hands-on exploration of materials of local significance within northern pedagogical contexts.

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Keywords

materiality, pedagogy, place, sensory learning, culture

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