HOLISM IN TEACHING SCIENCE

• Arzu Sardarli

  First Nations University of Canada

  Author

This article examines the concept of holism in science education and argues for the integration of diverse knowledge systems that extend beyond the traditional scientific methodologies, which have come to dominate educational systems over the past two centuries. The analysis questions the rationale of limiting knowledge acquisition to empirical observation and systematic experimentation while excluding other ways of knowing, such as religious and Indigenous perspectives. Examples from embryology and water quality assessment methods used by Indigenous peoples illustrate how these diverse epistemologies can complement and enrich scientific understanding. The paper proposes a holistic approach to science education that fosters a more comprehensive and culturally sensitive understanding of the natural world, thereby preparing students to address complex, interdisciplinary challenges in an increasingly interconnected global society. This framework promotes inclusivity and acknowledges the validity of multiple perspectives in the pursuit of knowledge. Such an approach is particularly timely in the current era, as education is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, which operates beyond the constraints of our formal curricula by utilizing diverse resources, including non-scientific ones.

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