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1. Science in stories: Implications for Latine children’s science learning through home-based language practices

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1096833  

   Haden, Catherine A.; Melzi, Gigliana; Callanan, Maureen A. (February 2023, Frontiers in Psychology)

   There is growing interest in stories as potentially powerful tools for science learning. In this mini-review article, we discuss theory and evidence indicating that, especially for young children, listening to and sharing stories with adult caregivers at home can make scientific ideas and inquiry practices meaningful and accessible. We review recent research offering evidence that stories presented in books can advance children’s science learning. Nonetheless, most of this work focuses on middle-class European-American U. S. children and involves narrative story books. Given the national imperative to increase Latine 1 representation in STEM education and career pursuits in the U. S., we argue that it is vital that we broaden the definition of stories to include oral narrative storytelling and other conversational routines that Latine families engage in at home. Cultural communities with firmly rooted oral traditions, such as those from Latin American heritage, rely frequently on oral storytelling rather than book reading to convey world and community knowledge to young children. Therefore, we advocate for a strengths-based approach that considers Latine families’ everyday practices around science and storytelling on their own terms instead of contrasting them with European-American middle-class practices. We offer support for the view that for young children in Latine communities, culturally relevant oral practices, including personal narrative storytelling, can engender significant opportunities for family science learning at home. 

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2. Developing a spoken dialogue system for the Choctaw language

   Brixey, Jacqueline; Traum, David (February 2023, International Workshop on Spoken Dialogue Systems (IWSDS-2023))

   Abstract We present the first spoken dialogue system for the Choctaw language in this paper. Choctaw is an endangered American indigenous language spoken by the Choctaw tribe. Previous work in this area created a text-based English-Choctaw bilingual chatbot, named Masheli, that primarily shared stories about animals. Ad- ditional work developed an automatic speech recognizer (ASR) to process spoken Choctaw. In this paper, we demo the Choctaw ASR together with the Masheli chat- bot to form a dialogue system that allows the user to speak, rather than type, to the system. As the language is endangered, a spoken dialogue system would assist revitalization efforts by promoting oral fluency in language learners. 

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3. Oral metagenomes from Native American Ancestors reveal distinct microbial lineages in the pre‐contact era

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24735  

   Honap, Tanvi P.; Monroe, Cara R.; Johnson, Sarah J.; Jacobson, David K.; Abin, Christopher A.; Austin, Rita M.; Sandberg, Paul; Levine, Marc; Sankaranarayanan, Krithivasan; Lewis, Jr., Cecil M. (April 2023, American Journal of Biological Anthropology)

   Abstract ObjectivesLimited studies have focused on how European contact and colonialism impacted Native American oral microbiomes, specifically, the diversity of commensal or opportunistically pathogenic oral microbes, which may be associated with oral diseases. Here, we studied the oral microbiomes of pre‐contact Wichita Ancestors, in partnership with the Descendant community, The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Oklahoma, USA. Materials and MethodsSkeletal remains of 28 Wichita Ancestors from 20 archeological sites (dating approximately to 1250–1450 CE) were paleopathologically assessed for presence of dental calculus and oral disease. DNA was extracted from calculus, and partial uracil deglycosylase‐treated double‐stranded DNA libraries were shotgun‐sequenced using Illumina technology. DNA preservation was assessed, the microbial community was taxonomically profiled, and phylogenomic analyzes were conducted. ResultsPaleopathological analysis revealed signs of oral diseases such as caries and periodontitis. Calculus samples from 26 Ancestors yielded oral microbiomes with minimal extraneous contamination. Anaerolineaceae bacterium oral taxon 439 was found to be the most abundant bacterial species. Several Ancestors showed high abundance of bacteria typically associated with periodontitis such asTannerella forsythiaandTreponema denticola. Phylogenomic analyzes of Anaerolineaceae bacterium oral taxon 439 andT. forsythiarevealed biogeographic structuring; strains present in the Wichita Ancestors clustered with strains from other pre‐contact Native Americans and were distinct from European and/or post‐contact American strains. DiscussionWe present the largest oral metagenome dataset from a pre‐contact Native American population and demonstrate the presence of distinct lineages of oral microbes specific to the pre‐contact Americas. 

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4. Supporting factors in Native American engineering students’ pursuit of engineering careers

   Koithan, Emily; Schmitt-Morris, Morgan; Wang, Yuqing; Turner, Sherri L. (March 2019, University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development Research Day)

   For Native American young people, paradoxical cultural pressure (i.e., pressure to do well academically while maintaining tribal identity; Komives et al., 2011), and a lack of academic preparation have been cited as barriers to their academic and career success (Jackson, Smith, & Hill, 2003); however, there is little research regarding the supports that these young people receive. This type of research is especially critical for careers where Native American students are underrepresented, such as in engineering (with Native Americans who comprise almost 2% of the U.S. population comprise only 0.4% of engineers and 0.2% of engineering faculty; NACME, 2014). To tease out differences in how Native American students are supported in their engineering career development compared to students from the dominant cultural group in engineering, we conducted a study with 50 Native American and 50 Caucasian American undergraduate and graduate engineering students. ANOVA’s showed that Caucasian American and Native American students had the same level of interest in pursuing an engineering career; however, Caucasian American students reported greater emotional and instrumental support from parents, school personnel, and peers for studying engineering. Results will be interpreted in light of how educational equity in areas of supporting Native American engineering students can be accomplished. This research was conducted by Emily Koithan, Morgan Schmitt-Morris, Yuqing Wang (Undergraduate Research Scholars [URS]), and Dr. Sherri Turner (Educational Psychology), and colleagues. 

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5. Sheltering Indigenous Ontologies: Caves of the Ethiopian Rift Valley

   Arthur, Kathryn Weedman (July 2022, World Archaeological Congress)

   The homeland of the Boreda people—the highlands of southern Ethiopia—sits on the western edge of the Rift Valley, which has long been considered the birthplace of humanity. In Boreda oral traditions, caves birthed the first Boreda people and stories of Dinkinesh (Lucy, Australopithecus afarensis) intertwine with accounts of cave dwellings, stone tools, and the making of leather clothing. Caves today are perceived to be one of the three wombs of the earth according to Boreda Indigenous ontology, Etta Woga. Equated with hollows of fig trees and houses, caves are reproductive liminal spaces. Here, Boreda implore ancestors and nature spirits through technological, therapeutic, and ideological rituals to protect, heal, and transform humans. Caves are part of a network of ancestral sacred grounds that include other significant landscape formations such as high peaks, springs, and forests. Together the interaction of rock (caves), earth (mountains), water (springs), and trees (Fig) on sacred ground is held as evidence that all these elements are beings that have the agency to impact human lives. In turn humans have the responsibility to care and nurture these sacred grounds. 

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