Decolonising occupational science education through learning activities based on a study from the Global South

Abstract

If occupational science education is to become more globally relevant, it must highlight more voices and practices from diverse communities. Learning about occupational justice from the perspectives of Global South communities addresses cognitive injustice and the need to decolonise occupational science education. This paper offers some critical reflections concerning the author's pedagogic approach, and the ways his research about olive growing in Palestine (Simaan, 2018) informed students' learning about occupational justice. It focuses on the processes in which students and lecturers engaged within a decolonising approach to occupational science education. A learning activity based on pedagogical processes of 'conscientization' (Freire, 1996), critical reflexivity (Whiteford & Townsend, 2011) and intercultural translation (Santos, 2014) is discussed, and lessons learnt by lecturer and students about themselves, their communities, and occupational science are reflected upon. Selected students' reflections, which illustrate how they positioned themselves in relation to the community studied, and how they interrogated their own reactions to learning about daily lives in Palestine, are discussed. These processes demonstrate the benefits of highlighting local knowledge on occupational justice produced by Global South groups, and how this knowledge might begin to address cognitive injustice and the need to decolonise occupational science pedagogy. More empirical and theoretical work is needed in occupational science education regarding intercultural translations concerning occupational justice, and means of doing and knowing from diverse Global South perspectives.

A Critical Reflexion on Two Conceptual Tools From a Global South Perspective: Réflexion critique sur deux outils conceptuels selon la perspective des pays du sud

“…Occupational therapy academics and professionals have begun an important discussion about decolonizing occupational therapy's concepts, theories, and education (e.g. Mahoney & Kiraly-Alvarez, 2019;Ramugondo, 2018;Whaley Hammell, 2018;Simaan, 2020). This discussion is needed because occupation-centered practice has been dominated by ethnocentric and biomedical perspectives, which need expansion to make them more inclusive to global communities (Mahoney & Kiraly-Alvarez, 2019;Ramugondo, 2018;Simaan, 2020;Whaley Hammell, 2018).…”

“…Mahoney & Kiraly-Alvarez, 2019;Ramugondo, 2018;Whaley Hammell, 2018;Simaan, 2020). This discussion is needed because occupation-centered practice has been dominated by ethnocentric and biomedical perspectives, which need expansion to make them more inclusive to global communities (Mahoney & Kiraly-Alvarez, 2019;Ramugondo, 2018;Simaan, 2020;Whaley Hammell, 2018). Decolonizing the discipline should include embedding Global South perspectives and concepts into the ways we learn, teach, and practice.…”

“…Intercultural translation was used in the author's research and educational practice by comparing Sutra-'Awna-Sumud with Wilcock's terms of "doing-being-becoming-belonging" (Simaan, 2020;Wilcock 2006;Wilcock & Hocking, 2015). This process of intercultural translation, described below, illustrated how the applicability of "doing-being-becomingbelonging" was tested in the Palestinian context and how particular notions of doing everyday life, connected to a specific place and community, might further develop those ideas (doingbeing-becoming-belonging).…”

Developing learning technology as inclusive practice

“…To progress our thinking, rather than aiming to dismantle structures in education which have been based on a typically Western and White colonial perspective of academic thinking and endeavour yet are categorised as "universal", we may do better openly to challenge and re-interpret them. This can involve reaching out to nonwhite writers and intellectuals, and to promote discourse from non-academic communities in the global South which has often been excluded from curricular thinking (see, for example Simaan, 2020).…”

Deepening our collective understanding of decolonising education: A commentary on Simaan’s learning activity based on a Global South community

“…We (the authors) are engaged in decolonising work and are pleased to have the opportunity to discuss Simaan's (2020) article presenting learning activities that deepen our collective understandings of decolonising educational processes. Our intent is to build on Simaan's reflections, drawing on the decolonising work developed by Indigenous scholars and Southern theorists.…”