In March of 2017, New Zealand passed the Te Awa Tupua Act, a law that established the river Whanganui as a legal entity, with the same rights and obligations as a person. This commitment from the New Zealand government gave rise to the possibilities of protecting the ecosystem surrounding the river, but also strengthen the rights of the indigenous people, the Māori's, which consider Whanganui a part of their ancestry and heritage. The aim of this research is to study the ethical argumentation that motivates the recognition of the Whanganui River as a legal entity and connect that with the theoretical approach presented by Mikael Stenmark in Miljöetik och Miljövård: Miljöfrågornas Värderingsmässiga Dimension. The study will also seek to observe how the argumentation is influenced by a minority perspective, more specifically the Māori, and the oppression of their people since the colonization of New Zealand. The theoretical foundations for this study is the environmental ethics framework presented by Stenmark, which can be summed up in three main approaches: anthropocentrism, ecocentrism and biocentrism. A content-oriented ideational analysis lays the groundwork for mapping what moral positions and perceptions that motivates the recognition of the Whanganui River as a legal entity. In addititon, the study has transcribed videos with indigenous people which has been categorized and structured according to the theoretical framework. The analysis concludes that the colonial intergenerational oppression on the Māori's and the observed negative impact on the river corresponds with the well-being of the Māori people. This observed correlation, combined with a modified holistic ecocentrism, is the foundation to which a selected group of Māori's justify and motivate the Te Awa Tupua Act. This essay also problematize that environmental ethics is characterized by a context that need to be supplemented with an updated and multifaceted view of our nature and indigenous people, which draws attention to more positions that in history have not been given enough space in academic context.

<p dir="ltr">In higher education environments, instructional design plays a pivotal role in creating user experiences and fostering learner-centeredness. The purpose of this three-manuscript dissertation is to explore the intersection of learner-centered instruction and instructional design through a theory to practice approach within higher education.</p><p dir="ltr">The first study in this dissertation establishes how learner-centered pedagogy, using geospatial tools, can be effectively translated into practice in higher education. Findings reveal that higher education instructors are confident in their technological knowledge (TK) and can adapt geospatial tools across various disciplines, enabling self-directed, project-based, and problem-solving oriented learning experiences. This approach is supported by strategies such as adaptation and flexibility, integration and use of culturally relevant examples, and cultivating a comprehensive understanding of GIS. The findings emphasize the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy, scaffolding, and fostering learner autonomy, which are crucial for preparing industry-ready learners across diverse disciplines and cultural contexts.</p><p dir="ltr">The second paper in this dissertation makes a conceptual contribution by focusing on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) within learner-centered pedagogy. The research highlights the salient literature in CRP as it pertains to instructional design and provides a working definition of CRP from an instructional designer's perspective. To mobilize CRP in practice, we offer the intersection of two approaches; Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2002; 2012). The study explores potential connections between CRP and instructional design, suggesting the adoption of a learner-centered approach that integrates CRP with Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction. This integration aims to guide higher education instructors in creating instructional materials that promote academic success, cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness.</p><p dir="ltr">The third study, a systematic review of literature, examines cases where instructors implemented learner-centered pedagogies that are culturally relevant, responsive, and sustaining. The results indicated that instructors in these studies place focus on embodying the purpose of these asset-based pedagogies and emphasize the unique needs of learners and instructional goals. The complexity of CRP instruction necessitates ongoing reflection and adjustment by the instructor, with curricular enactments aiming to challenge established norms while promoting student agency and relevance. Various spaces were identified for implementing these pedagogies, including community engagement, connecting concepts to students' lives, creating safe and caring spaces, and fostering critical discussion. Examples illustrating the conceptualization and implementation of these pedagogies in higher education offer instructors practical insights into bridging the gap between theory and practice within learner-centered instruction.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Student attitudes towards chemistry are a contributing factor to their success in chemistry courses and retention in STEMM in higher education. In the last decade, STEMM attrition rates have been an area of concern in the United States. Research in K12 classrooms has demonstrated that culturally relevant pedagogies (CRP) can improve student learning and attitudes toward STEMM. CRP consists of instructional practices and lessons that connect with students’ cultural backgrounds, experiences, and interests. However, few studies on these practices address long term improvements or treatments in a higher education setting. Integration of ethnoscience in course material is a CRP strategy that utilizes cultural systems of knowledge in relation to coursework. This strategy is now an area of interest in the field of chemistry education. This study uses an action research methodology to integrate ethnochemistry into a large, multicultural, first-year general chemistry course and evaluate the impact on student attitudes towards chemistry.</p>