Keynote Speaker: Prof. Emilia Nhalevilo

Prof. Emilia Afonso Nhalevilo is a Mozambican science teacher educator. She initiated her career as secondary science teacher in 1987 and moved to teach in higher education in 1995. She has been the president of the Mozambican Association for Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, president of the African Association for the Studies of Indigenous Knowledge System (AASIKS), and member of the board of editors of the Cultural Studies in Science Education journal. In 2021 she was considered one of the 100 people most influential in Africa Lusophone by the Africa Shapers. Emilia is currently Vice Chancellor at Pungue University in Mozambique, the first woman ever to occupy this position in Mozambican public universities. Her main research interest areas are Science Education, IKS and innovative and transformative research methodologies.

Title: Science Education as a Pilgrimage

The focus of my keynote is on the view of science education philosophy as a pilgrimage. In today’s world, we are challenged by the crisis of environment as a fact. It is my view that the supremacy of only one worldview – the eurocentrism-is responsible for many of the disasters we are facing today. The fact that one ontology occupied the centre acted as epistemecide for the rich ontological diversity. And that reduced our different alternatives to respond to our needs as co-habitants in this world. A pilgrimage is a metaphor I am using to explore what I call a nomadic paradigmatic standpoint in teaching Science. This paradigm invites Science educators to  endeavor a journey of understanding of different ways of constructing knowledge derived from different ontologies. In contrast with a sedentary paradigmatic standpoint that creates fixed points, dualistic reasoning and shields segregation, a nomadic view invites the possibility of a harmonious dialogue between different world-views. The nomadic movement is a pilgrimage because, it is not only about moving between spaces, but mainly about moving between territories—space is a different concept from territory! Thus, the sacred and spiritual side of the journey. Through a nomadic paradigm, we can move on to visiting sometimes unknown places, like a pilgrim who seeks a higher understanding of himself and of the world. He seeks transformation.  Thus, the transformative aspect of the voyage.

Selected Latest Publications

Journal

Regis, K., Gomes, N., Nhalevilo, E. (2022). Possibilidades de fundamentos epistemológicos para o ensino da história e cultura afro-brasileira e africana no Brasil: reflexões a partir do contexto africano. Revista e-curriculum, V. 20 (1). P 70-99. e-ISSN: 1809-3876

Book chapters

Nhalevilo, E. (2021): De Universidade a Interversidade: Alguns pilares para a acao na construcao da excelencia e inclusao. In Desafios e Possibilidades para o alvcance de uma universidade de excelencia. Organizadores E. Nhalevilo, E. Raso, O. Madacussengua. Edi-Line editores. Maputo

Nhalevilo, E. (2021). A pesca artizanal e o curriculo local.In Conhecimentos locais na pesca artisanal. Organizadores E. Nhalevioo & M. Tsambe. Editora Educar. Maputo

Nhalevilo, E. (2021): Uma reflexao sobre o papel da Universidade Pedagogica face aos desafios socio economicicos. In Aulas inaugurais da Universidade Pedagogica. Organizacao S. Duarte. Editora Educar Maputo.

Nhalevilo, E. (2019): Viewing curriculum as possibilities for freedom: An Ndo’kodo of my research path. In Research as Transformative learning for sustainable futures. Peter Charles Taylor e Bal Chandra Luitel (Editores). Brill/Sense Publishers

Nhalevilo, E. (2017): Cultural Issues in Teacher Education: From Multicultural Context to Inter/Cultural Journeys. In Linking Research and Training in Internationalization of Teacher Education with the PEERS Program: Issues, Case Studies, and Perspectives. Jean-Luc Gilles (Ed).Peter Lang. Switzerland. ISBN: 9783034329798