Tag Archives: Indigenous

Indigenous Youth Screen and Digital Media

I found this link while researching for my digital storytelling paper. imagineNATIVE “presents new and innovative film, video, audio, and digital media works.” (from the imagineNATIVE mandate) They promote Indigenous artwork by exhibiting works, offering workshops or networking opportunities, having community screenings and many other events to support and promote Indigenous art.

The youth screen media section caught my eye because of what each artist is expressing through the use of digital media.

http://www.imaginenative.org/home/node/2768

To view the actual artwork scroll down and click the hyperlinks at the bottom of the page.

Module 4: Post 5- Experiential Learning with the Help of Technology

This article on Ed-Tech Review provides more excellent insight into how to deploy modern technology for the purposes of the most ancient form of learning: experiential learning. As discussed in an earlier post, experiential learning is a key component in the Indigenous educational model, this information will be vital in providing educators with practical techniques to blend modern technologies with ancient indigenous educational practices. This article focuses on some unique strategies however such as sensory input technology, and asset creation.

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/776-tips-for-teachers-experiential-learning-with-the-help-of-technology

Module 4: Post 4-User Generated Education

This website is resource that links the world of emotional intelligence and technology. The author uses the term “learner agency” as “the capability of individual human beings to make choices and act on these choices in a way that makes a difference in their lives”.

A direct connection can be found between self-directed learning, learner agency, and emotional intelligence. The discussion focuses on leveraging technology to enable, elicit, and encourage learner agency. This is of interest as I am working to present ways to doing just this in my essay, as a way of linking the Indigenous Education model to modern technological practices.

https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/learner-agency-technology-and-emotional-intelligence/

Module 4: Post 3- CAST

CAST is a non-profit organization that a leader in developing a universal design for learning, rooted deeply in learning sciences. The case studies located on this website provide several examples of how traits of the Indigenous educational model are found in success stories involving difficult to reach students, and incarcerated youth. CAST provides support to the notion that formal education is not for all, and a movement towards adopting Indigenous techniques would benefit many mainstream learners. This is a platform of my research paper.

http://www.cast.org/

Module 4: Post 2- Technology for Experiential Learning

This resource offered via the Gwenna Moss Institute through the University of Saskatchewan offers insight into technology being developed for the purposes of experiential learning. As experiential learning is a key component in the Indigenous educational model, this information will be vital in providing educators with practical techniques to blend modern technologies with ancient indigenous educational practices.

http://www.usask.ca/gmcte/resources/teaching/strategies_experiential/using-technology-experiential-learning

Module 4 Post 5 – Indigenous Foundations

My last post (Module 4 Post 4) drew attention to the project “What I learned in class today“, because of my particular interest with the topic, but upon further exploration I found this project’s mother-site, “Indigenous Foundations“. The site describes itself as: a website project developed by the First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program. It provides an accessible starting point for instructors, researchers, and students in any discipline who want to learn more about Aboriginal cultures, politics, and histories. The information presented is concise and easily digestible, while still conveying the depth and complexities of the topics.”

On the left taskbar for the site is a run-down of past research initiatives, including “What I learned in class today”, and their current project called “Knowing the Land Beneath our Feet“. A short video made by the two coordinators provides the introduction to the project, which is about making the ‘unfamiliar’ land on which UBC resides (un-ceded Musqueam territory) once again ‘familiar’ to those who travel on it. At the moment they provide walking informational tours, but the website also says that the program plans on making a digital tour as well, which I am particularly happy to hear as I’m across the country!

When I went on a search to see if there are similar tours in Southern Ontario, the closest result I found was at the Woodland Cultural Centre, which is in Brantford and serves three support communities: Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Six Nations of the Grand River and Wahta Mohawks. They offer a wide range of activities for elementary grades, but I would easily take a grade 9 or 10 class on some of the workshops labeled 6+. I’m glad to have found a potential resource for future school trips, but at least I know now that searching and finding these kinds of centres nearby is more possible than I would have previously thought.

Module 4.2 Indigenous Science Education

This video highlights the Indigenous Science Education Program put together by Macquarie University. The goal is to engage Indigenous students through science by providing positive role models. The program is part of the science curriculum at Maclean High School. The program was started at the request of local elders as they were noticing an increase in high school drop-outs by grade 12. Uncle Ron (an elder in the program) comments, “There was an outcry from a lot of the Aboriginal people. They weren’t getting a fair go at school. The white system was only meant for all the white people so we decided to do a system that was meant for both you know?” The program recognizes and respects Indigenous culture. Andrew Ford, a science teacher in the program mentions how the elders are the driving force and that the elders give a lot of the verbal knowledge while he gives that scientific back up. He also states: “but the elders basically drive what we do out here on the field. This is their country, this is their knowledge”.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3576726.htm

Building Emotional Capital (Module 3: Post 4)

This webpage serves as a guide to students and teachers alike in how to overcome challenges and adversity, to stay in control even when events go off track, to reach out for new opportunities and experiences even against all the odds. The author coins the term “emotional capital” as having the ability to develop your inner resources to charter a route through any future tough times, and examines tactics to build emotional capital. Although not directly linked to technology, the strategies outlined in the article to building emotional capital have value when designing tech-practices aimed at increasing emotional intelligence in learners.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resiliency-emotional-capital-young-people-jay-baughan

Wearable Tech/Immersive Learning (Module 3-Post 3)

Immersing oneself in an educational experience is common theme in Indigenous education. As discussed in post 1, technology has the ability to make this a reality when the necessary “experiences” are not readily available to the educator. Emerging wearable technology is seen as the technological bridge that could bridge human experience to simulated location. My research in making technology more emotionally sound, has resulted identifying technology that not only reacts to our emotions, but keeps us more in touch with our emotions. This webpage explores various wearable technology that simulates human touch (haptics), and augmented reality to create authentic educational experiences. These experiences align with the Indigenous vision of education, with the assistance of technology for the 21^st century learner.

http://www.edudemic.com/wearable-tech-mean-classroom/