Tag Archives: knowledge

MODULE 3 WEBLOG

The following are resources (articles, videos, websites) on ideas and initiatives focused on Indigenous knowledge, learners and education:

Conestoga College. (2017, March 20). Indigenizing Post-Secondary Education [Video file].

This video explores the experiences of a few post-secondary Indigenous students, within their courses and on-campus supports. The students provide suggestions on going beyond a Euro-centric style of teaching and infusing Indigenous content and teaching methods into the education system, as well as ways to help build stronger relationships among Canadians.

Project of Heart. (n.d.). Project of Heart.

This is an “inquiry based, hands-on, collaborative, inter-generational activity” that helps students learn about the history of Aboriginal people in Canada, including the legacy of the residential school system. It is tailored to different grade levels, including post-secondary, but is not only tied to educational institutions: it can be used by anyone.

Province of BC. (2013, October 25). Changing Results for Young Readers: Laura Tait, First Peoples Principles of Learning [Video file].

This is a presentation by Laura Tait, an educator and administrator. She covers ideas such as Indigenous identity, pedagogy, reflective practice, relationships and understanding. Tait invites viewers to look at the world through an Indigenous lens. She shares some activities that teachers can use with their students and resources for their professional development.

Simon, J., Burton, K., Lockhart, E. (2014). Post-secondary distance education in a contemporary colonial context: Experiences of students in a rural First Nation in Canada. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 15(1).

This article shares some of the challenges of and opportunities through post-secondary online/distance education in rural and remote First Nation (Indigenous) communities in Canada. The Elsipogtog First Nation community in Nova Scotia is profiled. Student experiences using videoconferencing technology are shared.

University of British Columbia. (2017, February 17). Learning from Story [Video file].

This video is part of a non-credit massive open online course (MOOC), “Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education,” which focuses on strategies, teaching examples and resources supporting teaching and learning of Indigenous ways of knowing. The video focuses on the use of Indigenous storytelling and the benefits of utilizing it as a teaching strategy.

Indigenous Intellectual Property

  1. The first source I looked at for this module was UNESCO – Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future: a multimedia teacher education programme. I looked at the Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability lesson module. It has six activities to teach teachers about Indigenous knowledge, providing them with definitions and background information. This source also compares Indigenous education to the formal education system.
  2. The second source I looked at was called Word of Mouth. It is about Indigenous Knowledge from the peoples of Africa and how it is in danger of being lost: “Indigenous knowledge is local, mostly traditional knowledge covering medicine, agriculture, religion, rituals and many other spheres of every day life. It still plays a major role in many African countries today, is usually transmitted orally from one generation to the next and is therefore in danger of being forgotten. This section focuses on the exploration, research and recording of indigenous knowledge, and the improved access to it.” I found this to be a good source for my research paper as it talks about Indigenous peoples outside of Canada to help round out my paper. It also has many different articles and sources to access around Indigenous knowledge, the oral tradition, and using technology to preserve culture.
  3. The third source I looked at was an academic paper written by Jane Hunter from the University of Queensland titled The Role of Information Technologies in Indigenous Knowledge Management; “Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) are being established globally, but particularly in Australia, Africa, Latin America and Asia. The capture and preservation of Indigenous Knowledge is being used to revitalize endangered cultures, improve the economic independence and sustainability of Indigenous communities and to increase community-based involvement in planning and development.” This was a good source for me to look at because it directly relates to my research topic on the role technology can play in the preservation of Indigenous cultures. It talks about what has already been tried and how successful those strategies were.
  4. The fourth source I looked at is a brief article on how technology can help preserve language. One of the strategies that is discussed is digitizing stories to be read to children in Indigenous languages. So far they have some stories in four languages: Maliseet, Mi’kmaw, Ojibwe and Cree. There are multiple partners involved in this project and they believe that “part of the success of this is that the First Nations communities and elders are helping drive this, so they have ownership of it. I think one of the things that’s missed in the education system over the years is a lot of our First Nations communities and indigenous people weren’t part of the solution. They weren’t part of what goes on in designing curriculum” (Brent Tookenay, CEO of Seven Generations Education Institute.) http://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/shared-values/how-technology-and-education-can-help-preserve-aboriginal-languages
  5. The fifth source I looked at was called Cultural Survival. I specifically looked at an article about how computers and technology can be used to preserve language.

Christi Belcourt: Meeting the Artist -(Module 4-Post1)

https://youtu.be/8WL-RB78

https://youtu.be/JwNHNm9

In these two videos, Christi Belcourt explains her paintings, and the inspiration for them. It is evident that Christi’s work is driven by nature, and ecological issues regarding water, extinction of certain birds, and plants (along with their edibility and medicinal value). She refers to invaluable traditional knowledge. Christi explains how roots in one of her works represent connection to Mother Earth and her ancestors. My initial topic of inquiry is: ethnobotany through the Arts lens. Christi’s works are inspired by plants.

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

Module 1 / Post 4: Ways of Knowing

Ways of Knowing is the third chapter in From Knowledge to Action: Shaping the Future of Curriculum Development in Alberta. This chapter attempts to define Indigenous ways of knowing and the considerations that need to be made for its incorporation into curriculum. This is another good starting point for my research project looking at the epistemology of Indigenous knowledge. It lists some of the various ways of knowing such as ethno‐mathematics, Indigenous language learning, cross‐generational learning and the role of Elders, and place‐based education.

~Dan

Module 1 / Post 3: Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy in First Nations Education: A Literature Review with Recommendations is a great starting point for my research into Indigenous ways of knowing. This article looks at various definitions of Indigenous knowledge, its structure and diversity, and Indigenous learning processes. The author also makes recommendations for honouring Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy in education. The author also provides an annotated bibliography (along with web links) focused on Aboriginal education resources. Unfortunately, not all the links work.

~Dan

Module 1 / Post 1: Indigitization

Indigitization is a website designed to provide BC First Nations communities with a toolkit to assist in the digitization of First Nations knowledge. The toolkit aims to provide guidance for First Nations communities that wish to safeguard and preserve their information and resources for future generations to access. Much of the information in the toolkit is concerned with how to digitize and archive audio, video, maps, documents, and photographs, however one section does deal with research protocols to ensure that no research is conducted without approval from the Elders Group.

I found it interesting that I was unable to find any reference to how technology impacts First Nations knowledge. It seemed to me that, in the absence of any mention of how digitization can alter the epistemology of First Nations knowledge, the creators of the toolkit view technology to be culturally neutral. It’s still early, but I think the epistemology of First Nations knowledge will most likely be the focus of my research project.

~Dan