Indigeneity, Technology and Education
In this three part series, the Washington post investigates the true cost of our high tech devices. Specifically, the authors,
I think that this is a very important aspect of module 4’s conversation because it places the usage or reclamation of Indigenous constructed media side-by-side with the origins of these tools. In other words, can something both promote decolonization and colonization.
Here are the links to the three articles:
I included a couple of these with my research interest statement, but I wanted to include them here as well, as they may be helpful to others.
This article touches on the learning needs of Indigenous students in rural First Nations communities in Alberta. The article provides details about Indigenous learning needs, and emphasizes the students’ need for human interaction.
2. Mobile Learning and Indigenous Education in Canada: A Synthesis of New Ways of Learning
This article discusses how wireless technology is revolutionizing E-learning and identifies known gaps in M-learning and its application to remote indigenous communities in Canada. The article discusses the potential for M-learning to make E-learning more accessible, and, as well, how they have the potential to increase cultural empowerment. According to the article, in 2013, 73.4% of the international online population was accessed from a mobile phone. Also addressed is the suspicion that still exists in some rural communities about mobile technologies.
This book is an amazing resource for understanding mobile technology use in Indigenous communities. The book was just published in 2015, so it’s current, and the whole book is available online through the UBC Library – and this is why I have included it in the Weblog.
The book discusses how mobile technologies are being embraced by Indigenous communities and how they are helping to bring these communities out of isolation and fostering an environment of learning and sharing knowledge. Some of the topics the book covers are:
– Self-determination through mobile technologies
– Podcasts
– Language Revitalization
– Health
4. Digital Technology Adoption in Northern and Remote Indigenous Communities in Canada
This article discusses the adoption of digital technology in remote and northern First Nations and Inuit communities. The article discusses how Indigenous communities use the Web, including how they use Facebook for job postings and local news. As well, the article touches on issues of affordability around mobile data and Internet access.
This article covers similar topics to the previous article, however, an interesting topic mentioned in this article is the popularity of iPods in Indigenous communities. This is likely because of the challenges with cellular and data networks, as the iPod is affordable and usable in the existing Wi-Fi networks. Also, the article discusses digital training in Artic communities, rather than non-indigenous technicians producing content for these communities. The article discusses the enhanced self-worth that will result in Indigenous communities developing their own content.
6. Think Indigenous (Podcast)
I wanted to include this as an extra resource. I haven’t had the chance to listen to the podcast yet, but the podcast description is:
“Think Indigenous is a podcast that highlights its yearly conference keynotes & “Red Talk” presentations sharing best practices, innovation and delivery models of Indigenous education”
This podcast was just released on Oct. 10, so it’s brand new. Although it seemingly will only be updated once a year, at present there are 17 episodes available.