Tag Archives: student success

Module 3 Weblog – Paige McClelland

Walking Together: First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum 

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/documents/indigenous_pedagogy/storytelling_as_a_foundation_to_literacy.pdf

  • This resource focuses on the important role that storytelling plays in literacy development amongst Aboriginal youth. The article also points out that language development, background knowledge, and phonemic awareness (p. 2) are only a small part of literacy development for youth. The article reminds me of the importance that social and cultural development play in early education, as outlined by Vygotsky, yet in this article there is an emphasis on using resources that also align with the spiritual realities of Aboriginal learners. To ignore this is to ignore the “process of becoming aware of the entwined interconnected relationships of all life and one’s role in creation” (p. 4). After reading this article, I’m interested in exploring storytelling programs that have been implemented in Canada, their effectiveness, and how a spiritual aspect has been incorporated into programming.

 

2009 The State of Aboriginal Learning in Canada: A Holistic Approach to Measuring Success 

http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education2/state_of_aboriginal_learning_in_canada-final_report,_ccl,_2009.pdf

  • I found this handout particularly interesting because it questions how we know what successful implementation of Aboriginal education looks and feels like. Throughout this ETEC course, I often wonder how many studies have actually been done on the success of programming that is targeted toward Aboriginal learners. While this is a preliminary report and definitely won’t give us all the answers, it was very helpful to view this guide as a holistic resource; I could begin to see how all of the interrelated parts (e.g., place-based learning, connectedness to others, etc.) work as a cohesive whole. I think that it provides a foundation in which we can begin to address the strengths and challenge of current programming in Canada, as well as address the important gaps in knowledge and understanding of how to support Indigenous learning.

 

A Handbook for Educators of Aboriginal Students 

https://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/Handbook_for_Educators_of_Aboriginal_Students39099.pdf

  • This is another longer resource, but I think it’s one that I will refer to time and time again because it provides practical strategies for educators who are teaching Indigenous students. As well, one section (beginning on page 40) addresses different kinds of Aboriginal people, reminding educators that there are in fact many different kinds of learners, and identifying as “Aboriginal” does not mean that all Aboriginal students will learn in the same way. In this section, the authors address the critical roles of cultural awareness, cultural identity, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity. I recommend looking at page 44 of this document to view strategies on how to implement these critical values in the classroom!

 

Redefining How Success is Measured in First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Learning 

http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education/5._2007_redefining_how_success_is_measured_en.pdf

  • Here is another resource that focuses on Aboriginal learning outcomes, this time with an emphasis on redefining outcomes for learning. In other articles I have viewed, the emphasis was on changing how to measure success, but I like the emphasis on redefining–it seems there needs to be more work that simply changing what has been done in the past. Instead of simply “adding on” components of Aboriginal learning, we must redefine what incorporating Indigenous learning and teaching actually looks like. This article offered another eye-opener for me because it pointed out how some of the “current” research that has been done on Indigenous learners’ success in the classroom can be misleading and not consider contextual factors, such as political or economical circumstances. It also pointed out how current data collection and other barriers for representing data may be skewing students’ representation of learning (p. 15). There are many knowledge and data gaps that need to be filled in order to collect telling data, but it was also a good reminder to keep a critical eye on any data that I come across, and not to accept anything at face value.

 

Mobile(izing) Educational Research: Historical Literacy, M-Learning, and Technopolitics 

http://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9085/7022

  • For the final project, I am really interested in m-learning, so I was pleased when I stumbled upon a resource that McGill put out about the intricacies of mobile learning for Indigenous populations. This article zones in on why mobile learning, different from other e-Learning platforms, could be “uniquely placed to support learning that is personalized, authentic, and situated” (n.p.). The emphasis on situated learning in the context of Aboriginal education seems to be one of the most significant features of mobile learning, I think because it can potentially situate personal and historical stories and experiences through one medium. Finally, the authors of this article argue that while m-Learning may not be a site for decolonization to necessarily occur, it can act as a springboard for deeper conversation. It “depends on how each user integrates the mobile app in their classroom space. We believe that the creative use of these devices in our classroom spaces has the rich possibility for facilitating complicated, personalized and situated conversations.” There is always careful consideration from the authors that the technology itself cannot mobilize decolonization or act as a site of deconstruction–that must be mobilized from outside.

Module 1 – Weblog – Tanya Walsh

As mentioned in my introductory post, I am interested in how educational institutions may create spaces and opportunities to honour the spirituality of individuals and communities. Therefore, I am interested in researching how Indigenous people incorporate spirituality into their own educational programs.

The following resources represent my first foray into cyberspace to find out what’s going on out there. (The sites found are listed in alphabetical order by author.)

  • Battiste, M. National Working Group on Education and the Minister of Indian Affairs, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. (2002, October 31). Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy in First Nations Education: A Literature Review with Recommendations. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada. http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education/24._2002_oct_marie_battiste_indigenousknowledgeandpedagogy_lit_review_for_min_working_group.pdf
    • This literature review discusses Indigenous knowledge and recommends an educational framework and steps to improve the educational outcomes of First Nations peoples. It admits that in calling itself a ‘literature review’ it is a attempt to describe Indigenous knowledge through a Eurocentric lens. However one must start somewhere, so this is a review of the existing literature on Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy which the author hopes will, in turn, inform educational reform.
    • Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, pedagogy in First Nations education, epistemology, learning processes, cognitive other

 

  • Bell, N. (2017).  Teaching by the medicine wheel: An Anishinaabe framework for Indigenous education. Canada Education. Retrieved from: http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/teaching-medicine-wheel
    • The Medicine Wheel is a symbol used by many Indigenous cultures to represent the importance of the interrelatedness of all things. In this article, Bell explains how the Medicine Wheel may be used as a guide along an educational journey. In fact, she describes how honouring the gifts of each of the four directions may lead us to different learning processes as we move from standard linear models to the spiraling concepts of (a) awareness (East) with the call to envision or ‘seeing it’, (b) understanding (South) with the call for interrelationship over time or to ‘relating to it’, (c) knowledge (West) with the call to reason or to ‘figuring it out’, and finally, (d) wisdom (North) with the call for movement or to ‘doing it’. Bell then goes on to describe how this pedagogy has been used in practice.
    • Keywords: aboriginal, curriculum, educational change, elementary school

 

  • Brandhagen, K. (2017, May 24). Book review. [Review of the book The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality, by Blair Stonechild. AdvanceSouthwest.com-Arts & Culture. Retrieved from http://www.advancesouthwest.com/knowledge-seeker-embracing-indigenous-spirituality/
    • This is a book review of “The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality” by Blair Stonechild. The review is helpful because Brandhagen describes its ties to education, specifically to the history of Stonechild’s experience and challenges faced in a post-secondary education environment. It also describes the ‘sacred activity’ of learning and how “creating a new First Nations education system was one of the ways to bring focus back to honouring First Nations culture, community, language, and spirituality after the residential schools had existed for generations for the sole purpose of destroying those very relationships” (Brandhagen, 2017, para. 4). The description of learning as a sacred activity is an important one, as it speaks to the impact of education on individuals and communities. Although written by a Canadian from a Canadian-Indigenous perspective, Stonechild has researched the spirituality of Indigenous cultures from around the world, giving it a relevance beyond our borders.
    • Keywords: Indigenous spirituality, education, oral knowledge, First Nations culture

 

  • McDougall, C. (2017, February 6). Shawane Dagosiwin: Faculty of Education to co-host national Indigenous education reseach forum. UM Today News. Retrieved from http://news.umanitoba.ca/faculty-of-education-to-co-host-national-%E2%80%A8indigenous-education-research-forum/
    • This is a brief announcement from the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba, indicating that they would be co-hosting the Aboriginal Education Research Forum and the Canadian Symposium on Indigenous Teacher Education. It took place April 24th and 25th, 2017. Of interest to me is that this year’s theme was Embedding Spiritual and Sustainable Wisdom in Education and Research as and Act of Reconciliation. The hope is that by honouring “the need to value Indigenous knowledge traditions…will ultimately positively impact educational outcomes” (McDougall, 2017, para. 3). It is my belief that by respecting students as whole beings with spiritual needs and perspectives will support them in achieving their educational goals.
    • Keywords: Shawane Dagosiwin, aboriginal education research, Indigenous education, spiritual wisdom, reconciliation

 

  • McDougall, C. (2017, April 26). Conference showcases spirituality in reconciliation. UM Today News. Retrieved from http://news.umanitoba.ca/conference-showcases-spirituality-in-reconciliation/
    • This is the follow-up story to the above announcement. It describes how the keynote speaker’s (Dr. Chantal Fiola’s) spiritual journey not only shaped her identity but also informed her research and teaching practice. She makes the astute comment, “Many people think that spirituality is important to education. It’s just that for several generations, it was a particular kind of religion that was taught” (McDougall, 2017, April 26, para. 4). This not only refers to the sad history of Canada’s residential school system but can also be said to refer to all parochial schools and colleges with religious affiliations. Therefore, the connection between religion and spirituality is not new, it is just now being allowed to be revived in certain communities. So she asks, “What actions are we taking in our classrooms, and in our school systems to make space for different spiritualties?” (McDougall,2017, April 26, para. 6). It is a good and relevant question.
    • Keywords: Shawane Dagosiwin, spirituality in reconciliation, spirituality in education

 

  • Stonechild, B. (2014, June 12). Bringing spiritual teachings into education. Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/blog/blair-stonechild/2014/06/4/bringing-spiritual-teachings-education
    • Stonechild has seen the full spectrum of aboriginal education in Canada, from being a residential school survivor to helping develop a First Nation-controlled post-secondary institution. In this article, he summaries his view on the importance of spirituality in education. He explains that aboriginal spirituality is about establishing a health relationship with all things, especially with one’s family, nation, and Nature itself. On this physical journey, learning is a sacred mission. Those who have lost touch with their spiritual roots may forget the importance of maintaining healthy interrelationships and so turn to substance abuse, crime and gang activities. Therefore, researching, writing and teaching about the principles of Aboriginal spirituality is very important at this time.
    • Keywords: aboriginal, educational change, equity, student success, transformation

 

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What has gone right?

Our readings over module one have demonstrated what has gone wrong in relation to indigeneity, technology and education. I wanted to seek out what has gone right and how one might replicate or improve on it.

The Future

btati

I loved the title of Ball’s (2007) paper, Indigenous Learners Online: The Future Isn’t What it Used to Be!The paper highlights some of the most common demands for online post-secondary education, common issues and successful practices. Many of the issues were familiar to what I hear at my current school as well as at the college I used to work at; issues of internet access, a desire to learn as a cohort, challenges of work, family and community responsibilities. It got me to thinking about some of the successes that I have heard about in my workplaces. At ADLC, we have many indigenous students learning in cohorts at the school with an online teacher who makes occasional visits. At Lethbridge College, there have been some creative (and highly successful) initiatives that included cohort learning and a combination of on campus and in community learning. For example, the Blood Tribe Agricultural Training Initiative, saw college instructors travel to the Blood reserve as well as students travelling in to the college for field trips. This initiative was so successful that 20 of the 22 participants completed in the allotted eight months and the remaining two plan to finish. The Early Childhood Education program also has a dual credit course that is running at reserve schools near Lethbridge. In the first year, college instructors taught the course online with the assistance of an onsite facilitator. During this time, they trained the facilitator to take on more responsibility. The second year, the on site facilitator managed the course with the occasional assistance of the college instructors.

Got Heart?

A project that I found within the above resource was invaluable. I am sure that many of you have already heard of the Project of Heart, but it was my first experience with it. It is a unique site that I would classify as a Community of Inquiry. The site is intended to be a journey for students seeking the truth of indigenous peoples in Canada. There are resources by and for teachers as well as resources by and for students. Among the most impressive is this video produced by a group of Grade 8 students. The site also contains maps, historical documents, other literature, testimonials and more.

Strategies, Programs and Practices

Beyond the Shadows: First Nation, Metis and Inuit Student Success is a comprehensive document emerging from the Canadian Teacher’s Federation (2013) President’s Forum on First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education. It explores seven major themes centered around facilitating indigenous student success and engaging indigenous communities.

themes

Themes in Beyond the Shadows retrieved from https://www.ctf-fce.ca/Research-Library/BeyondShadows_EN_Web.pdf

Instructional Design and Culture

McGloughlin and Oliver (2000)  raise the issue of culture in instructional design, noting that instructional design, like technology, is not neutral. The article discusses the possibility of culturally pluralistic design and suggests ten design principles for culturally inclusive instructional design. Although somewhat dated, this article addresses a very specific and relevant issue in online education.

References

Blood Tribe farming training program aims to cut unemployment. (2015, February 5). CBC News. Retrieved September 14, 2016, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/blood-tribe-farming-training-program-aims-to-cut-unemployment-1.2946131

Ball, P. (2007). Indigenous Learners Online: The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be! (Rep.). Retrieved from http://www.ecdip.org/docs/pdf/Ind Ed Conf paper 07.pdf

McLoughlin, C., & Oliver, R. (04/01/2000). Australian journal of educational technology: Designing learning environments for cultural inclusivity: A case study of indigenous online learning at tertiary level Australian Society for Educational Technology.

National Center for Truth and Reconciliation. (nd). Project of Heart. Retrieved from http://projectofheart.ca/filmsvideos/

Toulouse, P. R. (2013, August). Beyond the Shadows: First Nation, Metis and Inuit Student Success (Publication). Retrieved https://www.ctf-fce.ca/Research-Library/BeyondShadows_EN_Web.pdf