Author Archives: PaulaZubkowski

Module 4 – Post 5

Loose Parts and Indigenous Perspectives

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-we-play-look-loose-parts-indigenous-perspectives-calum-waldegrave?trk=public_profile_article_view

Loose Parts Play

https://www.gowriensw.com.au/thought-leadership/loose-parts-play

Sustainability is a huge part of Indigenous culture and many communities focus on only using the materials you need. Even when I go to Indigenous feasts we are always asked to bring our own dishes. I think this is a practice that would be vital for many school communities to adopt. I believe this is valuable because many times when we have students building projects in our classrooms it leads to many wasteful materials. Imagine if students and all teachers considered their impact on Mother Earth. I think loose parts play is a way for students to design with purpose in a makerspace. It is a great way for all people be considerate of the materials we use. Many loose parts play also incorporates material from the outdoors. Students can consider micro habits and look at how they can reuse materials for additional projects.

Loose Parts play is a beneficial way to bring land-based learning into the classroom/makerspace.

Module 4 – Post 4

Art Installation – Witness Blanket & Faceless Dolls

This statement is shared on the Witness Blanket site, “The Witness Blanket is a large-scale work of art inspired by a woven blanket.” These projects share stories of residential school survivors. It also shows how sites and digital platforms can be designed and created to allow authentic voices of Indigenous Peoples be shared in a purposeful way. This resources is important because it shares stories of our past and connects people to understanding the hardships and horrendous treatment of Indigenous families. It builds empathy.

Another eye opening project that involves meaningful connection to stories is the “Faceless Doll Project.” This is important as it can become a purposeful maker project. https://www.nwac.ca/assets-knowledge-centre/2012_Building_on_the_Legacy_of_NWAC_Faceless_Doll_Project.pdf

This was designed to talk about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Both of these projects can be used to speak about how making can be a way to share stories and to tell others about the histories of Canada.

I think these are both intentional projects that students could learn about within their classrooms. It also provides teachers with a deeper understanding of the impacts of colonization.

Module 4 – Post 3

The University of Calgary has created an incredible library of resources that can enhance everyone’s classroom. This resource is valuable to my project as it shares a variety of books that relate to making and decolonizing classrooms. There is an additional area that focuses on digital storytelling. These resources have been vetted and compiled by the Indigenous Education department at Werklund School of Education. I have been fortunate to work with this team to help create video projects to help new graduates find places and spaces on campus that share Indigenous artwork or areas to connect to Indigenous culture. As mentioned on their site, “Decolonized education seeks to reconcile contemporary education with the past and with the peoples’ present ensuring that the ideological and self-interests within Eurocentric education are not imposed on Indigenous peoples and they build their own present with their own agency and power” (Battiste, 2013, p. 26). These are aspects we will be reflected about within our project.

If you are an educator and have not reviewed these resources I highly recommend it as this will enhance your resource collection and knowledge moving forward. Enjoy exploring.

https://werklund.ucalgary.ca/teaching-learning/indigenous-education-resources

Module 4 – Post 2

https://luclalande.medium.com/ac-makerspace-and-indigenous-learning-b2106c526e06

I appreciate this article as it makes you reflect on how the maker movement is connected to the land, water and air. How can we use this to look and help with real world issues happening around the globe but especially in Indigenous communities. Another resource that provides so much learning opportunity where students can think look learn, ask questions, find a problem, prototype, and design. Here is a write up about water protectors. https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/Who-Are-the-Water-Protectors .This provides a provocation for students to design and to become involved in a movement of change! Other water resources to support the maker movement.

Here is an ArcGIS Storymap to share more information about, “Our Water Connection.” https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/20bae302e0b2472594bc64663a8da7fc

This resource allows students to design and make their own stories about the land. https://k12.esri.ca/

When considering the maker movement we need to remember the importance of knowing the importance of where we are from. These interactive digital tools help share a story while connecting to digital maps and storytelling.

Module 4 – Post 1

https://www.createtolearn.ca/

This website Create to Learn is a stunning representation of how the maker mindset is infused in Indigenous cultures. It displays numerous artistic and holistic practices. I appreciate this site as it shares an abundance of resources that can be used in education.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0578867311/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=0578867311&linkCode=as2&tag=reference03c-20&linkId=cb76f8ead885da7545744973db1c03bd

The Create to Learn book was previously handed out through TakingITGlobal. Here is the description of the book that you can purchase on Amazon:

“TakingITGlobal’s Create to Learn program has collaborated with more than 50 First Nations, Métis and Inuit creatives to support digital skill-building and traditional knowledge for young people. Our online connection of hundreds of free training videos has attracted more than 100,000 views, and this print resource brings some of these diverse tutorials to life on paper! From digital skills like podcasting, videography, and making music to cultural teachings such as moccasin making and fish skin tanning – this collection of lessons will boost your knowledge in a variety of areas.”

This book was created with the voices of Indigenous Peoples. It has valuable insight that provides educators with the confidence to lead and teach the lessons shared in this book. Throughout this class however we have read so many articles about authentic voices and ensuring that the stories are allowed to be shared. I wonder if the lessons shared here are okay to share or if they would be better shared by bringing in Elders or Knowledge Keepers. In my summer course whenever we use hide to make medicine pouches or mini moccasins we always invite an Indigenous Elder or Knowledge Keeper to share their stories or experiences. It feels more respectful and authentic to have their voices shared. I find this has been something I continue to reflect about. Inviting people into our classrooms needs to be thoughtful and done with proper protocols as mentioned in the resource from the Alberta Teachers Association called Stepping Stones. https://legacy.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/For%20Members/ProfessionalDevelopment/Walking%20Together/PD-WT-16g%20-%20Elder%20Protocol.pdf

When I find valuable resources like Create to Learn I want to ensure I consider the purpose of the resource and that I use it thoughtfully.

Module 3 – Post 5

IndigeSTEAM

This program is an Indigenous led program that is culturally significant to Indigenous Youth. It uses the http://www.integrativescience.ca/Principles/TwoEyedSeeing/ principles to guide STEAM practice. It’s an organization that is providing an inclusive environment around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Agriculture and Mathematics).

There focus looks at three different ways to engage youth. These are: Power to Choose, Pathways for Choice, and Partnership with the Community. When exploring this resource it makes me wonder what aspects could we integrate into a MAKERspace? Is this culturally relevant for settlers to use these projects to engage other students. I think everyone would need to be mindful of what should be shared with other students.

I think schools could use many of the same philosophies of providing choice, helping Indigenous youth or other cultures share their expertise in disciplines or projects that may not exist in regular school subjects and inviting community members such as Elders to provide their voice and knowledge to a project.

When we consider STEAM I think it is important to recognize the materials we use are land-based and that innovative ideas have been used by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years.

If you are looking to more learn visit https://www.indigesteam.ca/

Module 3 – Post 4

USAY AR & VR Experiences

How can we use immersive experiences to learn from the land? This interactive tool on Treaty 7 land provides visitors with the opportunity to embrace our past. This valuable resource from USAY is something that students can begin to see the relevance of how digital tools can be empowering. USAY stands for Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth. These storytelling experiences are designed and shared by Indigenous youth. The best aspect of these tours is that they are local and Indigenous youth designed the experiences with Knowledge Keepers and Elders. This also ensures the authentic voices of community members were used. Every experience always has the opportunity to engage more community members so these experiences are a starting point to educate others on Treaty 7 land.

I find these resources valuable because it provides everyday settlers with the information of the stories of the land but it also provides Indigenous community members with the information to reconnect to the histories and past they have lost.

This tool would be a wonderful provocation to encourage students to share their own stories or background through VR. Students can use their own phones or devices to use applications like Google Street View with Google Sites to design their own engaging story to share with others.

I have explored these different IndigiTRAILS with Elders and the their responses have always been positive and uplighting when they experience the Indigitrails. Technology can be a tool used to bridge our past with our present day stories.

Module 3 – Post 3

Minecraft Education

Minecraft Education has evolved to become more inclusive. One storytelling feature that has become known is the Indigenous world where it can be cloned to share oral storytelling. This world did made me reflect on whether this is a world students should contribute too or should they just navigate the worlds with the understanding of being culturally appropriate. Here is the world that students can access: Minecraft Education https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/challenges/indigenous-stories

Another world that has been designed is https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/lessons/manito-ahbee-aki “The Manito Ahbee Aki” this world is about the Anishinaabe culture. This world was in collaboration with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous Educators, and Minecraft Education. After our research and knowledge we have gained in this class I do question whether students should share stories of Indigenous Peoples. I often wonder is it their story to tell? How can students use these worlds in a meaningful manner? I think it can provide an inclusive lens for Indigenous students to see themselves in a Minecraft world being represented. Here are three co-taught lessons to understand how to navigate these worlds. Minecraft is a digital platform that can transform digital storytelling or provide a maker activity for students. This tool can be accessed using chromebooks. This digital platform does provide a more equal opportunity for student learners.

Module 3 – Post 2

Digital Stories

This resource is valuable to show how digital stories can be impactful for student learning https://www.metisvoices.ca/the-stories .These stories were designed to make students and teachers critically think about Métis history.

When you listen to the different Indigenous storytellers https://www.metisvoices.ca/story-1 they make you reflect and connect to their past stories. The first story is from Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt who shares her personal journey to understanding her past. What helps to make this more insightful is how these digital stories ask questions to make viewers reflect: “We invite you to watch the following digital story twice; once for first reactions and again to gain insight.’ They also are designed and recorded with authentic voices.

This resource shows the importance of designing intentional stories with guiding questions. When students are given the opportunity digital storytelling can provide all students with the ability to amplify their voices. This multimodal communication constructs learning experiences in a purposeful way. Besides this being a relevant resource for my final project it is also important to share for Métis week.

Here is an additional way to create digital stories.

https://earth.google.com/web/@51.03862464,-114.05595265,1046.87123966a,2847.78175514d,35y,119.82206914h,0t,0r/data=CjASLhIgYjU0YWFhNDI2ZTRhMTFlOGFjYjM0ZGJhNDk1NmM3YjQiCnZveV9zcGxhc2g

Module 3 – Post 1

https://pinnguaq.com/learn/

This organization is in Northern Canada. There mission, “is to work alongside rural, remote, Indigenous and other communities, to support the development of STEAM skills through innovative technology, art and play.” This interactive website provides maker activities to engage students and teachers in traditional knowledge. I found this to be a valuable resource as it gives teachers the confidence and time to use STEAM lessons that focus on Indigenous content. These resources are designed and built with community members to ensure their are authentic voices for the lessons that are shared.

Within, their site is information about makerspaces, lessons, podcasts, and additional resources. Makerspaces is a key element of “Pinnguaq” it allows all students to engage and to participate. It has multiple entry points to allow every student to interact within the space and activities involved. Coding, robotics, AI, VR, AR, digital storytelling, textiles are just some of the lessons that are mentioned throughout the site.

Another aspect that makes this an informative resource is because it has a magazine & Newsletter called, “Roots and Stem.” It’s a free subscription. This gives you additional lessons, content, and meaningful resources for STEM education.

Root & STEM

On their site I was able to try their firefly micro:bit challenge where it focused on biomimicry and how the micro:bit can interact like nature. This was a great lesson as it connects to the land but also teaches coding skills. Other lessons you could immerse yourself into is the AR Wilfred Buck lesson. This is a digitally enhanced lesson shares stories of the sky from Wilfrid Buck. Check out other samples of STEAM lessons in the Fall Root and Stem newsletter:

https://pinnguaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/root-stem-fall-2021-digital-final.pdf