Category Archives: MODULE 3

http://bneart.com/ima-talk-brett-leavy/

M3-P1 Virtual Songline + Virtual Warrane – Virtual Time Traveling with Indigenous Australians

 

“It’s about really immersing people in the culture. We want to gain better respect, understanding, knowledge about our mob. And I just think this medium is the best” (Leavy, B quoted in https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/preserving-indigenous-culture-through-vr-brett-leavys-virtual-songlines/”

Brett Leavy is an Indigenous software programmer and virtual historian descending from the Kooma people of Queensland, Australia. Leavy and his team (made up of non-Indigenous and Indigenous developers) have created two gaming platforms Virtual Songline and Virtual Warrane, which transport the gamer to an Australia before the arrival of European settlers. A topographical map of Queensland and Sydney Harbour is pinged with dots and locations of various Indigenous groups and once you choose a location, you are immediately walking along the Brisbane River as an “avatar of an Indigenous Australian and [you can] move that avatar through a virtual space that replicates the Australia of the past” (Edgar, 2018).

Leavy wanted to recreate the past, and calls himself a virtual time traveler. The gaming platform “allows viewers to walk on pristine land among Aboriginal people, discover their architecture, see the boats the men rowed and hunted from, watch women collect food, view the precise ochre patterns on dancers. Using archaeological, historical research, Leavy and his team recreate the past” (Edgar, 2018).

My final paper will be contending Howe’s (1998) dimensions of tribalism in regards to online spaces. He contends that there is no real long term shared history and no land in cyberspace. Leavy and his team literally recreate the land of the past and “strives to ensure [the] application represent First Nations people as the original inventors, knowledge keepers and innovators in sustainable land use so users can gain a greater understanding of our connection to our land & cultural heritage” (Leavy, Virtual Songline).

Below is a youtube clip of the game itself.

      Further links and articles

References

Edgar, R. (2018, October 12). Virtual reality technology that really changes the game. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/virtual-reality-technology-that-really-changes-the-game-20181005-h16ab8.html

M3 Entry 2: FNESC Resources

A lot of you may be familiar with the First Peoples Principles of Learning by FNESC. As I was brainstorming lesson plan ideas for my Indigenous STEM project, I decided to explore the FNESC website further to look for additional resources and I am glad I did because I found multiple great resources useful for various educational settings and goals! Here is the website if anyone else would like to explore: http://www.fnesc.ca/.

The Science First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide (Secondary) provides detailed guidelines on what Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous science are, how to involve Indigenous communities, instructions on using narratives in a classroom, assessment suggestions, and sample activities. I am including 3 specific resources from the FNESC website that I will be including in my project but there are many more resources like Truth and Reconciliation teacher guide and information on Residential Schools. This is a website I will definitely visit more often in the future.

 

References

FNESC. Authentic First Peoples Resources. http://www.fnesc.ca/authenticresources/

FNESC. First Peoples Principles of Learning.  http://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

FNESC. Science First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide (Secondary). http://www.fnesc.ca/sciencetrg/

Module 3 Post 5: Flowers in the garden

I’m excited to share this resource about Indigenization from the University of Saskatchewan. The Elders’ from the university have insightful messages for the students. They talk about respect towards one another, human kindness, honesty, trust, openness, equality, relating to others, self-examination, and so on. What particularly stood out to me was the analogy they gave about the flowers in the garden. The flowers in the garden are all different from each other, but they are all beautiful and they all get along. They are all special in their own way. Students can be thought of as flowers – each student is different. Each student brings with them their own culture. And just like flowers, each student is beautiful and it’s important for them to all get along. The Elders’ also explained the value of a teachers job – it is a great gift to be able to share knowledge and to help future generations.

I value hearing the perspectives of Indigenous peoples regarding Indigenization. Learning what is important to them and what they value helps me feel more comfortable contributing meaningfully to Indigenization efforts as a non-Indigenous educator.

Reference:

University of Saskatchewan. (n.d.). Indigenization. Teaching and Learning. https://teaching.usask.ca/curriculum/indigenization.php#EldersMessage

Indigenous Epistemologies and Pedagogies

Module 3 – Entry 1

Tyler Ohashi

Refining my search to look more closely at Indigenous knowledge systems, specifically how knowledge is created and taught and what type of pedagogies are used, I came across the BC Open Textbook Project. On their website, I found a book called, “Pulling Together: A Guide for Indigenization of Post-Secondary Institutions.”

Cover image for Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers

One chapter, “Indigenous Epistemologies and Pedagogies” stood out to me because it highlights some of the very things I am looking to understand better. This chapter sheds light on key Indigenous epistemologies such as relationality, the interconnection between sacred and secular, and holism. There is also a section on Indigenous pedagogies with information on personal and holistic learning, experiential, place-based learning, intergenerational practices.

I find the information on this website closely related to my revised research question where I will be looking at how to integrate Indigenous ways of learning into Western education in a manner that will benefit all students. 

As a final note, I like how this website has some activities with vetted resources to facilitate further investigation. One activity that I see as useful is looking at First Peoples Principles of Learning are used by different Indigenous cultures and how could these principles impact your own curriculum development/lessons.

Reference

Antoine, A.-na-hi, Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S., & Carmen Rodríguez María del. (2018). Curriculum developers: pulling together: a guide for indigenization of post-secondary institutions. BCcampus, BC Open Textbook Project. 

Module 3 – Post 1 – The Secret Path

 

Gord Downie’s The Secret Path is an animated film with music that visually describes Chanie Wenjack’s story escaping residential school. Chanie does not make it home as he dies while attempting to walk over 400 miles to his family. Depending on the students in your class, you could show this if you believe it to be suitable. From 2:38 – 46:12 this film can be shown all at once or in chapters depending on the age of the students and their ability to sit still. This film can show students the story and experience of one child who was forced into the residential school system. This film is even beneficial for adults who are unaware of what children faced during their time at residential schools. Lesson plans on The Secret Path film can help to engage students and teachers in Reconciliation.

This website has lesson plans for primary, intermediate, and high school students. For my classroom, I would use the two lesson plans (When We Are Alone and The Best Part of Me) as I usually teach Kindergarten and Grade 1. With these lessons, students do not have to watch the film if  you believe it would not be suitable for them, however, there are pictures that can be viewed instead or you could pause the film at any point to discuss what they see.

As well, in addition or even separate from watching the film, teachers could describe Chanie’s Life Journey through an interactive story map which describes who Chanie was, a short Heritage Minute of Chanie’s story by Historica Canada, an interactive map of where his home and school were, and clips from the The Secret Path film.

Additional information of The Secret Path can be found on this website.

MODULE 3 – ENTRY 3: How Indigenous Inequities Affect Childhood Development

“Indigenous peoples experience a disproportionate burden of ill health associated with the

socioeconomic context of their lives. Investing in quality early childhood development and care (ECDC)

programs for Indigenous children is critical to redressing these health imbalances (BCACCS, 2014).” –  (Halseth & Greenwood, 2019, p.5)

Public Domain photo by Balises

I feel the issue of health is the number concern, that needs to be dealt with first and foremost.  This online publication from the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health in Prince George, BC, which is situated on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, part of the Dakelh (Carrier) First Nations, touches on how the young Indigenous children still experience many health disparities like lack of nutritional foods, medicines, dental and health services. All of which can mostly be attributed to the socio-economic, environmental, political and historical conditions in which they live. High quality, holistic and culturally relevant care programs can provide a promising avenue for addressing these health disparities by optimizing Indigenous children’s physical, emotional, psychological, cognitive and spiritual development.  This would ultimately, give them the best start in life and it can  address health disparity issues consistently over the long-term. The problem that lies here is that there are a lack of these services for the Indigenous children living in the small communities that do not have the resources nor the capacity to initiate or maintain these programs. So how can we help eradicate these Indigenous inequities, is what this particular published journal inquires about.

Reference:

Halseth, R. & Greenwood, M. (2019). Indigenous early childhood development in Canada: Current state of knowledge and future directions. [Site]. 1-68. Retrieved June 19, 2021 from https://www.nccih.ca/docs/health/RPT-ECD-PHAC-Greenwood-Halseth-EN.pdf

 

 

 

 

M3 Entry 1: Weaving Ways

The Alberta Regional Consortia has some great recourses for infusing Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum. Here is their website: https://arpdc.ab.ca/.

In Weaving Ways by ARPDC (2018), it is explained that infusing Indigenous ways of knowing and engaging in practices of cultural appreciation is an essential step in designing learning that is intentional and culturally inclusive. Here is a diagram that simplifies the 4 main components of implementing Indigenous ways of knowing:

Here are guiding questions for each quadrant:

Cultures of Belonging

  1. How can we embrace the Indigenous idea of wholeness in the classroom to support greater belonging for all learners?
  2. How can I draw from the ways Indigenous peoples foster cultures of belonging to compliment the ways I create belonging in my classroom?

Instructional Design

  1. How might valuing Indigenous and other knowledge systems in our learning designs promote cultural appreciation and advance reconciliation
  2. In what way can Indigenous knowledge systems enhance how I design learning for my students?

Pedagogy

  1. How can the Indigenous idea of Two-Eyed Seeing, or Etuaptmumk, support a blended experience in my classroom that authentically respects and builds on the strengths of both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing and learning?
  2. What similarities does Indigenous pedagogy have to my own pedagogical beliefs and approaches?

Sharing Through Story

  1. How can we support deeper connection to learning outcomes for all students through storytelling
  2. Do my current teaching practices and approaches relate to sharing through story? Can I further incorporate this approach?

I think these questions are AWESOME and it provides detailed guidance on the development of my final project on Indigenous STEM and how Indigenous ways of knowing can be integrated.

 

References

Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia. (2018, October 9). Weaving ways: Indigenous ways of knowing in classrooms and schools. https://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Weaving-Ways-Introductory-Document-10-09.pdf

M3: P1 – Google Arts & Culture

This was a tough one for me to find, and in the end post. My first thought and search was for Google Expeditions, a Google app that offers virtual reality and augmented reality educational tours: well, I might say, “offered”. This app is going to be discontinued as of June 30, 2021 – next week! Turns out that much of what the app offered is moving over to Google Arts & Culture. Unfortunately, unlike Expeditions where students could use Google Cardboard and a mobile device to navigate through virtual worlds, Google Arts & Culture simply offers virtual tours. Regardless, some of the Google Arts & Culture tours offer an interesting means to teach and tell a story, and some are Indigenous. However, I do find it difficult to post this as these Indigenous stories and teachings are lumped together with arts & culture in an archival way, and not in a continuous, contemporary way that this knowledge should be displayed.

M3 Entry 2: Storytelling as a Foundation to Literacy Development for Aboriginal Children

McKeough, A., Bird, S., Tourigny, E., Romaine, A., Graham, S., Ottmann, J., & Jeary, J. (2008). Storytelling as a foundation to literacy development for Aboriginal children: Culturally and developmentally appropriate practices. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 49(2), 148–154. https://doi.org/10.1037/0708-5591.49.2.148

This article discusses the importance of oral narrative in Aboriginal children’s literacy instruction. It is argued that oral narrative or storytelling fits with Aboriginal epistemology. Storytelling is a traditional Aboriginal teaching tool and so it is familiar and culturally relevant to the children. McKeough et al. (2008) suggest that language leads to fundamental differences in our worldly perspectives, knowledge conceptualization, and our relationships and interactions with one another. The authors start off by describing Aboriginal ways of knowing, highlight research conducted in non-Aboriginal contexts, and link this to an ongoing study that is aimed at supporting early literacy development through a developmentally appropriate oral storytelling instructional program. I was surprised to find that many Indigenous languages are verb rather than noun-based compared to English. Such a big difference in language structure has the potential to create challenges for some First Nations children who don’t have a firm foundation in either their native language or English. It is suggested that coupling oral storytelling with the written form supports literacy development because when we recognize language patterns that correspond to the children’s experience with Indigenous oral narratives, we can start to remove gaps between community and classroom (McKeough et al., 2008). By focusing on oral storytelling instruction, there is a lesser cognitive demand placed on young literacy learners compared to written text (McKeough et al., 2008). So, working with oral stories is a precursor to working with written text. I think that I can certainly pull some ideas from this resource in writing my final paper.

M3 Entry 1: When Aboriginal and Metis Teachers use Storytelling as an Instructional Practice

“Storytelling was a social institution, an “oral university” that taught people young and old about being “human” (MacLean & Wason-Ellam, 2006, p.9).

Storytelling_As_An_Instructional_Practice (1)

This report contains valuable information about storytelling as an instructional practice. It is noted that sharing stories builds classroom community by creating a relationship between the storytellers and listeners (MacLean & Wason-Ellam, 2006). In the study conducted, the research team interviewed seven classroom teachers of First Nations or Metis ancestry, from two Saskatchewan school divisions, who use storytelling in their professional practice. The following research question was studied: How do First Nations or Metis teachers use storytelling to create a more culturally relevant and empowering learning environment?

An idea that piqued my interest from this report is that “storytelling is never the same twice, even when the same words are used, because the dialogical relationship is always shifting” (MacLean & Wason-Ellam, 2006, p.9). This idea urges me question the reliability of oral storytelling. So much meaning can be lost in translation as we move from generation to generation. I can see how digital storytelling practices could help preserve the original story.

MacLean, M., & Wason-Ellam, L. (2006). When Aboriginal and Métis teachers use storytelling as an instructional practice. Aboriginal Education Research Network.