Tag Archives: indigenous epistemology

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. 

M.1-P.5 Article-Culturally Responsive Schooling for Indigenous Youth: A Review of the Literature

M.1- P.5

I came across this article in a previous class and found myself revisiting it for this course. Castagno & Brayboy (2008) claim that Indigenous epistemology is left out of the traditional school framework. Indigenous students learn by seeing “the big picture and its meaning rather than the smaller parts that make up the whole” (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008, p.951). Schools break up this ‘whole’ by dividing students into classroom, disciplines, and often focus on student centred approaches and neglect that Indigenous knowledge focuses on community. To consider the socially responsible schooling for Indigenous youth that Castagno & Brayboy (2008) discuss, learning styles should be “hands-on, connect to real-life, [offer] direct experience, participation … be reflective [and] collaborative” (p.954). I am interested on HOW technology can mimic this type of existence.

 

Reference

Castagno, A. E., & Brayboy, B. M. J. (2008). Culturally responsive schooling for Indigenous

               youth: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 941-993.

               https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0034654308323036