I have been spending some time researching different materials that are aimed at bringing Aboriginal knowledge and history into the classroom.

There are a lot of resources out there and I becoming surprised by the number of them that are developed by educators who are attempting to reach their Aboriginal students through relevant content or promote cross-cultural understanding among their students.

This site is simply a blog article which provides links to a complete First Nations Identities Course.  An overview of this course can be found here.  Feel free to browse these great resources which are all in printable pdf form.

• Ojibwe language handouts and games
• More Ojibwe stuff
• nish bingo
• Syllabics
• More handouts!
• The Great Indian Bus Tour of Toronto: student version
• Final project/summative

There is a lot of material here and would be very useful for any teacher looking for quality Aboriginal Identity focused materials for the classroom.

First Nations Pedagogy

for Online Learning

http://firstnationspedagogy.com/portfolio.html

This is a efolio site for June Kaminski, BSN MSN PhD. June is currently a PhD Candidate in Curriculum Studies and Technology Education at the University of British Columbia. She is also a Metis

The site is built to raise awareness of First Nations pedagogy – the ways knowing, learning, and teaching inherent to the traditional methods of aboriginal education.

I was fascinated by the learning theories of this site. The resources lead me to exploring the pedagogy of the First nations. Although not completed it does offer a list of theories that I will explore more deeply. This site got me thinking about learning theories and how some Western theories, mainly constructivism is very similar to First Nation learning Theories. This site will prove useful for my paper.

It connects well with our reading in Module 3 Education Indigenous to Place: Western Science Meets Native Reality

In researching aboriginal science and technology education I have found a variety of resources that have been very enlightening.  One of the most interesting is a book that assembles a number of research articles and reflections on the subject of First Nations education in Canada

The Circle Unfolds takes a critical look at First Nations education form a science and technology perspective.  It provides an accurate history of Aboriginal education in Canada and reflects on how best to restructure and transform Aboriginal education in terms of learning processes and teaching.

Some of the articles deal with specific issues related to some of the research proposals we have written such as “Non-Native Teachers Teaching in Native Communities” by Taylor “A Major Challenge for the Education System: Aboriginal Retention and Dropout” by Mackay and Myles and “Redefining Science education for Aboriginal Students” by MacIvor.

The collection is both broad and deep providing a great overview of many of the challanges First Nations Education has had in the past and explores how it might change in the future.

Most of the book is freely available through Google Books so I suggest checking out the contents to see if there is anything useful for your own research.

First Nations Technology Council

Description & Relevance

This site outlines the Mission, Mandate, Goals and the organizational  structure  of the  British Columbia First Nations Technology Council. The relevance of this organization and supporting partnerships to our focus in Module 1 of ETEC 521 is significant, pasrticularly when considering the mission “supporting the full integration of technologies to improve the quality of life for l First Nations in BC,” progressive goals, and support for technology integration which highlight the values of the First Nations Technology Council. In the first module we are asking ‘big questions’ about the paradoxes between indigeneity and technology. When exploring the ambitious and benevolent efforts of this council it seems as if the potential negatives and consequences of technology integration into first nations communities are not at issue. Regardless, the site itself is excellent and contains many links to partners and associated sites that explore the use of and connections between First Nations, technlogy, and education.

Links and Features

There are too many links to list but here are some that have strong connections to our course of study

•  From the Community Applications page is a link to a documentary titled “Cedar and Silicon” which explores the process of bringing technology to a First Nations community.
• The Youth Cafe page links to a number of related sites as well as a Film Festival in part supported by the First Nations Technology Council.[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsYbvXZerTY&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

Address: http://www.fntc.info/

Native Education College

The Native Education College is BC’s largest private Aboriginal College. It NEC provides a culturally appropriate and supportive learning environment for Aboriginal learners.

Resources available:

• Aboriginal Adult Basic Education (AABE) / BC Adult Graduation Diploma (Grade 12)
  • The program recognizes the unique history and culture of Aboriginal people.  Students focus on achieving their academic and employment goals while learning and sharing their cultural knowledge and skills. Courses are developed and taught from a First Nations’ cultural perspective.
• Applied Business Technology Program:
  • provides essential computer, communication and business skills in the field of office administration. In addition to classroom knowledge, students gain first-hand experience in office environments, through industry support, work experience, guest speakers and field trips.
• College Connections Program
  • prepares students who have completed their Grade 12 graduation requirements, or are in the process of completing, to succeed at a college level.  All courses emphasize study skill development and college level academic skills. Students choose College Connections because they want to increase their self-confidence and ensure they have the right academic foundations
• Aboriginal Basic Early Childhood Education
  • ECE students explore child development, the role of the professional early childhood educator, create early education curricula, practices, and stimulating learning environments for young children.   

Links to other sites:

• The site offers a variety of “partners” in education: companies and institutions that participate in the programs. For example:
  • Aboriginal Tourism BC
  • ACCESS: Building Futures Today

Usefulness for research on Indigenous knowledge, media, and community reality:

NEC offers a variety of programs and services to Aboriginal learners throughout the province who attend the Longhouse located in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver. NEC also works with Aboriginal organizations to deliver programs in other locations throughout British Columbia. NEC focuses on meeting the needs of Aboriginal adult students requiring developmental, vocational, and applied academic programs that provide access to employment or further post-secondary education.

Adress: http://www.necvancouver.org/