1. Indigenous Culture and the Western Concept of Development

http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=74

 This site reflects an article written by Imran Sabir which gives an insight into the Indigenous and the Western cultural concepts of development. The article first clearly explains the meaning of the key terms development and culture. It further suggested how development and culture would be defined by the Indigenous and westehe articles also outlined the problems associated with both type of development and possible solution. The effect of globalization and technological advancement in western societies were also looked at.

2. Defining People Differently: Claiming Space for Aboriginal Diversities In Contemporary Canada

 http://www.canadian-studies.net/lccs/LJCS/Vol_16/NorrisNicholson.pdf

 This article was written by Heather Norris Nicholson from Birkbeck College and published in London journal of Canadian Studies 16:2000/2001. Her academic paper looked at the relations of the culture, socio-economic status and politics of Canada’s Indigenous people and the people of the rest Canada over decade. This paper emphasized on the issues based on the following:

   • Conflict to Reconciliation and Healing;

   • Life-skills, Enterprise and the Language of Survival Economics;

  • The Languages of Restitution, Recovery and Cultural Autonomy

3. “Ideas for Cultural Videoconferencing in the Cairns Area (Northeastern Australia)”

 http://www.storytellingandvideoconferencing.com/44.html

 This are article was written in 2005 by Eric Miller,an American. In his article he discussed the roles that videoconferencing can play the cultural preservation of Aboriginals in the Cairns area of Australia. He stated that videoconferencing is a good way in which people across the globe can interact with Aboriginal people and become expose to their language.

4. Taking Ownership: Strengthening Indigenous Cultures and Languages through the Use of ICTs

 http://learnlink.aed.org/Publications/Concept_Papers/taking_ownership.pdf

 This article looked at the ways in which ICT can strengthen the indigenous culture and broadcast it to the rest of the world. The article clearly outlined areas in which technology helped the culture of the indigenous people. It also mentioned that ICT can have both negative and positive effects on indigenous people. However, the article mainly focused on the positive effects. Some of the points highlighted in the article include:

      • The integration of ICTs and indigenous cultures;

     • The use and the effect ICTs in indigenous communities;

     • The national policies and access initiatives of ICTs;

     • Technology as a vehicle to share knowledge across boundaries ;

    • Bilingual Indigenous Education and technology.

5. ICTs AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

 http://iite.unesco.org/pics/publications/en/files/3214689.pdf

This article displays a brief overview of policies on the use of technology among indigenous people. These policies were developed by the UNESCO in June 2011. The policies clearly outlined recommendations that follow the guidelines of United National Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The article highlighted some major points which include the following:

     • The importance of indigenous knowledge;

     • The critique of the policy option;

     • The erosion of indigenous people’s culture by ICTs;

     • The reinforcement of indigenous culture and knowledge by ICTs;

     • Effective ways that ICTs can support indigenous education and culture.

Integrating Aboriginal Perspectives into Curricula

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/policy/abpersp/ab_persp.pdf

This article provides keys points on integrating Aboriginal perspectives within several curricula taught in the Manitoba classroom. This article was prepared by the Manitoba Education and Youth sector in 2003. It was created to assist teachers, curriculum developers and administrators in fostering students’ understanding of the Aboriginal perspectives in Manitoba. The article gives a synopsis of the history, education, learning outcomes, culture and world of indigenous people in Manitoba.

“Aboriginal Culture in the Digital Age” Aboriginal Voice Cultural Working Group Paper

http://www.kta.on.ca/pdf/AboriginalCultureinaDigitalAge.pdf

This paper highlights and conveys the implications of ICT implementation in an Aboriginal’s society in Canada. The views of many that ICT is an effective tool for promoting, preserving, renewing and enriching of Aboriginal culture is adequately dealt with in this paper. Also the effectiveness of ICT in reaching out to the gradually increasing numbers of Aboriginal peoples living outside of traditional communities is dealt with in this article. In summary this article seeks to cover three aspect of Aboriginals. These are the rebirth undertaking among Aboriginal cultures, the impact of ICT on the economic, social and cultural framework of the Aboriginal and the importance of preserving and protecting Aboriginal languages, ecology and heritage.

Nurturing Resilience and School Success in American Indian and Alaska Native Students

http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-1203-resilience.html

This article looks at the characteristics of rigid Indigenous youth, the traditional ways of Indigenous people and the connections within their community, school and family that foster resilience. The article highlights and shines light on the key points for the resilience in and among the American Indian and Alaska Native children and youths. It is based on the review of a recent study conducted on Indigenous youths aimed at finding out their views on what parents, teachers and schools can do to foster resilience. In this article, the authors try to make connections between resilience and the spirituality and biculturalism of Indigenous people.

Towards Decolonizing the Pan-Canadian Science Framework

http://www.usask.ca/education/people/aikenhead/CJSMTE_decolonizing.pdf

 This article was written by Glen S. Aikenhead of University of Saskatchewan. It explains the reasons for the small number of Aboriginal students in high school science and mathematics courses and states that this is a major contributor to the economy, resource management and independence problems facing Indigenous societies in Canada. The article also briefly highlights the two main reasons for the underrepresentation of Aboriginal students in these subject areas.

Indigenous Knowledge: Foundations for First Nations

http://www.win-hec.org/docs/pdfs/Journal/Marie%20Battiste%20copy.pdf

This article is written by Dr. Marie Battiste of University of Saskatchewan. This article looks at the Indigenous knowledge of Aboriginal people in Canada. It clearly explains the challenges facing Aboriginal knowledge and its implementation in schools in Canada. The article also provides individuals with the reasons for the tensions between Indigenous and Eurocentric knowledge and their conflict in the educational system.

Catharinah Faux’s Research on Aboriginal

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/MQ60983.pdf

This site displays a Masters of Arts Thesis entitled The ‘Noble Savage’ in Western Thought: Reconstitute Colonial Stereotype in Sentencing Aboriginal Sex offender. This research was carried out by Catharinah Faux on September 22, 2000 as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts from Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario. In this study the aboriginal culture underlying many contemporary juridical discourses were explored which exposed ideological beliefs and stereotypes first formulated and articulated in Canada’s early colonial history. Although the emphasis of the research was Aboriginal judicial system, it reflects important information of module.

Media Portrayals of Aboriginal People: Introduction

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/aboriginal_people/index.cfm

This site gives an overview of the major stereotypes that aboriginal people face in film, television and the news. There are links on the site that direct viewers to major media stereotypes, these include:
• Common Portrayals of Aboriginal People
• Aboriginal People in the News
• Native Names and Imagery in Sports
• The Impact of Stereotyping on Young People
• The Development of Aboriginal Broadcasting in Canada
• Aboriginal Voices in the Arts and Media
• The Importance of Media Education

‘Will the Real Aborigine Please Stand Up’: Strategies for breaking the stereotypes and changing the conversation

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/research/documents/AIATSISDiscussionPaper28.pdf

This site illustrates a paper written by Scott Gorringe, Joe Ross and Cressida Fforde on the issues discussed at a workshop held by AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) in January 2011. In this paper, the authors discussed the perceptions of identity by people outside and within Aboriginal communities of Australia. They highlighted the social impact of the discussed perceptions and the need for Aboriginals to create safe avenues for discussions, challenging mindsets and habits.

The Mental Health of Indigenous Peoples

http://www.mcgill.ca/files/tcpsych/Report10.pdf

This site displays a report presented at a conference on “The Mental Health of Indigenous Peoples” held on May 29-31, 2000. The paper clearly illustrated and discussed social imbalance based on research studies about indigenous peoples in Canada, the US and Australia. The report consists of five chapters:

• Introduction: The Mental Health of Aboriginal Peoples
• Social Origins of Distress “The Deep Sleep of Forgetfulness”: Reflecting on Disremembering
• Individual And Collective Responses To Suffering: An Overview of Suicide in Indigenous Australia
• Transformations of Identity & Community Healing the Aboriginal Offender: Identity Construction
• Models For Collaborative Research & Mental Health Services Working in Partnership: Innovative Collaborative Research Between Aboriginal Communities and an Academic Unit.

When Indigenous and Modern Education Collide

http://www.elementalethics.com/files/Arenas.pdf

This site displays a paper written by Alberto Arenas, Iliana Reyes and Leisy Wyman of University of Arizona entitled When Indigenous and Modern Education Collide. The article comments on the pressures that are affecting divergent epistemologies of indigenous and Western education. It further highlights the factors that could assist indigenous education to be successful although affected by the stereotypes of Western world.

Topic : Bridging the gap of culture and education between non-indigenous and   Indigenous groups with technology

As a Jamaican working in my country I was never exposed to indigenous people and their cultures in Canada and Australia until I started module one of this course. As I read the literatures of this module, I have become aware that there is a lot to learn about the indigenous cultures and they can learn from our culture.  I agree with the quote, “Culture is a deeply ingrained part of the very fiber of our being” (Brown, 2000, p. 183). In my view, culture is unique to a group but should be not enclosed to a particular group. We easily communicate with each other when we are fully aware of each other’s culture. Hence the knowledge of different cultures becomes important to effective and efficient communication between individuals. Through the use of technology one can easily learn the cultures of indigenous people and vice versa.

Since the start of this course my web searches are centred on the cultures and education of indigenous people both in Canada and Australia. From various searches I have done so far revealed that both the indigenous and non-indigenous people can immensely benefit from each other. As result of the high fuel which has greatly affected the price of travelling across countries, technology is most effectively tool to bridge the gap between boundaries.

As I continue to carry web searches for my weblog on each module in this course, I will ensure my searches are based the keywords of my research topic.

Reference:

Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of Language Teaching and Learning. New York: Pearson Education.

Visit : http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education/24._2002_oct_marie_battist

e_indigenousknowledgeandpedagogy_lit_review_for_min_working_group.pdf

This article was prepared Dr Marie Battiste, Director Apamwek Institute for the National Working Group on education and the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Ottawa, ON. It addresses the points on the culture of Indigenous groups in Canada with an emphasis on the complex set of technologies developed and maintained by Indigenous societies. It explores the nature of Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy in First Nations Education. This article also explains the moral principles of and criteria for understanding Indigenous knowledge and for incorporating it into the classroom.

Visit : http://www.encorewiki.org/display/encore/Module+1+-+Educational+and+Cultural+Goals

 This site addresses the goals of Aboriginal education and the roles of technology in mainstream education. The article also looks at the factors that are associated with technology in indigenous society. Citations of Howe, C. (1998) were used to substantiate ideas highlighted in the article. It plainly explains the term “Cyberspace is no place for tribalism” The differences in goals for Aboriginal peoples and mainstream education were explored in the article.

Visit : http://www.indigenousteaching.com/html/exemplars_glossary.html

This site hosts a glossary that provides definitions of terms relevant to the Australian Indigenous societies as well as non-indigenous teachers in Indigenous schools.  The  document on  the site clearly explains terms such as mainstream, indigenous, Maori and      Koorie Heritage Trust. Several terms defined on this site have links to other useful sites based on the defined terms.

Visit: http://www.svs.is/ahdr/ahdr%20chapters/english%20version/AHDR_chp%2010.pdf

This site clearly addresses the education systems of indigenous education in Alaska, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada (25) Russia and Saami. In the article the terms, ‘education’ and ‘educational system’ were explored by the authors of the document, Gunilla Johansson, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, Chris Paci, Arctic Athabascan Council, Canada, and Sylvi Stenersen Hovdenak, University of Oslo, Norway. The article compares mainstream education with Indigenous education in the various countries.

Visit: http://books.publishing.monash.edu/apps/bookworm/view/Closing+the+Gap+in+Education%3F/55/xhtml/part03chapter01.html

 This site is based on educational policies to overcome the challenges facing indigenous education in Australia. These policies were outlined in section 3 of a book edited by Nieuwenhuysen Ilana Snyder and John entitled “Closing the Gap in Education? Improving Outcomes in Southern World Societies”.  This section of the book is written John Altman and Bill Fogarty. It clearly outlines the challenges faced by indigenous education and mentions the implementation of an education policy to address the challenges in Australia.

Visit :http://menziesfoundation.org.au/education/IndEd%20Workshop%20presentations/Closing%20the%20gap%20in%20Indigenous%20education%20-%20Workshop%20Report.pdf

 This site is based on a report of a workshop on indigenous education conducted by the Menzies Foundation, East Melbourne, Australia on the July 7-8, 2010. The report explicitly states the purpose of the workshop, which was mainly focused on the measures to be taken to improve the educational background of Indigenous children in northern and remote Australia. The report also summarised the main conclusions and recommendations brainstormed by the participants of the workshop.