Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Provides an in-depth look at Indigenous Knowledge Systems in South Africa and the potential role for all learners to enhance their educational experience particularly in the Environmental education and ethno-ecological knowledge construction. It is interesting because the paper juxtaposes the two divergent views of benefits and dangers of incorporating this knowledge into present pedagological practices. The author posits that the place-based nature of INS lacks universal relevancy or coverage. Yet at the same time looks at how knowledge is and should be a universal resource

British Columbia Education Enhancement Agreements

The government’s website on enhancement agreements. Provides an A-Z on what the purposes of the agreements are, who the stakeholders are and how they are implemented in individual communities. The site also lists the school districts with enhancement agreements and links to the documents. I was appreciative of the fact that the site went the extra step to publicly acknowledge how the education services of the province of BC have failed the First Peoples in the province. There are also further links to the Shared Learnings: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content K-10 document encompassing almost 200 pages of lesson ideas, history and cultural approaches

Indigenous Education Institute

The Indigenous Education Research page promotes research and education into Indigenous Science, Teaching, Learning and Technology. The organization explains that its primary motive is which encompasses the preservation of ancient knowledge and promotion of contemporary application of such knowledge. It has links to many other publications from Indigenous groups who are utilizing “cultural immersion” approach to science and other topics. The IEI participates in developing resources with post-secondary organizations such as the University of Berkley and the national science foundation

World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium

World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. The WINHEC states in its charter its main objective of pursuing the “educational rights of Indigenous people” and the goal of self determination by directing higher education. A huge “meetings of the minds” bulletin board with links to their research publications and journals. Also includes information/tools to introduce technology to elders in a culturally sensitive manner to allow communities to digitally capture oral history and perspectives. The site also links to the WINHEC journal which encompasses broad research mainly in the area of education for First Peoples.

Redwire Magazine

Digital site for the magazine publication redwire and related media from its readers/contributors. An interesting look at how youth are harnessing the power of technology to connect with and share with other FN youth. Has a native youth artist collection of media and writing. I had subscribed to the magazine for years for my classroom and had found the magazine to be less professionally produced then other magazines. However, it does an amazing job of providing a voice for young urban and rural Indigenous youth; their concerns, challenges and views.

First Nations Pedagogy

First nations experiential learning/authentic learning with a constructivist approach slant. The site explains the Indigenous views towards education and the value that is placed on the inherent ability of each learner. The pages delve deeply into how the rich traditional pedagogy amongst First Peoples embraced a strong experiential approach. Videos and resources, as well as simple approaches to incorporating an experiential approach to teaching are reviewed. The authors further create a very strong argument for this approach for all learners showcasing research and implementation techniques. They cite a variety of works including the research document of Dr. Marie Battiste

As a teacher with a high population of Urban Aboriginal youth, it is clear that we are far from providing an authentic learning situation for our First Nations students. My project/paper will take a critical look at whether a constructivist approach that incorporates technology could possibly bring more success in a public school setting. Providing the possibility for the youth to be elevated from the dominant Eurocentric paradigm of educational pedagogy and practice while fostering connections with elders, community, and other youth. I will also be investigating the goals of Educational enhancement agreements in British Columbia to see if they are reflective of this idea.

One of the key foundations for constructivism is authentic learning; authentic not just to the needs of the community but also to the young person and their future. The original hegemony of Indigenous education was strongly experiential. I will be examining how an incorporation of technology could revitalize experiential learning in the classroom. Encouraging more success during the troubled Grade 10-12 years where dropout rates climb. The argument for attention to these years is strong. If a successful transition to post-secondary can be established Statistics have shown that First Peoples in Canada have identical if not higher success rates then their non-Aboriginal counterparts (Statistics Canada 2001)

The resources that I will be examining and sharing will provide the background information required to determine the validity of a constructivist approach that embraces technology within First Nations education.

References:
Census Aboriginal Population Profiles. (2001) Retrieved September 23,2011 from
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/AP01/Index.cfm?Lang=E