Category — Module 2

http://vimeo.com/25991603

This is a video that looks at historical representations of Aboriginal people in digital  video games. Not very favourable, but as the director says:

“When it comes right down to it, I’d much rather focus my efforts on putting out new representations in games rather than revisiting old ones. This is my final nod to the past as I look ahead to the future of Native representations in digital games.” Elizabeth Lameman

Using games in education, especially video games and online games, is not new in education. There even exists a World of Warcraft for Education Wiki. What is different in this sentiment is the desire for self-determined images, representations, and expressions of culture. Re-purposing western, mainstream, gaming technology for and by Aboriginal people including youth.

As I have stated before, the area that encompasses my school district has no reserve, no band school, no officially recognized territory. The numbers of students of aboriginal ancestry attending our schools is steadily increasing. The numbers of students of aboriginal ancestry graduating from our schools is low.

I decided this week to investigate education of aboriginal students off reserve. From my last posts and the direction that these posts will be taking it must be obvious by now that I am unsure as to my focus for research.

I stumbled upon a 2004 report by the C.D. Howe institute titled, Aboriginal Off Reserve – Education:Time for Action. The report focuses on British Columbia and uses Foundation Skills Assessment results to compare achievement of aboriginal and non aboriginal students. Also provided in the report are proposed reforms for Aboriginal primary and secondary education.

This publication was followed in 2008 by Understanding the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Gap in Student Performance.

Richards, J., & Vining, A. C.D. Howe Institute, (2004). Aboriginal off reserve education:time for action. Retrieved from www.cdhowe.org/pdf

Richards, J., Hove, J., & Afolabi, K. C.D. Howe Institute, (2008). Understanding the aboriginal/non aboriginal gap in student performance:lesson from british columbia. Retrieved from www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_276.pdf

This article from Chatham Daily News Online, October 7, 2011 features information about Trent University’s, Aboriginal Post-Secondary Recruitment Program. Adam Hopkins from Moraviantown FN (Southwestern Ontario) is an Aboriginal Enrolment Advisor.

“We go to nearly every part of the province to recruit students in high schools and friendship centres and on reserves,” Hopkins said.  The official mandate is to increase the number of aboriginal learners in post secondary institutions.

The local story led me to Trent U’s website where I found a similar article showcasing Adam as the university’s first aboriginal, Aboriginal Enrollment Advisor (Feb. 22, 2010).

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3327112

http://www.trentu.ca/newsevents/newsreleases_100222indigenous.php

My research interests have taken me to Southwestern Ontario’s Bkejwanong – Walpole Island #46 education practises.   I came across Councillor Rex Isaac presenting to Senate in Ottawa and posted a link to such. In that webcast he discusses a need for monies toward FN resources for education.

Today I came across this article where Councillor Rex Isaac feels that his job may be in jeopardy as he questions financial practises and decisions made by the band and Chief Joseph Gilbert.  It has been made known that the band had lost more than $670,000 through bad investments – money never recovered.

It will be with much interest that I continue to follow this story regarding Councillor Rex Isaac and the response of the Band Council toward him.  In Isaac’s own words, “There are just certain things I don’t agree with, and I’m not ashamed or embarrassed, or even hesitant to voice my opposition.”

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3336433

Aaron Huey: America’s Native Prisoners of War (TED Talk)

Aaron Huey set out to photograph poverty in the United States to put a face on this social issue. It led him to the Lakota people, historically known as Sioux, living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The deplorable conditions he found people living in there prompted him to shift his focus more specifically towards understanding how their urgent need for social justice can be predominately ignored by the majority of the population. As a result of his photographs and developing relationships with the people at Pine Ridge, he felt compelled to investigate the link between their current situation and the historical events and government decisions that have directly or indirectly involved the Lakota nation. Our first step towards a remedy, he suggests, is acknowledging the timeline of impact and tumultuous relationship between indigenous people and dominant culture that was built on misunderstanding and misrepresentation that seems to give permission to others to ignore the destitute conditions he has been photographing at Pine Ridge over the last five years.

Portal for the Bkekwanong FN Public Libraryresources, borrowing, catalogue, e-resources.  Bkejwanong FN Public Library began in 1967.   With respect to technology, there are 11 public computers that are available at no charge. Computers have Internet access, word processing, and are all networked to a printer.   Free wireless internet is also provided for individuals who wish to bring in their own laptop computer.

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This is an article from Chatham Daily News showcasing the 5 year project partnership focusing on numeracy between Hon. Paul Martin, Aboriginal Educational Initiative, a charitable organization and Walpole Island First Nation School.  Paul Martin announced that Walpole Island will become a flagship school for numeracy among First Nation schools across Canada. It is hoped that the numeracy program will eventually spread across Canada.  The project will be based on the curriculum and teaching strategies that came from Ontario’s at-risk elementary schools.  Programs will include providing professional development to assist teachers, fund lead teachers who have training about the best practices and most effective techniques, developing a school improvement team that meets regularly to review school data and plan next steps, hire external experts to visit the school for a few days a month to assist the principal and teachers and plan for parent involvement and community engagement.

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2628110&archive=true

The Promising Practices website is an online resource for educators and others to promote and share successful practices to enhance the classroom experience for Aboriginal students. The site is part of an umbrella of resources sponsored by the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI). The site includes a variety of curricula from Canada and around the world, including classroom practices, childhood development methods and guides to promote interaction between educators and the Aboriginal communities they serve.

On The Agenda with Steve Paikin, discusses Aboriginal education. They start off by looking at three graphs that examine the population growth in Canada, unemployment rates and education achievement and compare the differences between non-aboriginal population in Canada to the Aboriginal population in Canada. The graph on “education achieved” looks at young people ages 20-24 who have received a diploma for high school, trades, college, and/or university. It also compares the educational difference between aboriginals who live on a reserve verses those who live off a reserve.  They then look in-depth into the numbers and discuss how to get aboriginal young people to graduate high school and ultimately go on to post-secondary education.