Category — Module 3

Turtle Island News Network

This site pertains to both news and research with a trans-national spotlight . Although it starts out by focusing strongly on the issues and challenges, it quickly begins presenting focused options and theories for change. The focus is on recommendations emanate from the standing senate committee for Aboriginal peoples One area of focus highlights ways that pressures on Aboriginal youth can be mitigated. /i appreciated the strong focus throughout on best practice and evidence based programming. What was also interesting was how the site addressed what barriers exist for parents to be involved in their children’s education and how much it was necessitated for the success of Aboriginal youth in mainstream education.

Hope or Heartbreak: Aboriginal Youth and Canada’s future

This publication is a special issue of the Horizon’s periodical that overviews the complex issues facing Aboriginal Youth in Canada today. It details the realities and the research that are currently being discussed in a variety of tribes. Of particular interest for the development of my MP for class is the paper included from doctoral student Cheryl Aman who investigates factors that have been researched for success of Indigenous students in BC. It overviews the policy changes that the Ministry is being challenged to review. There is also a research brief from Dr. Alison Taylor on the Factors that affect the education and work transition of Aboriginal youth. Overall, this is the single most relevant collection of contemporary research and writing that deals with Canadian Indigenous youth that I have come across so far.

Situated Learning: Legitimate peripheral participation

This book details the idea that learning is a social/co-operative mechanism not something that occurs individually. It posits that a real shift in education is needed so that we can legitimize the learning process. It looks to me that they are emphasizing a return to “apprentice-style” learning or as I see it of a more authentic learning process. The book also highlights the idea that a group’s hegemonic control over the resources for learning are imperative in effective education of the society’s youth. It also paints an interesting picture of how the “masters” need to continue to learn alongside their pupils as they facilitate the education process.

Links between technology and authentic learning:

Let’s ask the kids? All students say that they would rather be doing then studying. Real world education for all kids involves incorporating authentic tasks in an authentic learning environment. When this is combined with technology it creates a powerful means of creating a learning situation that is applicable and engaging. M. Lombardi provides an overview in this article about the why’s and how’s of authentic learning. There are links to powerful online learning tools and simulations for kids to create media, think critically about their own work and collaborate with others using remotely operated tools and web-based data.

International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) is an international human rights organization staffed by specialists and advisers on indigenous affairs. IWGIA supports indigenous peoples’ struggle for human rights, self-determination, right to territory, control of land and resources, cultural integrity, education and the right to development. IWGIA works at local, regional and international levels to further the understanding and knowledge of, and the involvement in, the cause of indigenous peoples. Through publications, human rights work, networking, conferences, campaigns and projects, IWGIA supports indigenous peoples in their struggle to improve general life conditions, to better relationships with the nation states of which they are part, and to influence the global economic and political forces that affect their lives. The publication and dissemination of information of IWGIA website includes books, manuals, reports, journal and videos that explain Indigenous people, their life and their rich diverse cultures.

http://www.iwgia.org/index.php

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.

http://www.lessonsfromtheland.ca/index.asp
An interactive, multimedia resource that allows visitors to engage in a virtual exploration of traditional trails traveled by First Peoples in the Northwest Territories. There are teacher resources available, and the experience is available using a storytelling approach. This journey stops along the route at important cultural sites, taking the time to point out their significance. Local elders were involved in the creation of this resource.

Emily

http://www.ciet.org/en/about-ciet/
This organisation seeks to “build research capacity in communities… .” After the considerable time spent on conversations surrounding research and indigenous communities, this site stood out to me as a possible resource for allowing research to emerge from within communities in ways that are in line with the local traditional knowledge, and yeilding results that are specific and usable to that community. Regarding the topic of Aboriginal youth, there is a targeted project within the site on resiliency among Aboriginal youth, specifically targeting the topic of suicide prevention. There are interesting links from this site, which focuses on health, but seeks to address local problems on a global scale.

Emily

http://tlicho.ca/content/introduction-sunshine-project
How can I not post a link to a project from my own region? Many of our students came in on weekends to take filmmaking workshops and to film these productions. Attendance is a target issue in our region, and this project aims to improve school-community relations and attendance. This is an example of empowering students to address contemporary issues in culturally-relevant ways. Make sure to follow the link to the videos, and while at tlicho.ca, you can see what other information is here. There is an interesting section on cosmology.

Emily

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/aboriginal_people/index.cfm
This site focuses on helping students to become critical consumers of media, and in this section, points out the ways in which Aboriginal people are typically portrayed (or omitted). There are links within the section to other contexts, including Aboriginal coverage in the news, the development of Aboriginal broadcasting, and a commentary on Aboriginal voices in the arts.

Emily