Tag Archives: Education

Module 1 – Post 5 – The Altai and the Land

A vivid examination of the importance of the local Indigenous connection with the land can be seen in the following video:

http://vimeo.com/7111821

The focus in the video is of the Altai people in central Russian and how they are seeking to rebuild their connection with their knowledge and customs that have suffered due systematic neglect and Russian colonization. This short documentary focuses on the environmental knowledge of the Altai, yet one of the most striking aspects of this piece is that it shows how differing types of knowledge is transmitted between members of the community as well as the profound connection that the speakers have to the place they live in. What is inspiring about this video is that it also represents a restoration of traditional knowledge and practice.

This film, sponsored by United Nations Diversity Project is a very effective reference tool in understanding the universal challenges confronting First Nations peoples globally and their struggle to reclaim their ancient heritage and traditions.

Module 1 – Post 4 – Approaches to Healing

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On the journey to understanding the idea of Indigenous knowledge and how it pertains to interaction with technology, I repeatedly came across the term of ‘Traditional Knowledge’. In order to understand this term better, I found a fascinating paper from the International Indigenous Policy Journal that examined Traditional Knowledge, Spirituality, and Lands. It can be accessed here:

http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=iipj

What’s very interesting about the article is that it explores the means through which knowledge is transmitted throughout Indigenous communities with a strong emphasis on health care. Due to the severe disparities in health care outcomes between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples, the means through which to improve this lies in understanding the proper role and historical context of traditional healing in Indigenous society. This information could be useful as a foundation for the development of curriculum regarding Indigenous health care issues and their possible solutions.

Module 1 – Post 3 – Google Earth and Indigenous Communities

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In our Hare reading, emphasis is placed on the ‘local’ in Indigenous knowledge. However for many of us, who are not of this background, it may be difficult to understand the importance of what “place” actually represents. This prevents us from a more complete understanding of the Indigenous perspective. In aid of this and by utilizing online technology available, a group from Georgia(USA) is using Google Earth and multimedia to demonstrate the geography of the Cherokee. You can view the project here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6IJrxz–AA&list=PLWw80tqUZ5J8tXKFdM6vvTYMK9ibmCQ9Y

This project focuses on revealing the very importance of the landscape itself as central to the Cherokee culture. What’s interesting about this is how useful a publicly available tool such as Google Earth is in providing content to what the relationship that and Indigenous community would have to the land and actual locations. Using a tool such as this, one can show, for example, sacred places, deposits of medicinal herbs, as well as animal migration routes. For those among us who live in larger cities, such a guide is invaluable in providing context.

(note: I am not a fan on the banjo music they play in the clip and have tried hard to not listen to it while appreciating the rest of their work.)

Module 1 – Post 2 – The Importance of “Place”

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One very interesting subject to consider is that of Indigenous science in education and how it differs from more Western educational perspectives. This paper on the role of ‘Place’ in the treatment of Indigenous science is an effective document that outlines the challenges and effective strategies in developing curriculum on this subject.

http://aerc.usask.ca/downloads/Learning%20Indigenous%20Science%20From%20Place.pdf

This information contained within allows one to consider the variety of issues regarding Indigenous science and how it affects perspective. The article seeks to dispel some of the myths surrounding what Indigenous science is and how it differs from Western scientific practice. A very good primer for anyone who wants to understand the basics of this fascinating area of study.

Although the focus of this article is on Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Communities, it has tremendous relevance to any comprehensive understanding of the Indigenous perspective.

Module 1 – Post 1 – Elearning and Aboriginal Healthcare

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As I have a strong professional interest in eLearning design, my curiosity regarding existing eLearning courses that interface with traditional Indigenous knowledge, led me to an interesting resource for healthcare workers in Australia.

http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/demosites/series12/12_03/content/01_home/page1.htm

This course was very interesting as it serves as a educational resource that provides a more informed educational foundation for individuals who wish to understand the current state of Aboriginal health care. This strong emphasis on the historical context allows the learner to develop sympathetic and effective strategies in identifying and resolving healthcare concerns while understanding the root causes of challenges facing Aboriginal peoples. Overall, the course is very informative, well organized, and is easy to navigate,

Module 1 – Post #2 – “Modern” Education vs. Indigenous Knowledge

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Dr. Lee Brown’s video got me thinking about how Indigenous approaches to knowledge and learning could be of great benefit to our planet. As Indigenous knowledge has been sacrificed for the more abstract approaches of “formal” educational systems, our natural environment has paid a price. How can we honour and support a more indigenous style of education for all young learners in the interest of their futures?

Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability is one module of a UNESCO supported education programme called Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future. The module supports a number of learning objectives including an understanding of the role of ‘modern’ education in undermining indigenous knowledge and ways of teaching and learning. It links out to a number of other sites and resources such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The module materials include a variety of engaging learning activities, templates and resources, including a helpful table comparing Indigenous Education and Formal Education. Case studies are provided to illustrate the integration of indigenous knowledge into classroom teaching.

This module echoes many of the arguments emerging from our Module 1 readings and provides additional food for thought re: thinking “locally” when identifying learning goals.

Module 1 – Post #1 – Getting Started

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As I was getting started in this course, I struggled a bit in deciding where and how to begin my research. However, after reviewing Ginsburg’s article, with its examples of First Nations communities adopting film and broadcasting technologies, I became curious about how indigenous communities have adopted more recent types of technology to support and sustain their knowledge, culture and values. I began looking for resources specific to indigenous approaches to digital education and soon discovered First Nations Pedagogy Online.

As stated on the site, First Nations Pedagogy Online “…provides best practices and support for online learning initiatives that are intended for aboriginal students, elders, educators, curriculum developers, and educational leaders.” The site provides great context for anyone trying to better understand Aboriginal culture and education. It also offers links to excellent resources for learning about online pedagogy in general. The Community provides a forum for sharing best practice and ideas, while the “Circle Talk” blog provides current news and perspectives on a range of relevant issues.

I anticipate returning to this site many times throughout the course as I reflect on our discussions and work to define the focus of my research.

Module 1: Post 3: Cultural Survival

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My first blog post was about the Indigenous Peoples of South East Asia, which was a news article. The news article mentioned the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, so I decided to look further into it and lead me this:

“For 40 years Cultural Survival has partnered with Indigenous communities around the world to defend their lands, languages, and cultures.” This organization was founded on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The goal of Cultural Survival is protect Indigenous cultures, languages and lands. There is a statistic on the website which says “ Indigenous Peoples constitute about 5% of the world’s population, yet account for about 15% of the world’s poor.” Cultural Survival helps to educate peoples in their own language, protect the rights of their land and controlling their own resources, promote cultural heritage and fight against marginalization. There are many programs created to promote the rights of these peoples. One example is the Artisan Bazaar, which sells Indigenous arts and crafts, which helps to create a sustainable income and promotes artistic tradition through fair trade.

A very interesting section of the website I came across was radio broadcasting. In order to protect disappearing languages around the world, Cultural Survival believes that in order to keep a language it must be passed down to the new generation. One way is through listening to radio broadcasting in one’s own language, as many people already have access to radio. To entirely lose a language is to also lose a culture because the spirituality, knowledge and values is embedded into language.

It is really sad reading and learning about the abuse and suffering that Indigenous People encounter each day around the world. However, I think through educating people and creating programs through an organization like Cultural Survival it gives hope to the people who have no voice.

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news

Connecting Canadian Indigenous Issues to Viet Nam

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Many of the struggles that Canadian indigenous people endure are shared by other indigenous cultures throughout the world. Since I am living in Ho Chi Minh City, I felt compelled to explore the current conflicts facing Viet Nam’s indigenous people.

In comparing the two indigenous cultures, I found there to be many similarities. Viet Nam’s indigenous people are marginalized and live in greater poverty than the rest of the population – as is the case in Canada. Throughout history, they have been discriminated against and treated as ‘second class citizens.’ There is also a significant disparity in education.

UNICEF recently conducted research in Viet Nam and discovered that “school dropout among ethnic minority pupils has become something like a predestined fate.” Even though the government mandates that primary school be free to all citizens, corruption runs rampant and many public schools will not accept students without bribes, which most indigenous families cannot afford. Due to poverty, most indigenous children feel pressure to dropout and begin working at a young age.

One notable difference between the plights of these two cultures may be the degree to which the government supports their freedom of expression. In one of our discussions, Keith explained that the Canadian government does not allow indigenous communities full Jurisdiction over their education system. In Viet Nam, the socialist government has full control over mass media, how information is portrayed and how its population is educated on the matter. This lack of freedom of expression certainly prohibits Vietnamese indigenous people from sharing their values, their feelings of bitterness or their stories of unfair treatment.

http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/treaties/crc.32/vietnam_indigenous_ngo_report.pdf

Mod 1:1 Aboriginal Education

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In 521 this week we reflected on the question: Educational goals: Are Indigenous communities different? The goal of education is to create well rounded individuals who contribute positively to society. I think that this is the goal of any of education system however the means by which we achieve our goals are different and the nature of the society we are contributing to may be different. It is easy to see that we are not achieving this goal with our current education system. According to the 2007/2010 Labour Force Survey, the dropout rate among First Nations people living off reserve, Metis and Inuit was 14% higher than non-Aboriginal people.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2010004/article/11339-eng.htm

Our education system is doing things to close the achievement gap including specialized career training for aboriginal youth. Programs such as Harper’s Skills and Training for Aboriginal Youth help First Nations youth get and maintain employment which is empowering for the individuals involved and for younger First Nations students who will benefit by having positive role-models and examples of success.

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1371048149693/1371048172737