Tag Archives: Indigenous Knowledge

Module 3 Post 3 – The Effectiveness of Web-delivered Learning with Aboriginal Students

This paper outlines the findings of a study that explores perspectives of e-learning1 for senior level aboriginal high school students in five coastal communities in Labrador, Canada. Here is a sample of some of the concluding remarks:

“This study provides evidence of the importance, usefulness and learning benefits of web-delivered instruction as a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction for aboriginal students in rural, isolated contexts. It also indicates a critical need for communication and planning, within the context of both the individual student’s readiness to avail themselves of e-learning opportunities, as well as the school’s ability to support them in the process… The data demonstrates that web-delivered instruction is a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction and provides students with the opportunity to engage with the provincial peers and access a more diverse curriculum than their neighborhood school can offer.”

While this study does indicate some positive perspectives on e-learning experiences when comparing year end academic results for the web courses compared to provincial averages, it also lists many area’s of improvement and various challenges that came out of the study. I also found it to be rather weak in addressing the Aboriginal context. For instance, the methodological framework for this study could have been used on any remote community, negating aboriginal factors such as Indigenous knowledge, culture, holistic perspectives etc. It does, however, give us some insight on the best-practices of e-learning projects as a tool to improve education for secondary school students in remote communities.

Philpott, D., Sharpe, D., & Neville, R. (2010). The effectiveness of web-delivered learning with aboriginal students: Findings from a study in coastal Labrador. Canadian Journal Of Learning And Technology / La Revue Canadienne De L’Apprentissage Et De La Technologie, 35(3). Retrieved from http://cjlt.csj.ualberta.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/545

Module 3 – Post 1 Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change

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Reading this weeks readings reminded me of a documentary I had seen a few years back. It is entitled “Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change”. The documentary was written, produced, and directed by Zacharias Kunuk, is presented almost entirely in Inuktitut, and features interviews with Mary Simon as well as many Inuit elders. In the documentary the Inuit present their observations that prove that climate change is happening. The Inuit elders have hundreds if not thousands of years of traditional oral history that they rely on in order to provide food for their families through hunting and fishing. Unfortunately, the climate is changing, and hunting and fishing are becoming harder to do.

The Inuit present evidence for the following:

later freeze up
earlier break up and melt
decreased thickness of shelf ice
change to weather patterns and prevailing winds
change in behaviour of seals and polar bears
change in the earth’s tilt, changing star navigation and position of sun on horizon
increase in pollution in the north

Also presented are alternate reasons for the decline of the polar bear population (although the Inuit assert that the bears are not in decline) and the seal population. The Inuit elders feel that the wildlife biologists are to blame for the decline in the animal populations, and that the methods of tracking with helicopters and tagging is causing more harm. In a few well presented and passionate speeches, the elders present their love for and kinship with the animals and assert that the Inuit are not and could not ever bring harm to the animals.

The Inuit know that climate change is happening, but fell powerless to do anything about it. Their hope is that by presenting this information that more people will sit up and take notice. The video is approximately 54 minutes long and is well worth a view.

View the video for yourself here.

Module 2 – Post 2 – Protecting Indigenous Knowledge

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On the wider discussion of what is Indigenous knowledge and why it requires protection is a difficult subject for those without extensive experience within the subject. A very interesting guide was created in 2001 by the Canadian department of Indian Affairs and North Development which seeks to explain in a wider context what is this knowledge, what sets it apart from Western knowledge, why it needs protection, and what can be done. This document is in part a workbook that allows the participant to engage in reflection and exercises that may assist in coming to better terms with the subject. The workbook components also provie the reader with tools to help preserve and promote Indigenous knowledge while being able to spot abuses of this knowledge. A good primer to be used in collaboration with other sources.

http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/R2-160-2001E.pdf

Module 2: Post 4 – Meeting the Needs of Aboriginal Youth Academically

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In searching for information on what academic achievement means to Indigenous people, I found the following highlighted themes based on research conducted on this topic. A review (http://aerc.usask.ca or fnahec@fnahec.org) identified the following:

Integrating Indigenous knowledge into classrooms and schools.
Providing support to students through mentorship programs.
Learning about the ongoing effects of colonization and racism.
Building relationships with students, communities, and parents.

In contrast, government initiatives by the Ontario Ministry of Education (2007) identified the following strategies in effort to promote and foster cultural identity and pride among Aboriginal students:

Increase the capacity of the education system to respond to the learning and cultural needs of First nations, Metis and Inuit students;
Provide quality programs, services and resources to help create learning opportunities for First Nations, Metis and Inuit students that support improved academic achievement and identity building;
Provide a curriculum that facilitates learning about contemporary and traditional First nation, Metis and Inuit cultures, histories and perspectives among all students, and that also contributes to the education of school board staff, teachers and elected trustees; and
Develop and implement strategies that facilitate increased participation by First Nation, Metis and Inuit parents, students, communities and organizations in working to support academic success.”

With the above themes and strategies in mind, I hope to find resources that examine the effect or outcomes such programs or initatives have on indigenous academic achievement in K-12 education.

Sources:

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2007). Ontario First Nation, Metis and Inuit Education
Policy Framework. Toronto, Ontario: Ministry of Education.

Document Author (2008). Title of Document. (ISBN assigned ). University of Saskatchewan, Aboriginal Education Research Centre, Saskatoon, SK & First Nations and Adult Higher Education Consortium, Calgary, AB. Retrieved day/month/year from (give website address of http://aerc.usask.ca or fnahec@fnahec.org)

Indigenous Canadian Communities and ICTs

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Indigenous people are isolated by definition, largely due to socio-cultural, economic, political and historical reasons. However, rapid growth and advancement in digital technologies have achieved a level of affordability and ubiquitous access, which have empowered billions of people worldwide by bringing such technologies ever closer to their grasp.

A growing number of aboriginal communities, which now have access to ICTs, are appropriating technology in order to meet their knowledge purposes. However, there still prevails a major economic, social, cultural and technical factor that may influence how ICTs can be effectively utilized as far as meeting the needs of aboriginal people is concerned.

The proposed research will attempt to tackle the state of ICT adoption in Aboriginal communities, with specific reference to Indigenous Canadians. The research will attempt to investigate the following questions:

How do new technologies affect aboriginal Canadian communities?

What challenges do these communities face in adopting ICTs?

Source:

KTA Aboriginal Practice Group. (2005). Aboriginal Culture in the Digital Age: Aboriginal Voice Cultural Working Group Paper. Toronto: KTA – Kaufman, Thomas & Associates.

Ramirez, R., & Richardson, D. (2005). Measuring the impact of telecommunication services on rural and remote communities. Telecommunications Policy.

Scott, T. (2005, June 27-July2). Community Perceptions of Student Multimedia Technology Projects in a Remote First Nations Village. Paper presented at the ED-MEDIA 2005: World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Montreal.

Cultural appropriation, indigenous knowledge and libraries

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As a librarian, I have at times been responsible for collecting print and electronic resources about indigenous issues, and also for collecting resources that support aboriginal students in a range of college programs. In addition, libraries sometimes have collections of artifacts, acting as small museums or archives. In light of this, I would like to learn more about issues of cultural appropriation and indigenous knowledge as they relate to libraries in Canada.

What issues do librarians need to be aware of as they wield their power to select, classify, and store materials? The parallels between the organizing/standardizing imperative of Western colonial domination and the organizing, classifying, and standardization of knowledge in libraries is interesting. What are the limitations of print and published materials in representing indigenous knowledge? It would also be interesting to look at anxiety induced by physical library spaces (fear of acting inappropriately, of not knowing where to begin), and how this anxiety may be more intense for aboriginal students.

Sources will include academic literature on cultural appropriation of indigenous knowledge, and library literature about services and collections for aboriginal people. I recognize that I will need to be careful not to make generalizations about aboriginal culture and assume that one solution fits all circumstances.

A first reference:

Haig-Brown, C. (2010). Indigenous thought, appropriation, and non-aboriginal people. Canadian Journal of Education, 33(4), 925-950. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/848717095?accountid=14656

Module 1.5. Scholarly Journals and Publications

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I would like to share two web-pages embodying multidisciplinary information that spans a great variety of indigenous cultural themes.

The International Journal of Indigenous People (http://www.alternative.ac.nz/) is a scholarly journal that presents views from ethnic minorities around the world. The themes tackled by the journal cover issues of origins, communities, culture, history and heritage, colonialism and power, intervention, development and self-determination.The journal was established in 2005; it publishes articles in English with one article in each volume published in its original language.

The Center for World Indigenous Studies, (http://cwis.org/), is an independent American organization whose mission “is to advance traditional knowledge in the fields of traditional healing arts and sciences, fourth world geopolitics, and human rights through public policy analysis, clinical services, research and education.

Module 1 – Post 5: ICT’s Reinforcing Indigenous Culture and Knowledge

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report on ICT’s and Indigenous People (June 2011) outlines various models across the globe that show how Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can support indigenous education. Most of this is centered on teacher training in their respective contexts, and providing culturally responsive learning opportunities for children through the use of ICTs.

The report outlines possible solutions to the problem of technology and the erosion of culture, and different methods used to reinforce indigenous traditions through education. It would be interesting to know of research done on the effectiveness of such ICT support models, and their impact on the indigenous communities as a result of change in educational policies.