My aha moment while reading Section 4: Incorporating diverse sources of Indigenous knowledge was to realize that “Indigenizing curricula is not about adding content related to Indigenous history or culture; it’s about shifting to an approach that incorporates Indigenous worldviews, including Indigenous pedagogies and approaches to knowledge” (Antoine et. al., 2018).

In particular, the two examples of Indigenizing curricula were really insightful. I realized that even when a learning activity is well-intended, without careful consideration, it may lead to unintended outcomes. A thoughtful approach that acknowledges the deeper significance of Indigenous cultural heritage and actively involves Indigenous communities in the design and facilitation process is essential for successfully Indigenizing curricula.

From my own experience developing curricula and facilitating workshops for newcomers, I have noticed that the importance of Indigenizing curricula is often overlooked due to a lack of awareness. I believe that to set newcomers up for success in the new country, it is crucial to increase their awareness by actively integrating Indigenized curricula into these initiatives.

As an additional resource, I would like to share the Four R’s, proposed by Verna J. Kirkness and Ray Barnhardt, which provides a comprehensive guide for educators and institutions to engage with diverse learners in a meaningful and impactful manner. I found that UBC did a great job of integrating the Four R’s to identify their values in Our Values: The Four R’s.

Here’s a learning activity that I created using H5P for a course.

References

Antoine, A., Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S. & Rodriguez de France, C. (2018, September 5). Section 4: Incorporating diverse sources of Indigenous knowledge In, Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers. BCcampus.
https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/

Professional Development & Community Engagement, Faculty of Education, UBC. (n.d.). Our values: The four R’s. https://pdce.educ.ubc.ca/values/#:~:text=Respect%2C%20Relevance%2C%20Reciprocity%2C%20Responsibility