Education Commons^™

Indigenization Of Postsecondary Education Applied Learning Curriculum Development, Gabriel Y. Chung

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (2015) Calls to Action have awoken Canadian society to the reconciliation. Although there is a growing body of knowledge on the individual topics of Indigenous education, knowledge, and leadership, there is relatively little research bringing together these topics in curriculum development practices in a postsecondary education skilled learning context. My problem of practice (PoP) is one that strives to address a low enrolment of Indigenous adult learners and lower positive outcomes from skilled training programs. Situating this problem from my perspectives as a Canadian-born visible minority Settler on Turtle Island and postsecondary education …

Seasons Of Learning: Rural Indigenous Teacher Preparation, Dani O'Brien, Josh Montgomery, Bezhigogaabawiikwe Hunter, Niizhoobinesiikwe Howes, Waasegiizhigookwe Rosie Gonzalez, Manidoo Makwe Ikwe, Kevin Zak

The Rural Educator

We, four teachers in Ojibwe or majority-Ojibwe schools and three teachers in teacher preparation at a small ecologically focused liberal arts college, tell stories to reorient ourselves, centering place in ways accessible to our emerging practice. In these narratives, anchored in the seasons, we describe our challenges and successes in adapting education programs to better evoke the lifeways that predominate in our shared part of rural northern Wisconsin immersed in the lands of the Ojibwe. We relied on experiences, both ours and of Ojibwe learners, to illuminate the rhythms of our place and the seasons of learning defined by boreal …

“It Ain’T Gonna Be My History”: Collaborative Meaning-Making To Advance Curricular Sovereignty With(In) Rural, Indigenous-Serving Schools, Amanda Leclair-Diaz, Christine Stanton

The Rural Educator

This article describes storywork and collaborative meaning making as relational practices that can support stakeholder learning about curricular sovereignty with(in) rural Indigenous-serving school districts. While various treaties and policies exist to protect the educational interests of Indigenous Nations, enacting curricular sovereignty often demands extensive resources that are limited in many rural reservation and reservation bordertown contexts. The authors, who have a long-standing relationship as co-learners, exchange stories about their experiences as an Indigenous student and non-Indigenous educator within such contexts, and then engage in collaborative meaning making to think more deeply about these experiences as curriculum decision makers and scholars. …

Transforming Land And Home Ownership: Emergent Strategy And Community Cultural Wealth In Developing Community Land Trusts, Ahmed Naguib

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the transformative potential of Community Land Trusts (CLTs) in reimagining land and homeownership within the context of capitalist real estate markets. Utilizing a qualitative research framework that combines narrative inquiry with Emergent Strategy and Community Cultural Wealth theories, this study explores the intricacies of developing CLTs as a counter-narrative to traditional models of property ownership. Through extensive narrative analysis of four distinct CLTs in California, this research highlights the complex challenges and innovative strategies employed to scale CLTs in competitive urban markets. The findings reveal how CLTs leverage emergent strategy and community cultural wealth to navigate and …

De-Colonizing Media Literacy: An Indigenous Positive Deviance Case Study Of A Guam-Texas Community Empowering Civic Education For Inafaâ??Maolek Self-Determination, Roque Aguon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DE-COLONIZING MEDIA LITERACY: AN INDIGENOUS POSITIVE DEVIANCE CASE STUDY OF A GUAM-TEXAS COMMUNITY EMPOWERING CIVIC EDUCATION FOR INAFA’MAOLEK SELF-DETERMINATION

This case study delves into the realm of civic and media education within varied municipalities in Guam and Texas, which, to date, have been underexplored by contemporary Indigenous social science researchers within the dominant white culture. The investigation focuses on elucidating how influencers from diverse cultural groups employ education and propaganda in the municipal public policy-making process, contributing to holistic community development, democratic citizenship education, and social transformation. The primary aim of this study is to underscore the imperative need …

Mahu And Native Hawaiian Culture: Experiences Of Non-Heteronormativity, Rachel Beth Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

There are extensive amounts of psychological research that highlight the needs and experiences of racial ethnic minority populations in general and more specifically minority sexual identities and genders, also referred to as non-heteronormative populations (Alexeyeff & Besnier, 2014). However, there continues to be a lack of representation in the research of Polynesians and an even greater lack of representation of non-heteronormative Polynesians and their experiences (Allen et al., 2011). Māhū, a population of native Hawaiians who identify as non-heteronormative or third gender, are almost completely absent from scholarly work. This study examines the experience of self-identified māhū and how mental …

Who Is Talking About The Children? A Systematic Literature Review Of The Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis Effects On Children, Angela Marcel Fields

Theses and Dissertations

The ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis has affected thousands of families throughout the United States and Canada, resulting in probable trauma to children in the families and communities for generations. Although awareness of the crisis has been growing in recent years through avenues such as social media (#MMIW, etc.), little action has been taken to stem the crisis and its effects. The effects of the crisis on the children left behind is a compelling question that is not often addressed in the media, however. A systematic review of the scientific literature from the United States and Canada …

Si Solo Nos Dan Esta Oportunidad: Stories Of Transnational Students In An Intercultural Secondary Program In Santa Fe De La Laguna, Michoacán, México., Minea Armijo, Minea Armijo Romero

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The research aimed to explore the long-term effects of intercultural bilingual programs on Indigenous bilingual students residing in transnational communities. Employing a phenomenological research design, this qualitative study incorporated interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, and artifact analysis. Specifically, it investigated an intercultural education program at the secondary level and its influence on transnational students, their families, and the teachers at the Preparatoria Indígena Intercultural de Santa Fe de la Laguna in Michoacán, México. This research contributes to the growing field of bilingual education research in México by examining the interconnections between transnationalism and Bilingual Intercultural models of education, thus proposing …

Indigenous Student Responses Of Resiliency To Adversity, Aaron Billie

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The purpose of this study was to analyze the responses of Indigenous students as they experience situations that are adversarial and precarious. One of the goals of this study was to empower voices of Indigenous students in providing an avenue to share their genuine stories of resilience. I served as both researcher and mentor as I applied a Navajo framework to the analysis of the data known as Nitl‘iz Saad bee Hozho Iina Sila (NSBHIS), or beautiful lifeways exist within the language of precious elements. The four areas of this framework held up the salient outcomes from the research which …

Centring Indigenous Worldviews And Perspectives: Deepening The Implementation Of The Curriculum, Perry N. Smith ~ Kꙻ Anilqꙻ A?

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

School districts throughout British Columbia are grappling with indigenizing and decolonizing classroom instructional practices. The redesign of British Columbia’s curriculum has allowed educators to support indigenization and decolonization by including Indigenous curricular learning standards in each subject and every grade. Each district is responsible for ensuring that teachers at all levels implement the Indigenous curricular Learning standards in their classrooms. Implementing curricular learning standards that embed Indigenous knowledge, worldviews, and perspectives is challenging for many teachers. As many teachers do not have the background knowledge or skills to weave Indigenous worldviews and perspectives into the classroom effectively, implementing these new …

Traditional Culture And Knowledge As Suicide Prevention Among Indigenous People, Nigel Lawrence

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

American Indians and Alaska Native (AIAN) people possess the resilience and fortitude to survive attempted genocide, colonization, and assimilation. Still, the resulting intergenerational trauma has left AIANs with suicide rates disproportionately higher than any other race. This study reviews the research on the effectiveness of teaching traditional cultural knowledge and practices as suicide prevention measures. Alcohol and drug abuse have been shown to increase the likelihood of death by suicide; therefore, drug and alcohol use prevention measures will be included. As part of colonization and assimilation, much of the traditional cultural knowledge and practices were suppressed. If drug and alcohol …

The Integration Of Indigenous Knowledge In Education, Andrew Paquin

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

Abstract

This project consisted of a rational, literature review, action plan, and discussion on the topic of Indigenous knowledge integration in education. The literature review consisted of three main sections, decolonization through education, best teaching practices for integration, and how ontological differences shape the integration process. Going into this project I predicted that before proper integration can happen, Western and Indigenous communities have to build authentic relationships that go beyond just recognizing another viewpoint. My literature review consisted of 30 sources involving Indigenous communities from all over the world. The most common recommendation found across all studies was the importance …

Indigenizing Education: Universal Design For Learning And Indigenous Leadership Frameworks, Jennifer Vasilez

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Abstract

This study seeks to determine if Universal Design for Learning could serve as a culturally sustaining classroom framework for supporting Indigenous students in classroom settings. It also shares the perceived proficiency of Indigenous parents by those serving in a caregiver role for Indigenous youth, as well as the perceived potential of specific elements of Universal Design for Learning in supporting their students. As an Indigenous woman, I recognize the importance of asking Indigenous families if this strategy is worthy of further research, before conducting research into the efficacy of Universal Design for Learning in this way. This research project …

Indigenous-Based Mindful Activities For Students With Test Anxiety, Amy Maharaj

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

College life for students can be stressful, with stress and anxiety being one of the biggest impacts on a student’s academic performance; with test anxiety being one of the biggest culprits in causing stress and anxiety among college students. One of the ways that students can help ease test anxiety is through mindful practices. As many colleges and universities increase their availability to provide mindfulness resources – there seems to be a lack of mindfulness resources for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students. The research study for this dissertation utilized Indigenous-based mindful practices from Indigenous and South Asian …

Trauma Informed Teaching Practices For Indigenous Children, Raegan Gourley

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to introduce educators to trauma-informed teaching practices for Indigenous children. Due to generational trauma, adultification, and other issues Indigenous children face, it is imperative to find strategies that educators can use to combat trauma-based behaviors that take place in the classroom. While there is a lot of research on the generational trauma that Indigenous children face, there is no connection to having it manifest in the classroom. Through a review of interviews, literature, and research, it was found that practices like restorative justice, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and activities like the Blanket Exercise by Kairos are all trauma-informed …

Perceptions Of Disabilities Among Native Americans Within The State Of Utah, Erica Ficklin, Melissa Tehee, Sherry Marx, Eduardo Ortiz, Megan E. Golson, Tyus Roanhorse

Psychology Student Research

Currently, little research exists on disabilities among Native American communities and no research exists on how Native Americans perceive disabilities, services currently available, and unmet needs. Understanding these key areas is essential to providing efficacious and culturally relevant care. To address this gap in the literature, we used Indigenous research methodology through sharing circles throughout the state of Utah to listen and amplify the voices of the Native communities. Participants shared how they conceptualize "disability," what they thought of current services, and how they thought the needs of Native persons with disabilities should be addressed. Four major themes emerged in …

Professional Development In Indigenous Education: By Teachers, For Teachers, Devin Green

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

Many school boards have been developing Indigenous frameworks and funding Indigenous programming as a response to the 94 “Calls to Action” published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015). The actions of these school boards are a form of reconciliation. Within the Southern Alberta School Board (SASB, a pseudonym), there are strong policies in place that support Indigenous students; these policies ensure the students never have to experience the unfair treatment that past generations did through the residential school system. Teachers in this school board are also supported through professional development programs to improve their practice. However, these …

"There Is No Room For Me, For A Hawaiian, In Science": Rightful Presence In Community Science, Colby Tofel-Grehl

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper shares the experiences, engagement, and struggle of one young Indigenous Hawaiian woman as she grapples with her sense of disconnect with STEM while serving as a land protector on the Mauna Kea, the home of the Thirty Meter Telescope being built over the objection of the local Indigenous community. I examine her changing perspectives and connections to STEM through her engagement during a summer school enrichment class focused on science and technology learning in service of community goals. Findings indicate that her sense of agency and autonomy were greatly improved by engaging in a space where science and …

The Nawat Language Revitalization In El Salvador And How Its Digital Activism Transcends Borders, Sergio J. Mendoza Gallardo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this research project I seek to show how digital activism for Nawat revitalization can transcend beyond the Salvadoran borders. The goal is to show how the revitalization of Nawat can have a better chance to be successful thanks to technology. Nawat is the last indigenous language in El Salvador, and its position within Salvadoran society has been uncertain for many years. Thus, I aim to show how technological efforts can help revitalize Nawat language with the efforts that are already being done. Although El Salvador has had a dark ethnic history regarding indigenous people, there are actions being taken …

Factors Affecting Indigenous Student Motivation In K-12 Public Schools In British Columbia, Duane Penner

WWU Graduate School Collection

Many Indigenous Tribes within Canada, such as the Sto: Lo and Matsqui First Nations in British Columbia, with whom I work alongside in the Abbotsford School District, have struggled since the time of first contact and colonization to preserve and defend their culture and values. It is through truth, reconciliation, and the hope of working together that we may find common ground moving forward within our society. This research study considered Indigenous peoples’ narratives through interview questions and stories. The research question was what are factors that motivate student success in K-12 public schools in British Columbia, Canada? A small …

Reshaping The Narrative, Crystal Little Owl

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Identity Work And Aspirations Of Indigenous Males Navigating Elite Australian Higher Education, James A. Smith, Garth Stahl, Andrew Harvey, Braden Hill, Himanshu Gupta, Sam Moore, Jianing Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Australia, there has been increased attention to attracting Indigenous peoples into higher education but, despite a recent growth in enrolment numbers, they remain severely underrepresented. This underrepresentation is particularly notable among Indigenous males, who are the least likely to attend. In this paper, we investigate the experiences of four Indigenous young men who attended an elite higher education institution. Aligned with other research on the experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic males in higher education, the article captures how their experience in privileged institutions compels them to reflect on their own positionality and the cultural interface between Indigenous and …

Education Administration In Federal Indian Law: Learning From A Colonial Project Turned Tool Of Liberation, Ariel Liberman, Douglas L. Waters Jr.

American Indian Law Journal

While statistics tend to focus on the difficulties facing tribal education, this article endeavors to look at the matter with fresh eyes. The federal administrative paradigm governing tribal schools has gone from a tool of cultural genocide to a mechanism for empowerment. A survey of recent governmental reforms demonstrates an embrace of the diversity of Indigenous communities, an interest in empowering students through learning, and an acknowledgement of a history of active disenfranchisement. This is ever-evolving federal-tribal relationship shows the administrative state’s capacity for dealing with greatly nuanced community needs and for tailor-making reforms to achieve concrete goals, even if …

Developing Comprehensive Indigenous Education Programs Through Meso Level Leadership To Promote Indigenous Student Success, Lynne Tomlinson

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

Abstract

Annual reports to the B.C. Ministry of Education on Indigenous student progress in 2019/2020 indicated notable gaps in academic achievement, sense of belonging, and post-secondary transitions between non-Indigenous and Indigenous students. Meso level leaders are responsible for developing new programs and resources to support Indigenous student success. They do not yet have the skills and knowledge to address the gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) presents a collaborative inquiry approach to decolonize the K-12 system that promotes interwoven perspectives of Western and Indigenous epistemologies, pedagogies, and methodologies. A collaborative professional learning community …

Improving Educational Opportunities By Weaving Indigenous Knowledge Into The Academy From An Indigenous Perspective, Kayla R. R. Murphy

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

To address the atrocities that Indigenous people have endured and provide guidance to support reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada released its 94 Calls to Action (TRC, 2015). Educational reform is one of the key areas identified as necessary for reconciliation. Educational institutions such as River College (a pseudonym) are working towards the integration of Indigenous knowledge into current educational strategies and practices to achieve the acceptance and inclusion of Indigenous epistemologies, thereby acknowledging that Indigenous peoples are significant to the formation of current day Canada. The colonized approach to education at River College lacks cultural connection …

Enduring Indigeneity: Community Consultation As A Process For Indigenizing Curriculum At A College In Ontario, Camille C. Di Iulio

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released its report which included 94 Calls to Action to address the legacy impacts of the Indian Residential School System in Canada. With education at the forefront of reconciliation, Call to Action #62 calls on post-secondary educators to integrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit content into their curriculum, to Indigenize teaching and learning within an education system built on Eurocolonial worldviews. A post-secondary institution located in southern Ontario (referred to by the pseudonym SCAAT) is making decolonization an institutional priority, especially as it is aligned with their Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) …

Zapatista Maya Literacies And Decolonial Civic Pedagogies, Juan Moisés García-Rentería

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Zapatista Maya Literacies and Decolonial Civic Pedagogies evaluates an educational outreach project led by an Indigenous grass roots mobilization in the high plateau of central México, the Zapatista movement. Using retrospective narrative inquiry and theoretically informed perspectives, this dissertation shows that the program of the Zapatista escuelita, Spanish for “little school,” is rooted in the Maya educational paradigm of nojptesel-p’ijubtasel, a cultural and political process of socialization at the heart of contemporary Maya peasant families. The research focus of this study offers rhetoric, composition, and literacy studies two interrelated points of insight tied to the overall Maya conception of the …

A Walk In Two Worlds: An Indigenous Health Research Mentorship Model Developed From The Experiences Of Mentors And Mentees In A Cancer Research Education Program Aimed At Increasing Representation Of American Indians/Alaska Natives In Cancer Research And Healthcare Professions, Kiana Borengasser, Aislinn C. Rookwood, Joyce C. Solheim, Maurice Godfrey, Karen Taraszka Hastings, Keyonna King, Hannah Robbins, Mariah Abney, Rudy Smith Jr., Liliana Tamayo, Regina Emily Robbins

Capstone Experience

The National Cancer Institute promotes workforce development programs that aim to increase representation of American Indian/Alaska Natives in health science and research careers. One such program, Youth Enjoy Science at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has employed American Indian/Alaska Native youth in mentored cancer research internships from 2017 to 2022. The primary purpose of this study was to examine mentor and mentee experiences of participation in Youth Enjoy Science research education internships to learn from their stories. We conducted semi-structured interviews with current and former Youth Enjoy Science mentees (n=8) and mentors (n=8). We analyzed and collectively re-storied the …

Interview, Charmaine L. Shutiva

SENG Journal: Exploring the Psychology of Giftedness

No abstract provided.

Shapeshifting Power: Indigenous Teachings Of Trickster Consciousness And Relational Accountability For Building Communities Of Care, Ionah M. Elaine Scully

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

Difficult dialogues are necessary work in order for communities to form coalitions, yet often these dialogues pose challenges for engaging in long-term work for social justice and systemic change. Power dynamics, microaggressions, and discomfort unlearning power and privilege can make long-term collaboration difficult. It is for this reason I discuss thinking of coalitions as communities of care and offer practical strategies for collaborating differently for sustainable action. Using Indigenous epistemology and methodology, Indigenous feminist and Indigequeer scholarship, as well as Indigenous land-based pedagogy and storytelling, I offer interventions using trickster teachings or trickster consciousness which I describe as comprised of …