Fleer, Marilyn (1999). Children's Alternative Views: Alternative to What?. International Journal of Science Education, v21 n2 p119-35 Feb. Considers assumptions implicit within Western science-education research and practices. Argues that Western science underpins science teaching and that other world views are not foregrounded. Claims that the notion of \alternative views\ positions knowledge construction in other cultures in ways that do not permit different world views or understandings to emerge. Also suggests that \alternative\ implies alternative to Western science. Contains 61 references. (Author/WRM)…

Basow, Susan A. (1984). Ethnic Group Differences in Educational Achievement in Fiji. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, v15 n4 p435-51 Dec. No significant relationship was found between ethnic Fijian 10th graders' scores on tests of Competitiveness, Mastery, Work Orientation, Personal Unconcern, and Self Esteem and educational achievement. It is concluded that factors relating to the meaning of achievement are more important in understanding ethnic group achievement differences in Fiji than are individual achievement measures. (KH)…

Khubchandani, Lachman M. (2000). Self-Articulation of Indigenous People through Language: Exploring Tribal Linguistic Heritage in South India. Tribal cultures in South India are extremely varied. This paper examines different indicators of modernization, such as the degree of urbanization and the spread of literacy among the tribes, focusing on how modernization affects the tribal mind set and how this awareness is reflected in various processes of acculturation (e.g., claiming one's mother tongue identity through the ancestral language or switching over to the dominant language in the region). The paper also examines attitudes of indigenous people toward acquiring contact languages for intra-tribal, inter-tribal, and tribal-nontribal communications. It highlights certain issues relevant to nation-building, such as relations between the individual, community, culture, and state, correlating them to the newly crystallized consciousness among indigenous peoples enshrined in the Indian Constitution. The paper notes that most studies on tribal languages focus on the taxonomies of language classification, language borrowing,… [PDF]

Thompson, Nainoa (1998). Voyaging for Sustainability: Keynote Address at the Annual Pacific Educational Conference (15th, Kauai, Hawaii, August 1998). [Videotape]. This video contains the detailed description of the 1975 attempt to re-create the adventures of the first Polynesian explorers in the Pacific, a project in which Nainoa Thompson participated. Mr. Thompson, an educator who presents programs in "wavefinding," begins his address with an overview of Polynesian and Pacific geography, origins, and traditions. The bulk of the address consists of a slide presentation with commentary and stories illustrating the construction of the canoe, the adventurers as they sailed the Pacific Ocean, and their struggles to stay afloat over 90,000 miles of ocean. (BT)…

Bennett, Don C. (1970). Southeast Asian Indigenous Minorities. Journal of Geography, 69, 7, 428-433, Oct '70. Indigenous minority groups, both tribal and irridentist, are serious problems for the eleven nations of Southeast Asia. There are large differences, real and perceived, in the socio-economic status and government services received by these groups. With such groups, domestic political problems take on international significance. (NH)…

Jaimes, M. Annette (1987). American Indian Studies: Toward an Indigenous Model. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, v11 n3 p1-16. Describes the dilemma facing American Indian Studies, a discipline evaluated (and constrained) by mainstream academics according to Eurocentric conceptual \standards.\ Suggests that American Indian studies could become a valid, autonomous discipline by placing its subject matter in a global context of indigenous experience. Contains 27 references. (SV)…

Horwood, Bert (1994). The Ceremonial Elements of Non-Native Cultures. Journal of Experiential Education, v17 n1 p12-15 May. Explores reasons behind the wrongful adoption of Native American ceremonies by Euro-Americans. Focuses on the need for ceremony, its relevance to environmental education, and the fact that some immigrant cultural traditions neither fit this new land nor value the earth. Suggests how non-Natives can express their connection to the land by creating their own earth-wise ceremonies. (SV)…

Weber-Pillwax, Cora (1999). Indigenous Research Methodology: Exploratory Discussion of an Elusive Subject. Journal of Educational Thought/Revue de la Pensee Educative, v33 n1 p31-45 Apr. States that an indigenous research methodology is being created, and asserts that the process should be led by indigenous scholars. Poses the question of who should participate in the development of a defined methodology, and discusses several principles that should be included in academic discourse on indigenous research. (EMH)…

McInerney, Dennis M.; McInerney, Valentina (1998). The Goals of Schooling in Culturally Diverse Classrooms. Clearing House, v71 n6 p363-66 Jul-Aug. Finds the motivational profiles of five groups of students (three indigenous minority groups and two nonindigenous groups) rather than being significantly different, had much in common. Notes that important predictors of a range of school achievement criteria were goals relating to students' self-esteem at school, sense of purpose, striving for excellence, and working for rewards. (SR)…

Berger, Damien (1997). Small Remote Schools. PEB Exchange, n30 p17-19 Feb. Examines the provision of two small government schools in Australia's Northern Territory in response to the aboriginal movement from central Australia to their homeland in the outer territories. A profile of the community is provided and the learning center development are discussed. (GR)…

Paulson, Barbara L.; Wyrostok, Nina C. (2000). Traditional Healing Practices among First Nations Students. Canadian Journal of Counselling, v34 n1 p14-24 Jan. Assesses post-secondary First Nations students' attitudes toward traditional Native American healing practices in terms of their interest, valuing, and participation. Majority of subjects report having participated in a diversity of native healing practices. Implications of the prevalence of these beliefs and practices are discussed and recommendations for counselors are offered. (Author/GCP)… [PDF]

Freeland, Jane (1999). Can the Grass Roots Speak? The Literacy Campaign in English on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, v2 n3 p214-32. Discusses the Literacy Campaign in English, one of three native language extensions of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas' National Literacy Crusade, explaining how it highlights how state policy and grassroots initiatives interact in indigenous/ethnic language maintenance in Latin America. Analyzes literacy materials designed for the English-speaking populations of the Atlantic Coast (Creoles, Garifuna, Rama, and Miskitu). (SM)…

Poole, Millicent (2005). Intercultural Dialogue in Action within the University Context: A Case Study. Higher Education Policy, v18 n4 p429-435. Edith Cowan University (ECU) has a strong commitment to internationalization and intercultural dialogue. Initially driven through a need to find additional revenue sources, international student recruitment is now valued for the diversity it brings to our student body. In the Australian context, dialogue with indigenous peoples is particularly important, and ECU has been actively working with the indigenous community to extend educational opportunities to this severely disadvantaged group. This paper describes some of the practical strategies which the University has put in place to increase intercultural dialogue and explores some of the issues still to be resolved…. [Direct]

Kanu, Yatta (2005). Teachers' Perceptions of the Integration of Aboriginal Culture Into the High School Curriculum. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, v51 n1 p50-68 Spr. Recently activities surrounding the integration of Aboriginal cultural knowledge, content, and perspectives into the school curriculum have increased in an attempt to increase school success and retention among Aboriginal students. But how do public school teachers, mainly non-Aboriginal and belonging to Canadian mainstream culture, perceive this integration? An ethnographic study conducted among 10 teachers from three public high schools revealed that although there was an expressed openness to the integration of Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives into the school curriculum, in practice little or only moderate headway is being made. What teachers integrated, how they integrated it, and what they perceived as challenges to, and facilitators of, integration are discussed in this article. Based on the research findings, 10 recommendations are made to guide policy and practice in the integration of Aboriginal perspectives…. [Direct]

Boulton-Lewis, Gillian M.; Lewis, David C.; Marton, Ference; Wilss, Lynn A. (2004). A Longitudinal Study of Learning for a Group of Indigenous Australian University Students: Dissonant Conceptions and Strategies. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education and Educational Planning, v47 n1 p91-111 Jan. Conceptions of learning and strategies used by 15 indigenous students in three Australian universities were studied longitudinally over three years. Their academic achievements were good, but at a high cost in terms of time and effort. In spite of the fact that almost half of the students expressed higher-order (qualitative) conceptions of learning in the first year and more in the second and third years, all of the students reported using highly repetitive strategies to learn. That is, they did not vary their way of learning, reading or writing in the beginning of their studies and less than half of them did so at the end of the three years. It is argued that encountering variation in ways of learning is a prerequisite for the development of powerful ways of learning and studying…. [Direct]

Herbert, Susan (2006). The Challenges of Designing and Implementing a Cross-Cultural Unit of Work. Educational Action Research, v14 n1 p45-64 Mar. This paper reports on the challenges that were experienced as I engaged in an action research project in which I designed and enacted a cross-cultural unit of work entitled "Maintaining Health". George has advocated the use of traditional knowledge as a strategy for increasing the relevance of science curricula within the Trinidad and Tobago context. My intention therefore was to improve my practice and to facilitate students' access to conventional science concepts by having them build bridges between their traditional knowledge about health-related matters and conventional science concepts. This type of investigation was an innovation in science teaching in Trinidad and Tobago. In my role as teacher-as-researcher at a single-sex (female) urban secondary school–Parkview Secondary–I engaged in the first action research cycle–plan, act and observe, reflect–with a group of form 2 students (12-15 years). My reflections on the planning phase were recorded in a journal, and… [Direct]

Matiki, Alfred J. (2006). Literacy, Ethnolinguistic Diversity and Transitional Bilingual Education in Malawi. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, v9 n2 p239-254. This paper examines recent attempts by the Malawi government to introduce local languages into the primary school system and other secondary domains of national life, breaking more than 30 years of Chichewa/English monopoly. In a country where the language policy has essentially established the hegemony of English over indigenous languages, the fundamental question that this policy must consider should revolve around the role that these languages can play in the development of Malawi(ans) from a traditionally oral to an increasingly literate culture, ever more connected to the international community through the English language. For many Malawians, economic success is predicated on one's ability to speak, read and write English. There are, therefore, enormous attitudinal, political, economic and social problems that the policy has to contend with…. [Direct]

(2008). Cree Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4. Alberta Education This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the Cree Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the Cree Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6 provided the basis for the development of the performance tasks and accompanying evaluation tools in this document. These assessment materials are intended to be closely linked to classroom practices and are aligned to the general and specific outcomes for Grade 4. The guide discusses purposes of assessment as divided into two categories: "for learning" (formative assessment) and "of learning" (summative assessment). Suggestions for how and when to use assessment materials, and activity templates are included. The guide summarizes effective classroom assessment as: (1) addressing specific outcomes in the… [PDF]

Kouritzin, Sandra G.; Piquemal, Nathalie A. C. (2003). Angela: A Pedagogical Story and Conversation. Multicultural Education, v10 n3 p33-42 Spr. Presents a fictional account of one teacher's experience with an Aboriginal student, focusing on the details in each section of the story to highlight the many preconceived notions teachers may have when dealing with Aboriginal students. A sidebar offers guidelines for establishing a safe environment for discussing and learning about culturally sensitive issues. (SM)…

Clancy, Susan; Simpson, Lee (2005). Enhancing Opportunities for Australian Aboriginal Literacy Learners in Early Childhood Settings. Childhood Education, v81 n6 p327 Aug. In the context of contemporary Australian society, the education system is still failing to increase educational outcomes among the majority of Australian Aboriginal (1) learners. This educational dilemma has persisted despite the regular introduction of systemic initiatives and funding aimed at addressing Australian Aboriginal learners' low educational outcomes. Continued tension exists between, on the one hand, policy and suggested strategies addressing the broad context, and, on the other hand, the development of context-specific classroom practices that will enhance literacy outcomes for Australian Aboriginal learners. While various approaches can be considered, the uniqueness of the Australian experience–both in historical and contemporary contexts–requires consideration of Australian histories, cultures, and geography. In light of this, a cultural-historical approach that "assumes that individual development and disposition must be understood in (not separate from)…

Lawson, Max (1993). The Teaching of Conflict Resolution and Nonviolence in Australian Schools: A Context for Peace Education. Peace Education Miniprints No. 53. This paper is concerned with placing conflict resolution and nonviolent alternatives firmly at the center of peace education. A brief review of theoretical tendencies in peace education in Australia is offered, and how this is consonant with, and different from, what is actually taught in Australian schools. Some discussion also is given about the teaching of conflict resolution and nonviolent alternatives in schools in various Australian states. It could be argued that the practice of peace education in Australian schools in some ways has gone ahead of theory. Five emphases of peace education as set out in a 1984 account (Rachel Sharp) are: (1) peace through strength; (2) conflict mediation and resolution; (3) personal peace; (4) world order; and (5) the abolition of power relationships. The paper suggests that Australian educational authorities are now turning to peace education as violence in Australia is on an increasing spiral. Backlash against the Aboriginal population of… [PDF]

Landers, Jane (1990). Black/Indian Interaction in Spanish Florida. The history of the lives of non-white peoples in the United States largely has been neglected although the Spanish bureaucrats kept meticulous records of the Spanish Mission period in Florida. These records represent an important source for the cultural history of these groups and offer new perspectives on the tri-racial nature of frontier society. Africans as well as Indians played significant roles in Spain's settlement of the Americas. On arrival in Florida the Africans ran away from their captors to Indian villages. The Spanish, perceiving an alliance of non-white groups, sought to separate them, and passed special legislation forbidding living or trading between the two groups. There were continuous episodes of violence by the Indians who resisted Spanish labor and tribute demands, efforts to convert them, and changes in their social practices. Villages were reduced to mission sites where they could more readily supply the Spaniards with food and labor. Indian and black… [PDF]

Wotherspoon, Terry (2000). Teachers' Work in Canadian Aboriginal Communities. This paper focuses on teachers' work in western Canadian communities that have substantial populations of Aboriginal students. It highlights the expectations, conditions, and activities that accompany the work in which teachers engage as a direct response to the needs and concerns of diverse Aboriginal communities, examining ways in which teachers can contribute to or impede positive educational change in these communities and discussing the implications of these expectations and relationships for an understanding of teachers' work. The paper begins by examining teaching as a contradictory form of work in which teachers' contributions to the general development and regulation of others are mediated by the regulation of teaching itself. Next, it presents a brief overview of the historical and contemporary community contexts in which Aboriginal education is situated. This is followed by a discussion of key substantive dimensions associated with teaching in these communities. The next…

Isenberg, Richard (1997). Walkabout in Sixth Grade. Phi Delta Kappan, v78 n7 p513-14,516 Mar. Describes a walkabout program that a sixth-grade teacher developed for her students from several models designed for older students. The program's basic structure revolves around five areas of personal development: adventure, creative expression, local inquiry, practical skills, and service. This voluntary program's success hinges on developing well-defined, observable project outcomes. (MLH)…

Robertson, Heather-Jane (2003). Decolonizing Schools. Phi Delta Kappan, v84 n7 p552-53 Mar. Discusses major findings and recommendations in recent report entitled "Aboriginal Education in Winnipeg Inner City High Schools," published by the Manitoba branch of the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. (PKP)…

Gough, Noel (1990). Healing the Earth within Us: Environmental Education as Cultural Criticism. Journal of Experiential Education, v13 n3 p12-17 Nov. \Stories\ of Western societies portray earth and nature as (exploitable) objects of value. Environmental education and experiential education are also stories constructed in response to inadequacies of Western culture, but they also embody those inadequacies. In contrast, stories of aboriginal peoples and children assist in reconstructing people's relationships with the earth. (SV)…

Coldevin, Gary; Gruber, Steve (1995). Distance Education for Aboriginal Communities in Canada: Past Experience and Future Potential. American Journal of Distance Education, v9 n3 p48-61. Reviews problems with the current educational situation in Canadian aboriginal communities. Notes the potential of distance education to reduce problems associated with cultural assimilation and to enhance multimedia resources. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of two distance education programs for aboriginals and concludes with guidelines for future distance education endeavors. (Author/AEF)…

Albright, Ann Cooper (2003). Channelling the "Other": An Embodied Approach to Teaching across Cultures. Research in Dance Education, v4 n2 p177-182 Dec. This essay discusses issues of cultural difference in dance studies and presents specific pedagogical strategies for engaging the students' embodied knowledge as a research tool in both historical and cross-cultural investigations. (Contains 2 notes.)… [Direct]

Thaman, Konai H. (2002). Shifting Sights: The Cultural Challenge of Sustainability. Higher Education Policy, v15 n2 p133-142 Jun. This article focuses on the need for universities as teaching and research organisations, to recognise and act upon a more culturally inclusive interpretation of \sustainable development\ and \sustainability\. It argues for the valuing of indigenous worldviews as a means of achieving a more holistic and interdisciplinary way of thinking about the Earth as the home of all people and as a complement to the beliefs of western science and rational objective thinking. At a more personal level, it challenges readers, especially academics, to re-examine their own ways of thinking and knowing for the sake of creating sustainable futures that are inclusive in its processes, contexts and outcomes…. [Direct]

Allender, Tim (2007). Surrendering a Colonial Domain: Educating North India, 1854-1890. History of Education, v36 n1 p45-63 Jan. Postcolonial research has often assumed that colonial education fell victim to the forces of nationalism, like other areas of Raj governance in the early twentieth century. However, European-led education that aspired to reach the general population had already failed a generation earlier, at least in north India. This was after highly imaginative and expansive systemic village schooling experiments had been attempted in the 1850s. A poorly conceived but well-meaning crusade against female infanticide, a linguistically tenuous curriculum, a drive for Middle School English instruction and a policy of "decentralization", which handed "lower-order" schooling to apathetic local committees, all played their part in a progressive disengagement between populace and department over the next three decades. Finally, the 1882 Hunter Commission demonstrated to Europeans that they had permanently lost their earlier educational initiative. (Contains 78 footnotes.)… [Direct]