Graham, Barbara (2005). The Development of Aboriginal Language Programs: A Journey towards Understanding. Canadian Journal of Education, v28 n3 p318-338. Attempts to build intercultural understanding inevitably uncover tensions and involve negotiating issues of identity, power, and resistance. Using a self-study approach, I describe the development and early implementation phase of Aboriginal language programs in one school district. I consider the collaborative process involving representatives from the school district, community, and Aboriginal agencies to suggest strategies to transform material and discourse conditions in the community through dialogue and norms of reciprocity. I show that adopting traditional narratives and incorporating cultural structures into school practices demonstrates an integrated approach to communicating and responding to community concerns leads to greater understanding across cultures. (Contains 1 endnote.)… [PDF] [Direct]

Ingram, David (2004). Looking Forward–Looking Back: A Personal Perspective. Babel, v38 n3 p4-15, 38 Sum 2003-2004. In this paper, the author looks back over some 43 years of involvement in language teaching and examines the progress educators have made as a profession. He also considers their present situation, given a Federal Government, which, at least until this year, has seemed antipathetic to languages education, and State and Territory Governments which, for the most part, have been all too willing to use this lack of Federal leadership to excuse their own relative inaction in the area of languages education. This lack of leadership at the political level has resulted in the regression of languages education almost to the point where it was two decades ago. Community attitudes towards language teaching have been further aggravated by the feverish eagerness with which, over the last six years, some politicians have grasped at racism–towards Aboriginals, Asians, and refugees–in order to win electoral favour. He also considers what the future might hold for languages education and how they,… [Direct]

Abidin, Mohd Izani Zainal; Razak, Aishah Abd. (2003). Malay Digital Folklore: Using Multimedia to Educate Children through Storytelling. Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual, v2003 n1 p29-44. In the early centuries of human evolution, the information to express cultures, social contents, ideas, values, and the society itself were primarily developed by means of expression. This information was represented in the form of classical, signs, figures, traditional manuscripts and performing arts. On the other hand, it becomes less important or is even forgotten, especially by the younger generation, to understand the origin and the significance of this rich local content. Apparently, there are infrequent and minimal efforts given to bring back and preserve these local contents. Storytelling is frequently chosen to reflect way of life and thinking of the people during that era. This research selects one of the most famous groups of folklore in Malaysia namely the Malay folklore to critically understand and explore the characteristics, elements and functions. It covers seven types of the Malay folklore namely: (a) "Penglipurlara," (b) moral, (c) myths, (d) comical, (e)… [Direct]

Jarrett, Denise (1998). The World Is Coming to Us. Northwest Education, v4 n2 p18-23,52 Win. The Lower Kuskokwim School District in southwest Alaska developed Yup'ik language materials to support the curriculum and, trained school staff in bilingual practices. The district school in Quinhagak adopted Yup'ik as the primary language of instruction through fifth grade, taught by Yup'ik-speaking teachers. The tribal council offered support in numerous ways, including guest lectures by village elders. (TD)…

Simon, Mary (1998). Children and Youth of the Arctic: A Critical Challenge of Sustainable Development. Northern Review: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Arts and Social Sciences of the North, n18 p70-78 Sum. Argues for a children and youth agenda as part of the Arctic Council's overall agenda, to include profiling the health of Arctic children; assessing health and developmental impacts of pollution and environmental threats on Arctic children; developing sustainable employment opportunities for Arctic youth; and expanding distance education, with a special focus on literacy. (TD)…

Chambers, David Wade (1999). Seeing a World in a Grain of Sand: Science Teaching in Multicultural Context. Science and Education, v8 n6 p633-44 Nov. Describes the Imagining Nature Project at Deakin University in Australia, and the Native Eyes Project at the Institute of American Indian Art in New Mexico. Both projects entail the teaching of science and technology to non-science majors of highly diverse cultural origin. They also incorporate innovative strategies to make science and technology more credible and relevant to indigenous peoples. (Author/WRM)…

Barta, Jim; Galindo, Ed (2001). Indian Summer: A "Hands-On, Feet-Wet" Approach to Science Education. Winds of Change, v16 n4 p54-56 Aut. A summer fish recovery program along the Salmon River (Idaho) involves Native American high school students in science, technology, and research within a cultural and environmental context. The positive attitudes and work ethic of Native students and the research and study skills they acquired demonstrate that Native students succeed when their education incorporates their culture and traditions. (TD)…

Zaalouk, Malak (1995). Children of the Nile: The Community Schools Project in Upper Egypt. Education for All: Making It Work. Innovation Series. In 1992, UNICEF signed an agreement with the government of Egypt to develop and coordinate a community schools project in the deprived villages of rural upper Egypt. Four pilot sites were selected in the governorate of Assiut based on minimum numbers of out-of-school children, lack of a school nearby, and the eagerness of the community to participate in the provision and management of the school. Genuine community involvement was considered critical to project success. Classes were scheduled at times convenient to community and family schedules. Maximum class size was 30 children with 2 facilitators. The facilitators were young women recruited locally and given intensive training in innovative teaching techniques. These included the use of art and music, self-learning, peer teaching, active learning, and enhancement of the official curriculum with subjects and activities relevant to the community and children's interests. In the second year, adult literacy classes were begun with… [PDF]

(1999). Rural Education Looks to a Bright Future in the New Millennium: A Report on the Alaska Rural Education Leadership Retreat. Sharing Our Pathways: A Newsletter of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative, v4 n2 p1-3 Mar-Apr. A 3-day retreat on rural education leadership in Alaska focused on how the Alaska Department of Education, the University of Alaska, rural communities, and school districts can better cooperate to address the long-term educational needs of rural communities. Recommendations were formulated in three focal areas. First, developing an Alaskan rural education action plan for the next 20 years involves adopting standards for culturally responsive schools; defining and achieving local control; developing a clearinghouse to network reform initiatives; engaging elders, families, and communities; stabilizing the rural workforce with a viable economic base; keeping village schools open, regardless of size; and reviewing and revising content standards to insure they address the needs of all Alaska students and communities. Second, developing a rural teacher preparation action plan for HEA, Title II funds includes designating the regional Native Educators Associations as key players in shaping… [PDF]

Benham, Maenette K. P.; Heck, Ronald H. (1993). Political and Cultural Determinants of Educational Policymaking: The Case of Native Hawaiians. A political-cultural model explores the educational process and its impact on Native Hawaiians over a 140-year period. The theoretical model suggests that core political values are transmitted to educational policy and school-related activities, and thereby impact the social, economic, and academic status of Native Hawaiians. Three historical case studies indicate similarities and provide descriptions that illuminate the process of educational policymaking during each politically turbulent period in Hawaii: (1) the American missionaries arrival and impact, 1820-1839; (2) Hawaii, no longer for the Native Hawaiian, 1887-1900; and (3) new political ideas in post-war Hawaii, 1940-1960. The case studies develop six themes: (1) politicization and quiescence as a political process; (2) status of the power players; (3) limited participation in politics and policymaking; (4) dominating values of efficiency and quality; (5) neglected values of equality and choice; and (6) beneficiaries and… [PDF]

McSwan, David (2001). School at the Centre (SatC): A Pilot Project in North Queensland. Report One: Completion of Phase One, the US Visit and Visits to Australian Schools. The School at the Centre pilot project in Queensland, Australia, seeks to assess the transferability to Queensland of the philosophy and practice of the Nebraska-developed School at the Center program. The pilot project consists of three phases: information gathering, planning, and implementation and evaluation. This report covers work done during phase one. The School at the Center program focuses on rural place, and its philosophy is characterized by two core statements: 20 percent of the curriculum should reflect place, both the immediate locality and the broader rural milieu; and this curriculum should make a contribution to the local community. During reciprocal visits by Australian and American personnel to Nebraska and Queensland rural schools and communities, it was noted that rural areas in both countries were in decline and had educational programs that discounted rural place in the curriculum. Numerous examples from the Nebraska program confirmed that meaningful… [PDF]

Roberts, Mihi (1999). The Evolution of Maori Education in a Predominantly Non-Maori School. Since the late 1970s, the New Zealand government has instituted educational reforms to increase Maori participation and success in education. These reforms required Treaty of Waitangi principles to be incorporated into school policies, devolved responsibility to local boards of trustees with community representation, required Maori culture to be reflected in school policies and practices, and ensured that instruction in Maori culture and language was provided when requested. The Forest Lake school, which in 1978 had an all-White staff (except for the author) and 10 percent Maori students, set up its first bilingual unit in 1982. The school developed an educational environment that is sensitive to Maori values and empowering to all students. The partial immersion course develops competency in both English and Maori and is flexible. The total immersion course delivers all subjects in Maori. The school has two parent groups, one Maori and one White, which merge when they need answers…. [PDF]

Jeffries, Rhonda; Nix, Mary; Singer, Carson (2002). Urban American Indians "Dropping" Out of Traditional High Schools: Barriers & Bridges to Success. High School Journal, v85 n3 p38-46 Feb-Mar. Case studies of three urban American Indian high school dropouts found that alienation in school, family values, and a need for economic independence contributed to dropping out. An alternative high school in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) for at-risk and American Indian students emphasizes wellness, school-to-work programs, service learning, culturally relevant curricula, and student participation in school decisions. (TD)…

Ovando, Carlos J. (1994). Change in School and Community Attitudes in an Athapaskan Village. Peabody Journal of Education, v69 n2 p43-59 Win. Reports a study that examined the attitudes of students, parents, and teachers toward school and community issues in Nulato, a remote Athapaskan village, noting changes in attitude between 1983 and 1992. Results suggested the community valued the maintenance of cultural heritage, and cultural and language restoration were becoming high priorities in 1993. (SM)…

Flinn, Juliana (1992). Transmitting Traditional Values in New Schools: Elementary Education of Pulap Atoll. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, v23 n1 p44-58 Mar. Data from Pulap Atoll in Chuuk State (Micronesia) indicate ways in which indigenous culture can transform formal Western schooling. Although the educational system ostensibly derives from a U.S. model and occurs in a context that islanders recognize as nontraditional, many aspects of schooling continue to transmit Pulapese culture. (SLD)…

King, Linda (1999). Learning through the Soul: Concepts Relating to Learning and Knowledge in the Mayan Cultures of Mexico. International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift fuer Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue Internationale de l'Education, v45 n3-4 p367-370. Describes the central concept of Mayan culture, the possession of the soul, or ch'ulel, in the process of forming a knowledgeable person. Soul acquisition is important to becoming the ideal person, and to the educational formation of future generations. Looks at the role language plays in culture as memory, thought formation, and learning process. (VWC)…

Barnhardt, Carol (1994). Life on the Other Side: Native Student Survival in a University World. Peabody Journal of Education, v69 n2 p115-39 Win. Reviews programs and policies developed for college students from diverse cultural backgrounds, discussing Alaska Native students at one institution. The article examines tensions between university and indigenous student cultures, noting changes and accommodations negotiated to help develop environments to promote student success and maintenance of cultural identity. (SM)…

Aikenhead, Glen; Huntley, Bente (1999). Teachers' Views on Aboriginal Students Learning Western and Aboriginal Science. Canadian Journal of Native Education, v23 n2 p159-75. Surveys and interviews with 42 science teachers of Aboriginal students in northern Saskatchewan examined teacher attitudes toward Western science and Aboriginal knowledge and their practices that integrated the two cultures. Barriers to accommodating both Western and Aboriginal science cultures in the classroom were found to be conceptual, pedagogical, ideological, psychological, and practical. (Contains 26 references.) (Author/SV)…

Hawera, Ngarewa; Taylor, Merilyn (2006). Mathematics for Maori–An Investigative Approach?. Teachers and Curriculum, v9 n43-48. Carrying out mathematics investigations in primary classrooms has become an expectation in New Zealand classrooms especially since the introduction of Mathematics in the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1992). This has meant increased emphasis on investigations as a way of learning mathematics. This research reports on the impact of this approach for Maori preservice teachers and possible implications for Maori children learning mathematics…. [PDF]

Lauzon, Allan C.; Thacheen, Piyaporn (2006). Walking a New Path of Life: Learning Tours, "Agroforestry" and the Transformation of the Village of Bann Na Isarn, Thailand. International Journal of Lifelong Education, v25 n4 p407-431. Rural areas in both developed and developing countries are being increasingly marginalized through structural changes. Furthermore, the disinvestment in state-provided supports and services means that rural people are left to their own devices to cope with these changes. Numerous authors argue that the most effective way of dealing with these challenges and changes is through informal learning and local knowledge construction. One way of facilitating this type of local informal learning is through learning tours, which can be best understood as organized conversations. This study asked the question: what impact does participation in a learning tour have on the participants in the learning tour, the non-participants and the community in general? We begin by developing a theoretical framework that integrates community capitals with the principles of working knowledge. Using this theoretical framework, we then employ a case study design, looking at how one person's learning in the rural… [Direct]

Cueva, Melany; Dignan, Mark; Kuhnley, Regina; Lanier, Anne P. (2006). Story: The Heartbeat of Learning Cancer Education for Alaska Native Community Healthcare Providers. Convergence, v39 n4 p81-89. Community Health Aides and Community Health Practitioners (CHA/Ps), the primary providers of healthcare in rural Alaska, share the importance of story as a culturally respectful way for creating meaning and broadening understanding. Story is woven into the fabric of cancer education courses for CHA/Ps. Between May 2004 and April 2007, 13 week-long cancer education courses were provided for CHA/Ps. In response to the written, end-of-course, evaluation question, "Do stories help you to learn? If yes, how?" Ninety-six percent (96%) of respondents (99/103) described ways that story supported their learning. Additionally, in May 2005, 293 (65%) of the 454 CHA/Ps responded in writing to a mailed cancer education survey. Of the survey respondents, 240 (86%) were women and 239 (86%) were Alaska Native people. Nearly all, 98% (224/229) of Alaska Native people and 93% (37/40) of non-Native people identified story as helping them learn. CHA/Ps, on both the cancer education course… [Direct]

Epstein, Ruth (1995). Distance-Delivered Tertiary Programs for Indigenous People in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This report is made up of 20 case descriptions of tertiary level distance-delivered educational programs developed specifically for indigenous students in three countries: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Included in each case is a description of the institutions and stakeholders involved in each course or program, history of the initiative, and its future. Each case focuses particularly on four areas: indigenous community involvements, inclusion of language and culture, student support, and course or program design and delivery. These are four of the areas identified in the literature as essential to the success of distance-delivered programs and courses for indigenous people. The information is based on review of program publications and face-to-face interviews with educators at the 23 institutions visited. Each case begins with a brief description of the institution at which the program is housed to provide readers with a context for the case. This is followed by a description… [PDF]

Abramowitz, Jack (1987). Readings in American History (In Their Own Words), Book II: Growth of the New Nation and Teacher's Guide. This skills-text is the second of four books in the series \Readings in American History.\ The materials allow opportunities to improve reading and comprehension skills in a subject matter context by using certain primary sources related to the topic. Book 2 covers the period immediately following the American Revolution to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860. Each lesson includes short readings with exercises and questions to allow students to explore the topic. The table of contents includes: (1) \After Independence: The 'Critical Period'\; (2) \The Constitution and the Branches of Government\; (3) \The Bill of Rights\; (4) \The Supreme Court Speaks: Marbury vs. Madison\; (5) \Expanding National Power: The Monroe Doctrine\; (6) \Native Americans and 'The Trail of Tears'\; (7) \The National Spirit: The Webster-Hayne Debate\; (8) \Slavery Remembered\; (9) \Abolitionism and 'Freedom's Journal'\; (10) \Dorothea Dix Speaks Out\; (11) \Women Meet at Seneca Falls\; (12)…

(1995). Aboriginal Graduate Employment Statistics Report, 1994. In 1994, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) conducted a study of 1993-94 graduates from SIAST's four campuses to compare the employment rates of graduates of Aboriginal ancestry to those of graduates overall. Questionnaires were mailed to all 2,346 graduates from 1992-93, receiving responses from 1,600 graduates, of whom 77 identified themselves as of Aboriginal ancestry. Study findings, including comparisons to findings from past studies, included the following: (1) 78.3% of all graduates from 1993-94 were employed 6 months after graduation, compared to 71.4% of Aboriginal respondents; (2) the 6.9% differential between aboriginal and general graduate employment rates for 1994 represented a decrease from the 8% differential found in 1993; (3) 11% of the Aboriginal graduates found employment outside of Saskatchewan, compared to 12% overall; (4) although Aboriginals have disproportionately low incomes province-wide, graduation from SIAST eliminated… [PDF]

(1995). Alive and Deadly: Reviving and Maintaining Australian Indigenous Languages. The booklet describes efforts to preserve Australian Aboriginal languages and culture, profiles individuals who have a significant role in these efforts, contains individuals' commentaries on Aboriginal language issues, gives background information on the languages and language groups, and describes programs and organizations supporting the maintenance of the languages within mainstream Australian culture. Programs described include language courses, language revival movements, college second language programs, regional Aboriginal centers, adult education programs, recording of Aboriginal songs, translation projects, language research, art, incorporation of Aboriginal languages into the national curriculum, and consultation programs. Language-related anecdotes and numerous photographs are also included. A list of print and organizational resources in each territory is provided. (MSE)…

Deschamp, Philip (1995). The Implementation of the Literacy Component of the First Steps Project in ELAN Schools (Schools with a High Proportion of Aboriginal Students). This report describes the findings concerning the implementation of the literacy component of the First Steps program, which provides additional support for development of literacy and numeracy among "at-risk" students, in English Language and Numeracy (ELAN) schools (those with a high proportion of aboriginal students) in Western Australia. Data were gathered in a survey of 150 schools and case studies of 12 schools. The program was commonly seen to have a lot to offer children regarded as "at-risk" for any reason. While many respondents praised the program enthusiastically, a wide range of opinion was found. Overall, parents, principals, teachers, and "Focus Teachers" all found that: teachers in ELAN schools were generally more positive about all aspects of the program than teachers; ELAN schools generally made similar or greater progress than schools not participating in the First Steps project; and teachers in ELAN schools found the program more… [PDF]

Saugestad, Sidsel, Ed. (1998). Indigenous Peoples in Modern Nation-States. Proceedings from an International Workshop (Tromso, Norway, October 13-16, 1997). Occasional Papers Series A, No. 90. The relationship between indigenous peoples and nation-states has long been of academic interest, and is also an emerging topic in the international debate about human rights and development. Universities and museums play an important part in this debate as producers, managers, and communicators of knowledge about indigenous peoples. In these processes, the voices of indigenous peoples themselves must also find their proper place. A workshop at the University of Tromso (Norway) in October 1997 addressed aspects of this debate. The point of departure was a collaborative research program between the Universities of Botswana and Tromso to promote research of relevance for the indigenous people of Botswana, called Bushmen, San, Basarwa, or Kwe. The University of Tromso also has a special responsibility to the Saami–indigenous people of Norway. The 17 papers in this proceedings address ethnographic research methods and issues; history, cultural heritage, and cultural maintenance;… [PDF]

Becker, Ellen Bennett (1996). An Interview with John Stokes. Journal of Family Life, v2 n2 p16-25 Win. As teacher, musician, and performing artist, John Stokes has traveled widely in his efforts to promote awareness of the natural world and the integrity of indigenous peoples. In this interview, Stokes discusses life experiences that led him to establish the Tracking Project, a program that has taught traditional tracking and survival skills to more than 75,000 children worldwide. (LP)…

Post, David (1994). Through a Glass Darkly? Indigeneity, Information, and the Image of the Peruvian University. Higher Education, v27 n3 p271-95 Apr. Drawing on surveys of Peruvians, a discussion of Peruvian university education looks at how realistic students' expectations of the economic benefits of university attendance are. Differences in perceptions among ethnic groups (Spanish-speaking and Quechua-speaking) were examined, and implications for social integration in such a society are considered. (Author/MSE)…

Warschauer, Mark (1998). Technology and Indigenous Language Revitalization: Analyzing the Experience of Hawai'i. Canadian Modern Language Review, v55 n1 p139-159 Oct. Reports two years of ethnographic research on efforts to use online technologies in Hawaiian language revitalization programs. Issues discussed include the Internet's role in promoting or hindering language diversity, relationship of multimedia computing to non-Western patterns of civilization, Internet use for exploring cultural and social identity. Results are examined in the context of a critical theory of technology. (Author/MSE)…