(2002). The Key and the Coveted: An Expose on the Lack of First Nations Representation in First Nations Studies Programs at the College and University Level. There has been a dearth of First Nations people teaching First Nations Studies programs across Canada. This means that Native students must learn their history and contemporary academic knowledge from those who are non-Native in ethnicity and background and whose knowledge has been learned in schools instead of lived. It is time that First Nations people learn about their own history and knowledge from those who are actually part of the culture and have lived the life of a First Nations person. A glass ceiling exists for up and coming Native academics and teachers, a ceiling caused by union protocol and rules, an old-boys club mentality, "promotion from within, first" conventions, and academic elitism. This results in a lack of important First Nations role models at the postsecondary level, a lack of understanding regarding First Nations issues and protocol often bordering on the reprehensible, a lack of cultural sensitivity, and a closed-off ivory tower that is virtually… [PDF]
(1997). Language Ideology and Language Development. Grammer, Language and Society, p282-303. An examination of the language-related educational policies of South Asia, and particularly of India, finds that language policies among colonial administrators and the native elite for over a century has left a deep imprint on contemporary language ideologies of different nations. The discussion begins with a look at the Indian dual education system before the consolidation of British rule on the subcontinent at the beginning of the nineteenth century, with instruction given in Sanskrit and Arabic-Persian. The rival British educational system later eclipsed the traditional systems, and as it evolved, it effectively ignored all mediums of instruction except English. The struggle for Indian independence brought with it substantial conflict over the British education system, and the issue of language of instruction became politicized. Patterns of native language use and language policy in India and other South Asian areas are described, and the problems facing many multilingual… [PDF]
(1994). Mother Tongue Speakers: A Help or a Hindrance to Second Language Learners?. Babel: Australia, v29 n1 p4-9,36 Apr-Jun. Discusses language data from the Australian 1991 Census that indicates the vast resources available in languages other than English. Notes that two of the tenets of Australia's various language policies are language maintenance and the development of Aboriginal and community languages as well as the provision of opportunities for learning languages other than English. (16 references) (Author/CK)…
(2000). Alaska Native Elders' Contribution to Education: The Fairbanks AISES Science Camp. The Fairbanks American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Science Camp was designed for Alaska Native middle school students from 11 school districts. The camp enables students to learn from Native Elders while completing hands-on science projects; stimulates interest and confidence in mathematics, science, and engineering among Alaska Native students; provides a curriculum that integrates Alaska Native knowledge and values with Western mathematics and science; and encourages parents to support the academic pursuits of their children. Secondary camp objectives relate to students' cultural and spiritual development and the creation of a network of students interested in science education in Alaska. The academic component of the camp required students to complete a science project following the scientific method and specific guidelines for writing up the report. The cultural component required students to interact with Elders daily, consult and interview Elders about their… [PDF]
(2001). Empowering an Indigenous Rural Community: Local Teachers for Local Schools. Education in Rural Australia, v11 n2 p10-18. Christchurch College of Education (New Zealand) offers a distance teacher education course to a rural Maori community experiencing a teacher shortage. Program success is attributed to local initiative in establishing the program, significant local input into program development, attention to the student profile in course design and delivery, strategies for self-management and lifelong learning, and flexibility in program options. (TD)…
(1992). Adult Basic Education Principles to Access Aboriginal Students to Tertiary Education. During 1990 and 1991 an access and support program for Australian Aboriginal adult students was implemented at the Faculty of Health Science campus of the University of Sydney (Australia). The program offered support for those interested in the health sciences and featured preparatory, orientation and supplementary support courses under special entry arrangements. Program implementation was a long, slow process that began in 1986 with an policy statement but no supporting services. The work of individuals in the Aboriginal Education Unit began to put a program in motion. Most of the participants came to the program as older students with an interest in education to increase self-determination for themselves and their communities. Most participants had difficult, non-supportive past educational experiences. These students often had other responsibilities, roles and obligations which were as important as being a students. Students had difficulty accepting and relating to educational… [PDF]
(1979). The Training of Educational Personnel. Report of a Regional Seminar. Linkages between local schools and teacher education institutions are considered an essential factor in preventing isolation of these institutions from the realities of field situations. Participating directly in educational reform programs is an effective strategy that teacher education institutions can use in making their innovations relevant to the needs of the country. Since there is an increasing emphasis on teacher competence, techniques for evaluation of the minimum acceptable performance of teacher trainees are urgently needed. Educational materials are scarce and teacher trainees should be actively involved in the study, construction, and use of material aides. Developing countries may not be able to await detailed research findings before mass implementation of an innovation. Long term planning for mass implementation and active sharing of experiences are important. The nature of the role of the UNESCO field staff member has evolved from an executive to an advisory…
(1999). The Navajo Language Program at Navajo Community College – Context and Collaboration. Over the last 10 years, there has been considerable expansion of the Navajo Language Program at Navajo Community College (NCC). The guiding principle for this development has been that the seminal work be done by Navajos, in Navajo, for a Navajo audience, and for Navajo purposes. Navajos who speak Navajo have a richness of resource and an access to intuition about grammaticality and acceptability unmatched elsewhere. Navajo-speaking Navajos also have an understanding of the Navajo community, and an appreciation of the need for certain foci in research, curriculum writing, and composition. Besides being symbolically important, doing the work in Navajo forces constant coinage and circumlocution in the language. When the talk is in English, the group becomes more disjointed, in part because English speakers' discourse structure tends to constrain what is said. Giving the Navajo audience primacy forces authors to be more careful, because this audience is the most critical, has the most… [PDF]
(1997). Looking into Oceanic Art. Art Education, v50 n3 p25-28,37-40 May. Presents background material, suggested teaching activities, and four color plates illustrating the folk art of the Oceania islands (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia). The background material is incorporated into an interview with two Oceanic art specialists from Indiana University who discuss the culture of the islands. (MJP)…
(1994). The Founding of Ciulistet: One Teacher's Journey. Journal of American Indian Education, v33 n3 p6-13 Spr. An Eskimo teacher recalls her first encounters with white outsiders; her educational experiences as a learner and a teacher; the journey of discovering her cultural identity; and her role in founding Ciulistet, an Alaska Native teacher group devoted to studying how cultural knowledge can be used in the classroom. (LP)…
(1989). Recommendations of the Manitoba Task Force on Literacy = Les Recommandations du Groupe de travail sur l'alphabetisation. These 28 recommendations are intended to enhance government's ability to play a positive and supportive role in the development of a range of pathways for the learner that can result in literacy for all Manitobans. A foreword provides background on the Task Force on Literacy and presents its definition of literacy and illiteracy, findings regarding causes of illiteracy in Manitoba, and suggested strategy for prevention. The recommendations that follow reflect the specific needs of four target groups: at-risk students, adult learners, aboriginal people, and learners for whom English is a second language. The task force recommends that the Government of Manitoba develop a literacy policy, ensure sufficient funding, establish and provide funding and resources for a Manitoba Adult Literacy Council, and create a new Literacy Office within Manitoba Education to support the Literacy Council. It recommends that the Literacy Council and Literacy Office make adequate supports available and…
(1979). Research on the Education of Maori Children. This review of research literature written from 1971 to 1979 on Maori education integrates and highlights findings in the following areas: historical studies, language studies, scholastic achievement studies, methodological issues, and general issues. Historical studies suggest that there is no comprehensive social history of the relationships between Maori, Pakeha (a Maori term for those of non-Maori ancestry), and the educational system. Although data from a socio-linguistic census of Maori households indicate a need for bilingual education, there are numerous policy implications involved in implementing bilingual education programmes. Academically, Maori students do not perform as well in school as their Pakeha peers. Although this can be attributed to a great extent to environmental variables, cultural difference is an independent causal factor in the lower achievement of Maori children. Differences in educational achievement result from the different value systems of the…
(2000). Saskatchewan Urban Training Needs Assessment Report, 2000. As part of its annual planning process, Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) conducts a number of formal and informal consultations with various stakeholders to research training needs that are not currently met by the SIAST. The main purpose of the SIAST Urban Training Needs Assessment (SUTNA) 2000 Report is two-fold: to gather information identifying training needs specific to each of the four SIAST campuses (Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw, and Prince Albert), and to gather information relevant to province-wide training needs. The report includes the following six sections: (1) introduction, objective, and methodology; (2) demographic and economic information; (3) summaries of relevant studies and reports; (4) summaries of training needs assessment consultations; (5) summaries of reports of CSCES (Canadian Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services); and (6) impacts on SIAST. Highlights of findings include: (1) The Forestry Industry expects to add… [PDF]
(1999). The "Strangers" among Us. The Social Construction of Identity in Adult Education. Linkoping Studies in Education and Psychology No. 61. A study examined the labeling practices in the multicultural discourse in two adult education settings in Sweden: a day folk high school and a municipal adult education center. A total of 33 students and 9 staff members from two adult education programs were interviewed. The labeling processes used by the "actors" (the adult learners and educators) were analyzed from the perspective of the theory of social constructionism. The native actors used the concepts of culture, ethnicity, and immigrants interchangeably to construct the nonnative actors as outsiders. However, the main concept used by the native actors to construct the nonnative actors as outsiders was culture. The talk of the native actors manifested strong affirmation of cultural difference. In the natives' talk, the nonEuropean/nonWestern cultures were conceptualized as the problem. "Racialization" of the concept of culture was another important aspect of the native actors' cultural discourse. The… [PDF]
(2002). Te Toi Huarewa: Effective Teaching and Learning in Total Immersion Maori Language Educational Settings. Canadian Journal of Native Education, v26 n1 p44-61. A study examining teaching and learning strategies in Maori-medium elementary classrooms observed and interviewed 13 effective teachers. These teachers created culturally appropriate environments; used nonconfrontational behavior management; matched strategies and materials to children's prior knowledge, experience, and abilities; used power-sharing practices; used formative evaluation to direct future teaching practice; and cultivated family support. (TD)…