(2000). Aboriginal Language Standardisation Project: Progress Report, 2000. Literacy Ontario. The Aboriginal Language Standardisation (ALS) Project's task is to develop quality literacy materials in order to help preserve aboriginal languages of Canada. The Canadian Assembly of First Nations, a group of tribal leaders, recently called for the establishment of standards for written and oral languages by approving terminology, developing dictionaries, and approving standard orthographies. This report explains why this task of language preservation through standardization was undertaken, previous examples and precedents in this field, and why it is important that this task be undertaken. Thirty-eight of 45 pages are devoted to 11 appendices with the following titles: "Aboriginal Language Standardisation Co-Sponsorship Agreements"; "Aboriginal Language Standardisation Tasks";"Aboriginal Language Standardisation Project Task Timeline"; "The Algonkian Language Family"; "The Iroquoian Language Family"; "Aboriginal Languages and… [PDF]
(1993). Indian and Metis Education: Parents as Partners. SSTA Forum Report (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, October 14-15, 1993). Report #93-10. This report summarizes a forum held in Saskatchewan, Canada to discuss Indian and Metis education, with a particular focus on increasing parent involvement. Parent participation may be placed on a continuum from communication between school and parents to autonomous control of the school by parents and community. Demographic data show that Saskatchewan has a large and growing aboriginal population that will continue to have a significant impact on the province's education system. The majority of aboriginal students are now attending band-controlled schools. Forum participants emphasized the following key points for making parental involvement successful: (1) developing a welcoming climate; (2) fostering a sense of mutual respect; and (3) sharing a common cause and a meaningful reason for being involved. Participants also identified driving and restraining forces that influence the engagement of Indian and Metis parents in the delivery and governance of public education, and… [PDF]
(1998). Marginalization, Decolonization and Voice: Prospects for Aboriginal Education in Canada. In Canada, Aboriginal people remain highly disadvantaged relative to the general population. Structural factors operate in conjunction with cultural factors and other social practices like racism, such that they cannot be explained away through conventional analysis and isolated interventions. Schooling for Aboriginal people must incorporate and maintain Aboriginal cultures and prepare students for success in modern society. The strongest benefits are observed when Aboriginal culture is integrated into all aspects of programming and school culture, regardless of improvements fostered by specific initiatives or interventions. Teachers and administrators successful in working with Aboriginal students and communities are those who maintain active engagement with their learners. This involvement requires continual sensitivity to cultural and social factors outside and inside the school setting, open and caring relations with students, and the ability to serve as facilitator and… [PDF]
(1994). Indigenous People and Poverty in Latin America: An Empirical Analysis. World Bank Regional and Sectoral Studies. The indigenous peoples of Latin America live in conditions of extreme poverty. This book uses empirical data from national survey sources to determine the extent of poverty among Latin American indigenous populations; to compare indigenous and nonindigenous populations with regard to socioeconomic status, living conditions, educational attainment, and occupation; and to develop policy suggestions for the alleviation of poverty. The first four chapters discuss the situation of indigenous peoples worldwide, the "costs" of being indigenous in terms of earnings and social development, demographic characteristics of indigenous peoples, and methodologies used in various national surveys and in this book's analysis. Chapters 5-8 analyze national household surveys as country case studies in Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, providing data on poverty, demography, educational attainment, school enrollments, employment, health conditions, housing, earnings, illiteracy, child…
(1998). Young People Living in Rural Australia in the 1990s. Research Report 16. This report examines the challenges facing young people living in rural Australia in relation to their health and well-being and explores the relevance of personal resilience to offset these challenges. Specifically, the report synthesizes the literature on rural Australian youth and the results of focus groups undertaken in five rural communities. In general, the findings of the focus groups tend to confirm the results of the literature review. Some young people were positive about living in the country, especially with regard to availability of sports activities. Others, especially in towns that had experienced population loss as a result of unemployment, were negative about their futures. Structural challenges affecting rural youth include lack of transportation, health and community services, public housing, and educational and employment opportunities. Social and cultural challenges include gender issues, the high suicide rate among Australia's rural youth, social isolation,…
(1957). Education for Better Living: The Role of the School in Community Improvement. 1957 Yearbook of Education around the World. Bulletin, 1956, No. 9. Office of Education, US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare The basic theme of this yearbook, "The Role of the Schools in the Improvement of Community Life," is open to a variety of interpretations. Many factors determine what role the schools will play in a particular country or area, and consequently, what part they may have in community improvement programs. Among the factors are the history and traditions, the economic, political and social conditions, and the culture of the country. Of great importance is the prevailing viewpoint, both among educational leaders and the general population, on the scope and purpose of education. The answer to the question, "To what extent is the school responsible for the type and quality of community living?" will largely determine the extent to which the school will participate in community development programs. This yearbook will describe what is being done in many parts of the world to use education as a creative weapon in the war against instability at the community level. Part I… [PDF]
(1987). Application of Theory to a Technical Assistance Experiment: Development Communication Theory and the Basic Village Education Project in Guatemala. This paper attempts to assess the influence of development communication theory on the planning and implementation of technical assistance projects in the Third World that utilize mass communication as an agent of change. Like political development theory, communication theory has often been applied in an ethnocentric manner in less developed countries by those who assume that increasing urbanization will lead to literacy, wealth, and increased participation, which can be interpreted as progress. Proponents of this theory encourage a one-way communication approach, whereby locals are given information through the media in order to bring them up to the standards of the assisting nation. More recent research has suggested such populations should not be treated as blank slates but must instead be considered in light of their culture and ethnic values. The Basic Village Education (BVE) project, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported experiment conducted… [PDF]
(1967). INSTITUTE FOR URBAN SERVICE AIDES, A PROJECT OF GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY UNDER TITLE I OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, THROUGH A GRANT FROM TITLE I OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, IS ESTABLISHING AN INSTITUTE FOR THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, WHO WORK AS SUBPROFESSIONALS. THESE AIDES ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE PROVIDING A BROAD EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, DEVELOPING PERMANENT AND NEW AIDE JOBS, AND PROMOTING JOB MOBILITY. THERE WILL BE A ONE-YEAR COURSE OF STUDY, FOUR HOURS A WEEK, SPLIT INTO TWO TWO-HOUR SESSIONS. BOTH THE AIDES AND THEIR EMPLOYERS FELT THAT THE MAIN EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE AIDES WERE INDIVIDUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE URBAN SETTING AND GROUP FUNCTIONING. SOME ALSO SAW A NEED FOR REMEDIAL COURSES IN READING AND MATHEMATICS AND FOR INSTRUCTION IN RECORDING, NOTE TAKING, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. IT IS HOPED THAT THESE AIDES WILL BECOME LEADERS, TRANSLATING NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS INTO EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION AND EXPRESSION. (LY)… [PDF]
(1967). AN EVALUATION OF STAR, OR THE EFFECTS OF TRAINING AND DEPUTIZING INDIGENOUS ADULTS TO ADMINISTER A HOME-BASED TUTORING PROGRAM TO FIRST GRADERS IN AN URBAN DEPRESSED AREA. TO RAISE THE LITERACY LEVELS OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN THROUGH THE USE OF INDIGENOUS NONPROFESSIONALS IN A HOME-BASED TUTORING PROGRAM THE SUPPLEMENTARY TEACHING ASSISTANCE IN READING (STAR) PROGRAM OFFERED READING READINESS INSTRUCTION TO 490 FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN OF LOWER-CLASS PUERTO RICAN ORIGIN. MONOLINGUAL AND BILINGUAL NONPROFESSIONALS EITHER TUTORED THE CHILD IN THE HOME WITH THE PARENT OBSERVING AND SUPPLEMENTING THE INSTRUCTION OR TAUGHT THE PARENT DIRECTLY AND HAD NO CONTACT WITH THE CHILD. THE LESSONS IN READING READINESS WERE ORGANIZED AROUND CODE BREAKING, FORMAL LANGUAGE, AND VISUAL-PERCEPTUAL EXERCISES. THE STAR PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED AFTER SIX MONTHS ON THE BASIS OF THE SCORES ON NINE TESTS OF 19 STAR CHILDREN, 12 STAR DROPOUTS, 90 READING CLINIC CHILDREN WHO RECEIVED DIRECT HELP FROM READING SPECIALISTS, AND 23 CONTROLS. THE PREPROGRAM FUNCTIONING LEVEL OF THE STAR CHILDREN WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPARISON. THE RESULTS GENERALLY INDICATED THAT THE STAR CHILDREN HAD… [PDF]
(2000). First Nations: Race, Class, and Gender Relations. Canadian Plains Reprint Series 7. Canadian social life and public policy are increasingly influenced by Aboriginal people, their roles in Canadian society, and the issues that concern them. Drawing on a political economy perspective, this book provides a systematic analysis of how changing social dynamics, organized particularly around race, class, and gender relations, have shaped the life chances and conditions for Aboriginal people within the structure of Canadian society and its major institutions. Chapters cover: (1) political economy versus the Chicago School and internal colonialism as theoretical frameworks; (2) the State and the contradictions of Indian administration; (3) Aboriginal peoples and economic relations (what happened after the fur trade, capitalism, and contemporary class structure); (4) social reproduction and the welfare state (including social conditions, family relationships, and the impact of child welfare practices); (5) education and job training; (6) health status and health care; (7)…
(1994). Magic of Community: The Telecommunications Revolution and Native American Heritage. Wilson Library Bulletin, v69 n1 p34-37 Sep. Describes the California Indian Subject Specialist librarians, a voluntary organization that uses electronic mail to conduct its work and to build community. The potential of computer-mediated communication to build community among Native Americans is discussed. Information about the development of a global network for indigenous peoples is given. (Contains 11 references.) (KRN)…
(2005). Brown Bodies, White Coats: Postcolonialism, Maori Women and Science. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, v26 n4 p481-496 Dec. In Aotearoa New Zealand journeys of discovery and colonization were also scientific journeys that brought "Maori woman" under the intellectual control of the emerging "scientific" academy. This paper argues that the historical construction of "Maori woman" through the discourses of Enlightenment science continues to affect the constitution of the subjectivities of Maori women scientists today. The paper draws on a doctoral thesis that used literary historical techniques to investigate the imperial archives and feminist narrative interviews with 16 Maori women scientists to collect the research data. I explore the conditions by which the subject "Maori women scientist" emerges and how the Maori women experience these conditions in relation to how they see themselves. I conclude by arguing that the identity of "Maori woman scientist" appears to be "impossible fiction" due to the fragmented nature of the sign "Maori,"… [Direct]
(2004). Policy Issues for Australia's Education Systems: Evidence from International and Australian Research. Education Policy Analysis Archives, v12 n17 Apr. Our purpose here is to discuss education policy issues in the context of empirical evidence. We note that many commonly held beliefs about Australian education such as, the relative performance and participation levels of Australian students; the importance of socioeconomic background on educational outcomes both relative to other countries and changes over-time; gender differences in mathematics and science; and the labour market situation of early school leavers; are not supported by empirical research. Such findings have implications for government policies. We also question current policy directions toward increasing Year 12 participation, expanding both secondary and post-secondary vocational education and reducing class sizes. It is hoped that the discussion will provide stimulus to evidence-based debates about Australian education. (Contains 8 notes.)… [PDF]
(1994). The Students At Risk Program (STAR) and Queensland Secondary Schools within the Priority Country Areas Program (PCAP). This paper describes two programs that work together to meet the educational needs of at-risk secondary students in small rural schools in Queensland, Australia. The goal of the Students At Risk program (STAR) is to increase retention rates of identified at-risk students. The Priority Country Areas Program (PCAP) assists schools and community groups with improving educational participation and learning outcomes for disadvantaged students restricted by geographic isolation. To qualify for program funding, schools must submit information on retention rates as well as strategies for identifying at-risk students and proposed interventions. The St. George School in rural Queensland is an example of how both programs have provided resources in meeting the educational needs of rural students. STAR funding has allowed the employment of an Aboriginal home-school liaison officer who is responsible for contacting families, encouraging parental involvement, intervening when students experience… [PDF]
(1986). Ethnic Folklife Dissertations from the United States and Canada, 1960-1980. A Selected, Annotated Bibliography. This annotated bibliography lists over 220 multi-disciplinary Ph.D. dissertations written between 1960 and 1980 on the subject of indigenous and immigrant ethnic folklife in the United States and Canada. Only dissertations providing substantial attention to traditional forms of ethnic folk culture in context were considered. The concept of "folklife" governing the selection process was guided by the definition used in the American Folklife Preservation Act (P.L. 94-201) which states that folklife is "the traditional expressive culture shared within the various groups…familial, ethnic, occupational, religious, regional; expressive culture includes a wide range of creative and symbolic forms such as custom, belief, technical skill, language, literature, art, architecture, music, play, dance, drama, ritual, pageantry, handicraft; these expressions are mainly learned orally, by imitation, or in performance, and are generally maintained without benefit of formal… [PDF]