Indigenous Leadership and Knowledge
- Online and asynchronous
- This course will require between 7-10 hours of work per week
- Workload Rating: Heavy
Course Description
The primary expected outcome of this course is an understanding of Indigenous approaches to education, leadership, and knowledge from the perspective of Culture-Based Education. Students are encouraged to engage in peer-to-peer learning to expand upon their own awareness and challenge preconceptions. Because of this, this course is encouraged for students from all backgrounds with varying levels of cultural awareness.
Learning Outcomes
The primary learning outcomes for GDE/PME 820 are to:
- Recall the names and demographics of local Indigenous communities, and compare approaches to Indigenous education in your community and other communities
- Contextualize the history and current realities of Indigenous education with a focus on your local community
- Critically examine theories of Indigenous educational leadership from Canada and around the globe, and develop an understanding of the contributions of leaders in Indigenous education
- Examine feminist and global theories and approaches to Indigenous leadership with a focus on the educational context
- Compare approaches to Indigenous education with your classmates and draw conclusions about the requisites for locally and globally successful Indigenous educational experiences
- Analyse and evaluate the current mainstream education system, and identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching for and about Indigenous learners
- Analyse and evaluate alternative educational programming aimed at meeting the needs of learners in an Indigenous context
- Identify, prioritize, and support community aspirations for Indigenous education
Assessments
Participation in Discussions
Modules 1-7 (50%)
Assignment #1: Leadership
This is a multi-step assignment designed to actualize learning from Modules 1-3. Part of this assignment will be completed with a learning partner.
Module 3 (25%)
Assignment #2: Your Learning Bundle
Create a reflective "bundle" that demonstrates your growth, learning, and engagement throughout this course. This bundle is not merely a summary of what you've learned but an extension of your learning journey. It should capture how this learning has transformed you during the course, reflecting the "new you" that is leaving with expanded knowledge and understanding.
Modules 1-7 (25%)
How does this course support learners outside K-12 teaching contexts?
This course addresses issues of Indigenous leadership and covers many forms of leadership. The examples sometimes pertain to schools, but other examples are used as well. Students are encouraged to examine the place where they work/situation they are in. Course learning activities and assignments are relevant and applicable across diverse professional contexts.
Each student’s professional practice and goals are unique. We highly encourage students to reach out to their course instructors at the start of the term to discuss the relevance and application of course learning and assignments to their own learning goals and context of practice.