832 Major Project: Early Stages

The Idea:

I chose this image of the 9 elements because they ae formatting in a circle. The ways of teaching and learning (and life) is also cyclical and follows the path of the medicine wheel which originates from our 4 directions and seasons. 

During the first class of EC&I 832, we reviewed the syllabus, as usual, and covered expectations for the final assignment(s). I immediately knew what I wanted to attempt. I waited until after class to ask Dr Couros if creating a list of resources that represented Indigenous perspectives, voices, and ways of knowing was suitable for the criteria. I had no idea what it would look like or how I would do it. I felt drawn to the idea largely becuase I was upset and angered each time I heard one of my Indigenous students say something along the lines of the media only showing “bad Native people”. Dr. Couros, thankfully, was able to decipher my kerfluffle of a pitch and gave me a few prompts and suggestions as to how it could fit within the guidelines - I wasn’t convinced but he seemed to have faith that it would work so I rolled with it.

Beginnings:

Over the next few weeks, I studied Mike Ribble’s 9 elements of digital citizenship and began to categorize my resources by those elements. What I wasn’t sure of was how I could make digital citizenship fit with the Indigenous Ways of Knowing. I don’t want to apply Indigenous perspective to a principle that didn’t originate from that culture, I think there’s enough of that in the Indigenous world. I want to find a natural and logical way of marrying the two so they can work together while independently existing. I want to apply Holistic Indigenous Knowledge TO a topic. I’m still working on this piece.

Next Steps:

I’m currently finishing up the creation of small, general lesson plans to teach the 9 elements of citizenship with the use of Indigenous-focuses resources. I am next going to evaluate the holistic cycle of Indigenous Knowledge Ways and hope to apply that system of knowing and learning to the lessons. I’m not sure that it will work but at the very least I hope to be able to offer insight as to how to utilize that way of knowing and supply resources to implement it, like the First Nations Perspective of Well-Being.

YOUR HELP:

I cannot wait to hear about and see what others are creating but the number one thing I’d love people to comment below about is:

WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU LACK IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT OR TEACHING INDIGENOUS CONTENT?