Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Description

Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Education is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) designed to empower and support educators, service providers and families to engage with Indigenous knowledges in early learning environments. The course offers a transformative learning experience, weaving together Indigenous worldviews and pedagogies with diverse perspectives. Co-created with community, educator and scholarly voices, this free, fully-online course is accessible to participants seeking to explore ways to enhance their practice and care environments through Indigenous ways of knowing. There are no admission prerequisites.

The course explores teachings, strategies, and resources that guide the inclusion of Indigenous ways of knowing in early learning environments. Participants are guided through the following learning circles:

1. All My Relations
2. Learning through Indigenous Knowledges
3. Children are a Gift
4. Indigenous Family and Community
5. Land as the First Teacher
6. Indigenous Languages and Literacies

This course is modelled on the pedagogical innovation of UBC’s highly successful course, Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education, led by Dr. Jan Hare, Dean and Professor, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1), Indigenous Pedagogy, which has engaged over 70,000 learners worldwide.

If you are interested in taking this course, please visit the Professional Development and Community Engagement (PDCE) website to learn more and register.

Content adapted from Professional Development and Community Engagement.

Goals

The learning goals for Nurturing Early Childhoods Through Indigenous Education are as follows:

• Immerse participants in Indigenous knowledges, histories, perspectives, pedagogies, and worldviews to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous ways of knowing in early learning and child care (ELCC) contexts.
• Cultivate culturally responsive approaches in all Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) settings that honour and support Indigenous and non-Indigenous children under six and their families by integrating Indigenous practices and values.
• Implement policy-driven strategies and foster partnerships that build capacity and training in early childhood education rooted in Indigenous knowledge. This aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #12, which advocates for the development of culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Indigenous families.
• Address the urgent need for professional learning and development that empowers ELCC educators and staff to:
  • Enhance the quality and relevance of programs and services for all children through Indigenous ways of knowing.
  • Incorporate Indigenous perspectives, practices, and values into their care, curriculum and environments.
• Provide accessible and systematic training to address the current gaps in professional development, ensuring ELCC educators and staff are supported with the necessary knowledge, tools, methodologies, and best practices informed by Indigenous knowledge holders, scholarship, pedagogical practices, histories, worldviews, and protocols.

Project Team

Course Instructor

• Dr. Jan Hare, Dean, UBC Faculty of Education

Elders Council

• Naniiqsu Reanna Erasmus
• Elder Brenda Mason
• Grandma Renee Thomas-Hill
• Elder Ina Kuluguqtuq Zakal

National Advisory Committee

• Dr. Emily Ashton
• Diana Elliott
• Joan Gignac
• Susan Hoo
• Dr. Marianne McTavish
• Shannon Murphy
• Erin Pauls
• Dr. Carol Rowan
• Carolyn Wing
• Dr. Jeffrey Wood

Project Management

• Lori Huston, Project Manager, Curriculum Developer, & Assistant Researcher

Course Development Team

• Gabrielle Coombs, Learning Designer
• Lisa White, Research & Evaluation Specialist
• Leigh (Meanseo) Kweon, Graduate Academic Assistant, Faculty of Education, UBC
• Ashleigh Janis, Graduate Academic Assistant, Faculty of Education, UBC
• Christina Park, Quality Assurance

Course Contributors

Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing contains contributions by the following people:

Media, Production, and Marketing Support

• UBC Studios, Video Production
• UBC Extended Learning, Video Production
• Learning Design & Digital Innovation (LDDI), Faculty of Education, UBC, Podcast Production, Design and Planning Support
• Professional Development and Community Engagement (PDCE), Faculty of Education, UBC, Marketing and Planning Support
• Alice Joe, Visual Artist & Graphic Design
• Willow Fiddler, Photographer
• Robyn Adams, Photographer
• DeLamarre Translation, French Language Translation
• Rev, Captioning, French Language Translation
• Wintranslation, Eastern Ojibway & Plains Cree Translation

Special Thanks

• Natasha Boškić
• Josie Kingsland
• Vanessa Law
• Bryan Wern Yan Lee
• Yvonne Li
• Amanda Lim
• Winnie Low
• Faeyza Mufti
• Josefina Rosado
• Christopher Spencer
• Samantha Tsui

Sample Videos

Welcome Video