TEC EXPO - 2022

TEC EXPO – 2022

TEC Expo 2022 was held throughout November 15-18 2022. View the Photo Gallery!

Theme TEC EXPO 2022: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

The theme of TEC Expo 2022 was Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). It was an invitation to learn about and a call to move forward with concrete ways that make education more accessible, equitable and inclusive to everyone regardless of their background, experience, or level of access to resources.

We encouraged all participants, whether they were at the start of their EDI journey or were already established in the field. Emphasis was on dialogue, on teaching and learning with care, and understanding the benefits of universal design principles for all.

 

Event Description

November 15-18, 2022

TEC Expo is open to all UBC community presenters!

The Technology Enhanced Classroom (TEC) Expo was created as an annual event designed to showcase and celebrate interesting and innovative uses of technology in face-to-face, blended, and online classrooms within the Faculty of Education. Due to the increasing interest for participation from other Faculties at the University, this year it is open to all members of the UBC community, across disciplines and University locations.

After two years of COVID, which resulted in deeper engagement with technologies and tools, there is so much to share and show about new or different ways of teaching and learning. The eighth TEC Expo will be a four day long celebration, from November 15 to 18, 2022.
TEC Expo will consist of a combination of in-person and virtual engaging conversations.

  • November 16, Wednesday: person presentations Scarfe building foyer at 2125 Main Mall, 12-1:30pm.
  • November 15, 17, and 18: virtual presentations 12-1:30pm (three 30min time slots each day). The format of the virtual presentation will be 10 min show and tell, followed by 20 min discussion.

Schedule

  • 11:45am: Opening Remarks from Joanna Cannon, Professor, Deputy Department Head, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education
  • 12:00pm: Creating Inclusive Interactive H5P Content (Presenter: Parm Gill (ETS))
  • 12:45pm: Creating Human Connections in Every Classroom (Presenter: Nazli Ighani)
  • 1:30pm: Virtual Social Event
  • 11:45am: Opening Remarks from Dr. Reginald D’Silva, Associate Professor of Teaching, Associate Dean, Equity & Strategic Programs
  • 12:00pm-1:30pm: In-Person Fair (TBA)
  • Presentations:
  • Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging through Technology (Presenter: Mary McDonald)
  • Exploring Story Making: resources & approaches to support Universal Design (Presenter: Yvonne Dawydiak, Learning Design Manager, TEO, Emily Fornwald, Education Librarian, Wendy Traas, Education Librarian)
  • High and low tech for including students with visual impairments (Presenter: Dr. Kim Zabehazy, Maram Alraddadi, Sandra Sikanku)
  • Able-"izing" and Accessibl-"izing" Videos; Content, Tools, and Features for Students (Presenter: Dr. Keri Ewart)
  • Providing Literacy & Learning Opportunities for All (Presenters: Joe Kwan, Joyce Lo)
  • Emerging Media Lab (Presenter: Catherine Winters)
  • Academic Socialization through Online Orientation: A Learning Transformed Pilot Project in FoE at UBC-V (Presenters: Dr. Nasrin Kowkabi, Masaru Yamamoto, Julie Lin)
  • Exploring Algorithmic Bias with (Google's) Teachable Machine (Presenter: Angela Reynolds)
  • Integrating principles of Indigenous pedagogy into online learning design (Presenters: Dr. Leah Macfadyen, Loveleen Reen)
  • 11:45am: Opening Remarks from Natasha Boskic, Director, Learning Design, ETS
  • 12:00pm: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Simulator (Presenters: Tammy McEachern Hughes, Gabrielle Coombs (ETS))
  • 12:45pm: Increasing the Accessibility of Video (Presenter: Michael Sider (UBC Studios))
  • 1:30pm: Virtual Social Event
  • 11:45am: Opening Remarks from Jeff Miller, Senior Associate Director, Projects and Faculty Partnerships
  • 12:00pm: Developing Plug and Play Online Content for Blended Learning Curriculum Development (Presenter: Joyce Chan Maurais)
  • 12:30pm: UDL Practices within UBC Learning Technologies (Presenters: Dr. Laila Ferreira, Dr. Afsaneh Sharif, Dr. Natasha Boskic)
  • 1:30pm: Virtual Social Event

There will be a social event from 1:30-2:00 on each virtual day. It is an interactive virtual event where you can meet the presenters, chat with the organizer, play games with other participants, or just simply come and explore the space! (Social Event Space Instructions).

Previous Year at TEC Expo

Need Help?

For more information, please contact the ETS office at ets.educ@ubc.ca or by phone at 604 822 6333.

 

Please scroll down to each presenter(s) to watch the recording of their respective sessions.


Creating Inclusive Interactive H5P Content

Parm Gill (ETS)

H5P is a technology that enables users to create interactive and engaging online content. H5P interactive content types can facilitate multi-modal strategies that enhance student experiences in online or blended courses and can make learning more inclusive for diverse learners. However, not all H5P interactive content types are accessible, and not all interactions are created with accessibility and inclusion in mind. In this session, I will introduce you to the H5P Evaluation Checklist. I designed this checklist to help guide H5P interactive content creators to consider pedagogical functionality, technical and cognitive accessibility, visual/multimedia communication principles, user experience as well as inclusive design for all learners.

Please note that this session is for participants who have knowledge about H5P and would like to dive deeper to learn how to use H5P interactive contents for inclusive course design.


Creating Human Connections in Every Classroom

Nazli Ighani

This workshop will help you plan learning experiences for your students that will not only engage them but will give them the opportunity to have autonomy while sharing their thinking. Students will learn to develop their self-regulation skills and gradually be assigned responsibility in their learning.

By creating more time and space in a classroom, we not only activate student engagement but we motivate learners by providing choice, agency, and autonomy. Using blended learning allows students to have access to their learning that is equitable, and inclusive regardless of their background or experience. Every student deserves a responsive learning environment – one that addresses their unique social and academic needs. By providing learners with the right learning space, they can feel empowered to be equipped with the 21st- century skills they need to succeed.


 

This day’s in-person session was livestreamed and recorded on Youtube where an ETS staff went around checking out each presenter’s booth / table.

Click on ‘Video Time Stamps’ below to easily locate the presentation of your interest.

00:00 Opening Remarks
07:05 Booth tour starts
07:49 Academic Socialization through Online Orientation: A Learning Transformed Pilot Project in FoE at UBC-V - Dr. Nasrin Kowkabi, Masaru Yamamoto, Julie Lin
15:26 Exploring Algorithmic Bias with (Google’s) Teachable Machine - Angela Reynolds
29:56 Exploring Story Making: resources & approaches to support Universal Design - Yvonne Dawydiak (TEO), Emily Fornwald, Wendy Traas
43:24 High and low tech for including students with visual impairments - Dr. Kim Zabehazy, Maram Alraddadi, Sandra Sikanku
50:42 Emerging Media Lab - Catherine Winters
56:40 Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging through Technology - Mary McDonald
1:08:36 Providing Literacy & Learning Opportunities for All - Joe Kwan, Joyce Lo
1:17:43 Able-“izing” and Accessibl-“izing” Videos; Content, Tools, and Features for Students - Dr. Keri Ewart
1:21:56 Integrating principles of Indigenous pedagogy into online learning design - Dr. Leah Macfadyen, Loveleen Reen


Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging through Technology

Mary McDonald

Interact with culturally relevant STEAM kits and activities that support diversity, inclusion and belonging through an emphasis on language literacy and conservation, and amplifying diverse perspectives. Engage in activities that present environmental conservation through a Northern and Indigenous lens. Pinnguaq’s mission is to work alongside rural, remote, Indigenous and other communities. We co-design and co-create with communities to support the development of STEAM skills through innovative technology, art and play.


Exploring Story Making: resources & approaches to support Universal Design

Yvonne Dawydiak (TEO), Emily Fornwald, Wendy Traas

“Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all.” (CAST)

Within a UDL approach, we seek to incorporate varied opportunities for students to represent their learning and recognize that digital and non-digital tools and approaches can support multimodal teaching and learning experiences. In our collaborative work, we have curated examples of ways in which teachers can engage students in story making and represent stories in kinesthetic, auditory, visual and textual ways. Drop by to play and learn along with us. We look forward to discussion about how you support your learners!


High and low tech for including students with visual impairments

Dr. Kim Zabehazy, Maram Alraddadi, Sandra Sikanku

This presentation will provide some exposure to different apps and tactile means to gain access to information in the environment for students who have visual impairments. A variety of activities will be available and focus will be on sparking thinking ways to fully include students in creative and meaningful ways in the classroom.


Able-“izing” and Accessibl-“izing” Videos; Content, Tools, and Features for Students

Dr. Keri Ewart

The Augmentative and Alternative Videos are the most popular online media and the most effective way to engage learners in an educational setting. With the growth in popularity of YouTube and TikTok in the past few years, educators are choosing to use videos more often as a powerful tool to enhance student learning. Some of you may remember the days of Bill Nye the Science Guy, Telefrancais, or watching the book you read in class as a video. But how do we ensure that the digital tools that we are using, the content we are showing and creating, and the means by which we have students engaged in the video are accessible, inclusive, and engaging to all?

In an age of immense technological advancements and access to a plethora of digital tools, educators need to embrace the fact that technology offers significant avenues to provide differentiation and accessibility to meet the needs of all students for improved learning and skill development. In this workshop, we will explore instructional strategies, content creation tools, video accessibility tools such as Panopto, Flip, EdPuzzle, and video creation and viewing platforms such as YouTube and Tik Tok to address issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, anti-racism, and accessibility for the purpose of engaging and motivating students, while redefining their learning altogether. Explicit examples of how and why to use these digital tools and strategies will be modeled. Universal design features of various types of software will be highlighted, as well as the use of adaptive equipment for students with cognitive and physical disabilities will be included. Participants will walk away with best practice pedagogy for video accessibility and with lesson and workshop ideas to use in their own roles. Join me for a stimulating, inclusive, and valuable 30-minute session that will change your video use and content creation practices forever. This workshop is applicable to K-12 teachers, resource and support teachers, post-graduate education faculty, instructors, and staff, educational designers and instructors, technology leaders, and assistive technology users and leaders from all sectors.


Providing Literacy & Learning Opportunities for All

Joe Kwan, Joyce Lo

Joe and Joyce will share resources, strategies and best practices on the use of assistive technology such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps and devices to promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by providing literacy and learning opportunities for all students.


Emerging Media Lab

Catherine Winters

EML is an experimental space where faculty, students, and staff from all disciplines collaborate with industry and the community. Its mission is to evolve learning by creating tools using technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality.


Academic Socialization through Online Orientation: A Learning Transformed Pilot Project in FoE at UBC-V

Dr. Nasrin Kowkabi, Masaru Yamamoto, Julie Lin

The last decade has seen the more-than-double surge in the number of international students at Canadian universities, which remained attracting more than 500,000 students worldwide notwithstanding the global Covid-19 pandemic (Statistics Canada, 2022). These statistics unequivocally suggest the necessity of providing robust, timely, and contextually relevant support to assist students’ academic socialization. One way to achieve this is through the provision of an online orientation custom-designed for a particular target population such as FoE students in UBC-V.
Drawing on the theoretical principles of second language academic discourse socialization and multimodality as toolkits for praxis (e.g., Duff & Anderson, 2015; Friedman, 2021; Jewitt et al., 2016), this online orientation is custom-designed to assist international students’ successful academic socialization in FoE.

The content covers a range of important topics, such as: navigating the UBC-V campus, communicating with instructors, class preparation and course engagement, effective strategies for academic reading and writing, and maintaining academic integrity. During the TEC Expo in-person session, we will showcase the design and content features of the online orientation seeking feedback for further improvement and implementations of this “Learning Transformed” pilot project.


Exploring Algorithmic Bias with (Google’s) Teachable Machine

Angela Reynolds

This presentation will demonstrate how to train the machine to recognize dogs vs. cats with the aim of showing that diversity of training data affects accuracy of the machine learning system. It’s important to be aware of the presence of algorithmic bias in our lives because algorithms make crucial decisions that affect all of us – decisions about what advertisements we see, how our job applications are screened, how likely we are to commit a crime, and what kind of credit we can be get, for example.


Integrating principles of Indigenous pedagogy into online learning design

Dr. Leah Macfadyen, Loveleen Reen

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how course designers and educators can decolonize the online learning space. This presentation will discuss the 5R
model, which can serve as a framework for incorporating Indigenous Pedagogies into an online learning environment. More information about this framework and how to incorporate Indigenous Pedagogies into instructional design can be found in a web resource that will be hosted soon on the ETS, UBC website.


 

Please scroll down to each presenter(s) to watch the recording of their respective sessions.


Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Simulator

Tammy McEachern Hughes, Gabrielle Coombs (ETS)

The Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Simulator is a project that has been done in collaboration with UBC’s Emerging Media Lab. The simulator allows for students who are learning about AAC to create their own communication board and then use it in a simulation of a meal. By putting students in the position of having to use a board to communicate (and not be able to communicate verbally), we plan to give students a unique, empathetic learning experience, and thus help them become better communication partners to users of AAC in the real world.


Increasing the Accessibility of Video

Michael Sider (UBC Studios)

How to make video more accessible? Captions, ASL, descriptive video…. it can be overwhelming. During this presentation, Educational Media Producer Michael Sider from UBC Studios will reveal solutions from free and do-it-yourself to professional. You’ll find practical tips, guidance and best practices for reaching a variety of communities that experience barriers with video.


 

Please scroll down to each presenter(s) to watch the recording of their respective sessions.


Developing Plug and Play Online Content for Blended Learning Curriculum Development

Joyce Chan Maurais

Discuss how Articulate, Vyond, and Adobe products were used to build a suite of plug and play content that can be used for standalone and blended learning curriculum development for R2MR (Road to Mental Readiness), a mental health and performance education team within the Department of National Defence.


UDL Practices within UBC Learning Technologies

Dr. Laila Ferreira, Dr. Afsaneh Sharif, Dr. Natasha Boskic

Learners come from different backgrounds, have different ways of learning and different skills. Those designing teaching and learning environments must address this diversity by creating experiences that engage all learners. In this presentation, we will share our Universal Design for Learning (UDL) practices within the UBC Learning Technologies and discuss how we improve accessibility and inclusion by taking small steps with big impact. We will discuss our practices through our roles as an instructor, administrator and designer. Laila Ferreira will illustrate her use of tools such as CLAS (a collaborative learning social annotation system) and ComPAIR (a UBC developed peer review tool) to foster student collaboration and self-regulation in their learning of academic writing. Natasha Boskic will talk about what a support unit can do to raise awareness on accessibility issues, and how it can assist with making courses better prepared for a diverse audience. Afsaneh Sharif will talk about how she uses UDL in her practices in a central unit to remove learning barriers.


Ally Pilot

Ally logoThe Faculty of Education is taking part in a pilot of the accessibility tool Ally. All 2022W2 Canvas courses within the faculty will include this tool. Ally has already been used in courses at UBC, and has been used extensively within the Faculty of Education’s Master of Educational Technology (MET) program courses to improve accessibility.

How Ally works

Ally provides features for instructors, designers, and students.

While the primary goal of using Ally in a course is to make your course more accessible, the tool offers in-the-moment learning opportunities to better understand web accessibility, why it matters and, importantly, how to make online learning environment more accessible.

Ally automatically creates alternative formats of Canvas course pages, so that students can choose how they interact with course contents.

Why It Matters

As educators, we are in a position to remove barriers and provide new and better avenues for teaching and learning for people with exceptionalities, while benefitting all learners at the same time. As stated in Faculty of Education goals “We are committed to creating conditions for transformative teaching, innovative learning, and leading-edge research guided by the highest standards of scholarship, collaboration, equity, and inclusion”.

Online content, much like physical content, can be inaccessible if it has not been designed with accessibility in mind. As we increasingly engage in learning on and from the web, it is crucial to know how to make digital content and media accessible and inclusive. While this may seem a difficult task, one does not need to be a programmer or to have extra web development skills in order to make meaningful changes which benefit all learners.

Ally adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which ensure that online content is as equitable and accessible as possible. Using Ally presents opportunities to know more about web content accessibility, common issues, and will in some cases fix these issues for you.

Understanding and Interpreting Ally

Use the accordions below to find out more about the different elements of Ally and how to interpret them.

The Accessibility Report is a broad overview of the accessibility of your course. It provides a percentage score, rating your course's accessibility based on all of the items in your course. This means all pages, documents, files, images and videos will be assessed for their accessibility and count toward the overall score. These items are then listed in the report and given an individual accessibility percentage score.

Ally Accessibility Report showing course overview score, and items to be fixed

This image shows the Ally Accessibility Report. This overall course accessibility score is shown in the top right corner - for this course it is 84%. Below this, on the left, is an overview of the content types within the course, and on the right are 2 buttons: one to start addressing easily fixed issues and the other to fix very inaccessible (low-scoring) issues. Below this section is an itemized list of course issues, ranked by the severity of the issue. This list also shows how many items within the course have this issue.

The Accessibility Report is located in the Canvas Course Navigation Menu - the menu where you find Modules, Syllabus, Settings, etc.. - on the left side of the screen. It will usually be the menu item just above Settings which is last item in the menu.

Note about the Accessibility Score

The accessibility percentage score is based on ALL contents within the course - even contents which are unpublished or otherwise invisible to students. While this score is a good way to get an overview of your course contents as a whole, keep in mind that having a lot of documents in your course files will impact this score. Do not be alarmed by the number of items reported, or if you have a percentage score that seems low. Talk to ETS members to understand it better and what needs to be addressed and what is “good to know”.

The accessibility gauges or indicators will be shown on all embedded contents including images, files and videos uploaded to Canvas throughout the course, and on items within the Accessibility Report. There are 4 indicators each indicating different levels of accessibility. Ally defines each indicator as follows:

  • Ally RED gauge indicating poor accessibilityRed Gauge with indicator pointing to north-west. Low (0-33%): Needs help! There are severe accessibility issues.
  • Orange gauge with indicator pointing north. Medium (34-66%): A little better. The file is somewhat accessible and needs improvement.
  • Light green with indicator pointing north-east. High (67-99%): Almost there. The file is accessible but more improvements are possible.
  • Green with indicator pointing east. Perfect (100%): Perfect! Ally didn't identify any accessibility issues but further improvements may still be possible.

These indicators provide a quick visual cue to prompt accessibility changes while you are going through your course content. Clicking on these indicators will take you to a page which will describe the problem, and offer guidance on how to fix the issue.

Alternative formats are available for all published pages on Canvas, and is the only feature available to students. Next to the title of each page will be an icon with an A and a downward pointing arrow: . This will open a pop-up box with a list of different formats of the content for students to download. Currently, Ally provides the following alternative formats at UBC:

  • ePub
  • Electronic Braille
  • Audio (mp3)
  • BeeLine Reader
  • Immersive Reader

Alternative formats can be disabled on a page-by-page basis, by clicking on the alternative formats button, and clicking on the downward pointing arrow next to Download alternative formats. This will then show the option Disable alternative formats for this item.

Ally on Canvas

The video below is a demonstration of how Ally is integrated for checking accessibility on Canvas.

Support for Ally

ETS supports the use of Ally and the design with accessibility in mind. There are multiple resources available:

For questions about this pilot, please contact ETS at ets.educ@ubc.ca

Ally

Low-Bandwidth Teaching and Learning

Bandwidth and Immediacy of Tools Matrix

How to support students with limited Internet access

With online access to course materials and synchronous sessions, Internet connection issues can negatively impact teaching and learning. Thinking about the bandwidth and immediacy of tools can help in designing accessible courses and adopting teaching practices that can support students with limited Internet access.

Course Design Strategies | Teaching Strategies | Canvas Settings | Zoom Settings | Instructions for Students


Course Design Strategies

While the ETS Online Course Readiness Guide covers the considerations for effective online and hybrid course design, including practices for low-bandwidth teaching, here are some strategies that are particularly relevant.

  • Balance the synchronous and asynchronous content of your course to ensure all students can engage. Asynchronous materials can be uploaded to Canvas, and discussion forums can be set up to facilitate interaction when synchronous meetings are not possible.
  • Design mobile-friendly courses so that students can see the course materials, irrespective of what device they are using including the Canvas Mobile app. Students who have spotty Wi-Fi may have a better Internet connection through their phone data plan.
  • Pre-record lectures using Zoom, Kaltura or Camtasia and upload to Canvas.
  • Include captions and transcripts for video content, as this will provide a low-bandwidth alternative. Captions can be added using Kaltura.
  • Optimize the size of the images, files (.doc, PDF, PPT), and videos you are uploading, as this can impact access for students with poor Wi-Fi.
  • Add alternative text (Alt) to images. If images are not loaded on a slow connection or are disabled in the browser, students will still be able to read the description.
  • Avoid using images as banners. Do not include pictures with the sole purpose of beautifying the course.
  • Enable Ally to provide students with alternative formats (audio, ePub, electronic braille, PDF, immersive reader) to view the course content. Contact ETS to turn on Ally in your course.

 

Teaching Strategies

  • Survey students to assess technology barriers including the Internet, software, and devices.
  • Within the first few weeks, meet with students to discuss strategies to address technology issues.
  • During synchronous lectures:
    • Record the session and make the recording available through Canvas.
    • Allow students to turn-off cameras when they face connectivity issues.
  • Connect frequently with students.
    • Use Canvas announcements to provide updates and information on submission dates and deadlines.
  • Be flexible with assignment submission due dates.

 

Canvas Settings: Enable Offline Content on Canvas

There are two formats you can make your Canvas course available offline to students by enabling the respective feature in the Canvas settings.

In HTML Format (Recommended):

The offline course is downloadable as an HTML file, which can then be opened in a web browser like Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari without Internet access.
Offline course content is based on course modules. The downloadable content will include all pages, and embedded files and course files that are in modules. Modules should be published, and not locked by date – any modules or pages that are locked or unpublished, and thus not visible to students, will NOT be included in the offline export.

For information on how to enable this setting on Canvas, follow the instructions in the slides below:

In ePub Format:

Another option is to download the course in an ePub file, which is supported and can be viewed on common e-book readers.

In an ePub file, content such as modules, assignment details, quiz instructions, and availability dates are available. Any files that are not supported in the ePub format, such as media files, PDFs, and Microsoft Office documents, will be downloaded to a separate zip file. The learning experience with this format is less intuitive, as students need to navigate between the eReader and a separate folder for the associated files to view all the offline content.

For information on how to enable this setting on Canvas, follow the instructions in the slides below:

 

Zoom Settings: Configure Zoom for Low-Bandwidth Environments

Zoom connections can be spotty in a low-bandwidth environment. While Zoom is designed to work in such environments, and runs bandwidth and quality-of-service checks whenever you join a meeting, there are other steps you can take to improve your connection.

Disable HD Video

To Disable HD Video, go to Settings in the Zoom desktop app, there is a small gear icon in the top right-hand corner of the application.
In the Video tab, click on the HD checkbox to ensure it is unchecked.

A screenshot of Zoom Settings highlighting the checkbox to disable High Definition video.

Disable Video

In meetings where audio is a priority, you can turn off your video feed to reduce the strain on bandwidth. To do this, click on the video icon in the bottom left corner of your Zoom meeting, ensuring that the video icon is crossed out.

In-meeting Zoom toolbar with Video crossed out

Create Audio Transcript

Zoom also has settings which allow the automatic creation of an audio transcript, which could also be accessed by students. Please look at Zoom’s instructions on how to enable this setting.

Zoom recordings can be saved locally or to the cloud and accessed through your Zoom account on zoom.us. Click on the Recordings tab, and then locate the recording. Download the file, and then upload it to Kaltura or Canvas, with permissions set so that students can download the file as an mp4.
 

Instructions for Students

The eLearning Student Help and Resources contains useful information, learning tips, and technology tool guides that students can use for online learning. This Canvas resource is available through the Faculty of Education Canvas Starter template. It contains a section on Low-bandwidth learning. You can direct your students to this resource using the following sample language:

Please read the Low-bandwidth Learning help resource to learn about alternative options when facing Internet connectivity issues.

This Canvas course has been enabled for offline viewing. Please follow the steps listed in the help resource to download the course content.


Additional Resources

Oral Traditions

“The Elders would serve as mnemonic pegs to each other. They will be speaking individually uninterrupted in a circle one after another. When each Elder spoke they were conscious that other Elders would serve as ‘peer reviewer’ [and so] they did not delve into subject matter that would be questionable. They did joke with each other and they told stories, some true and some a bit exaggerated but in the end the result was a collective memory. This is the part which is exciting because when each Elder arrived they brought with them a piece of the knowledge puzzle. They had to reach back to the teachings of their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. These teachings were shared in the circle and these constituted a reconnaissance of collective memory and knowledge. In the end the Elders left with a knowledge that was built by the collectivity”

                                                                                   (Stephen J. Augustine, 2008, p. 2-3).

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: How is this oral tradition relevant to Indigenous ways of knowing and being?

  • Respect: Am I following protocols and practices that make me ready to share this oral tradition?

  • Reciprocity: How will sharing this oral tradition give back to the peoples/communities I am speaking of/for?

  •  Responsibility: How is sharing this oral tradition committed to reconciliation, decolonization or/and Indigenous sovereignty?

  • Relationships: How will sharing this oral tradition connect the listeners to the experiences of Indigenous peoples in order to hold themselves accountable to their complicity in the continuous violences Indigenous peoples encounter?

 


 

Reading: 

 Stephen J. Augustine, “Oral Histories and Oral Traditions,” in Aboriginal Oral Traditions: Theory, Practice, Ethics, ed. Renée Hulan and Renate Eigenbrod (Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, 2008)

 

Pedagogical Example: 

Podcasting at Home by Teachings In The Air https://www.teachingsintheair.ca/blog/podcasting-at-home

 

 

Learn More:

Indigenous Oral Histories and Primary Sources inside The Canadian Encyclopedia https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/indigenous-oral-histories-and-primary-sources 

Decolonization

“It is not converting Indigenous politics to a Western doctrine of liberation; it is not a philanthropic process of ‘helping’ the at-risk and alleviating suffering; it is not a generic term for struggle against oppressive conditions and outcomes. The broad umbrella of social justice may have room underneath for all of these efforts. By contrast, decolonization specifically requires the repatriation of Indigenous land and life. Decolonization is not a metonym for social justice” (Tuck & Yang, 2012, p. 21).

                                                                                                   (Corson, 1998, p. 240).

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: How is this lesson relevant to decolonizing education?

  • Respect: How does this lesson acknowledging the complexity of decolonization and our complicity in impeding it?

  • Reciprocity: How is this learning committed to the repatriation of Indigenous land and life?

  •  Responsibility: How is this lesson working towards Indigenous sovereignty and self-governance?

  • Relationships: How is this lesson cultivating radical solidarity to support indigenous nations, as more than allies/accomplices to their cause?

 


Learning with Community

“Community-based education begins with people and their immediate reality. Above all, it allows them to become meaningfully involved in shaping their own futures through the school and other agencies in their community”

                                                                                                 (Corson, 1998, p. 240).

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: How is this lesson relevant to local communities?

  • Respect: How is this lesson acknowledging the complexity and impact of historical educational approaches for community engagement?

  • Reciprocity: How is this learning giving back to the community we are learning from?

  • Responsibility: How is this lesson listening to and supporting communities’ priorities, as well as consulting and collaborating with them?

  • Relationships: How is this lesson engaging in respectful relations and appropriate ways to support local communities?

 


Reading: 

David Corson (1998) Community-based Education for Indigenous Cultures, Language Culture and Curriculum, 11:3, 238-249, https://doi.org/10.1080/07908319808666555

 

   Pedagogical Example: 

Building Bridges with Aboriginal Communities by BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kYyj1y3p1g

 

 

 

   Learn More:

Truth and Reconciliation

“A decolonizing place of encounter between settlers and Indigenous people …
by making space for collective critical dialogue – a public remembering embedded in ethical testimonial, ceremonial, and commemorative practices” (Regan, 2010, p. 12). “This entails a public truth telling in which settlers link critical reflection, enlightened vision, and positive action to confront the settler problem head-on. Truth as an act of hope nurtures peaceful yet radical socio-political change that is the necessary foundation of reconciliation”

                                                                                                 (Regan, 2010, p. 16).

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: How is this lesson relevant to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action?

  • Respect: How does this lesson acknowledge the impacts of settler-colonialism to Indigenous peoples and prioritize improved educational outcomes for Indigenous peoples?

  • Reciprocity: How is this lesson committed to truth telling and making space for collective critical dialogue?

  • Responsibility: How is this lesson rethinking practices and beliefs that influence what we teach and how we teach, allowing us to consider how we might better advance Indigenous ways of knowing in in educational spaces?

  • Relationships: How is this lesson providing opportunities to change and strengthen Indigenous-settler relations while addressing restitution and reparations for loss of land and Indigenous rights?

 


 

Reading: 

Regan, Paulette. (2010). Unsettling The Settler Within: Indian residential schools, truth telling, and reconciliation in Canada. Vancouver: UBC Press.

 

Pedagogical Example: 

Reconciliation Dialogue Workshop – Discussion Guide by Reconciliation Canada – A New Way Forward Society http://reconciliationcanada.ca/staging/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/RDW-Workshop-
Booklet_Terrace.pdf

 

Learn More:

https://pdce.educ.ubc.ca/reconciliation/

 

Holistic Learning

“The interrelatedness between the intellectual, spiritual (metaphysical values and beliefs and the Creator), emotional, and physical (body and behaviour/action) realms to form a whole healthy person”

                                                                                               (Archibald, 2008, p. 11).

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: How is this holistic learning relevant to Indigenous ways of knowing and being?

  • Respect: How does this holistic learning acknowledge Indigenous ways of learning and revere where the knowledge comes from?

  • Reciprocity: How is this holistic learning interrelated between the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical dimensions?

  • Responsibility: How is this holistic learning honoring Indigenous teachings and traditional practices?

  • Relationships: How will this holistic learning provide opportunities to create a harmonious healthy learning community?

 


Pedagogical Example: 

The Medicine Wheel Activities by ND Prevention Resource and Media Center: https://prevention.nd.gov/files/pdf/The_Medicine_Wheel_Activities_1.pdf

 

 

Learn More:

Absolon, K. (2019). Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A Knowledge Set for Practice. First Peoples Child & Family Review, 14(1), 22-42.

 

Intergenerational Learning

“Elders are gaining their rightful place as cultural teachers as they tell stories to students in band and public schools, to postsecondary students, and to adults who ask”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (Archibald, 2008, p. 67)

 


Connecting with the Five Rs

  • Relevance: Is it relevant to bring intergenerational teachings to my lesson design?

  • Respect: Am I following protocols and practices to include intergenerational teachings in a good way?

  • Reciprocity: How is this intergenerational learning beneficial to both the student and community?

  • Responsibility: Have I created an ethical space where all are held accountable to receive intergenerational teachings in a good way?

  • Relationships: How will this learning provide opportunities to engage with and cultivate intergenerational relations?

 


Reading: 

Learning about Storywork from Stó:lō Elders

 

Pedagogical Example: 

As I Remember It: Teachings (Ɂəms tɑɁɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder http://publications.ravenspacepublishing.org/as-i-remember-it/index