2 Indigenization and Decolonization

In this section, we offer suggestions of OER that can be used in a variety of courses to support Indigenization and decolonization in uOttawa’s curriculums. It is a very modest step in supporting uOttawa’s Indigenous Action Plan (2019-2024) and the library community’s commitment to reconciliation.^[1]

Empowering the Spirit: Educational Resource to Support Reconciliation∗

Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

Empowering the Spirit is a collection of resources curated to increase awareness and understanding of First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories, perspectives and ways of knowing. The collection of tools, videos and websites found within Empowering the Spirit lend support to teachers and school leaders as they endeavor to weave Indigenous knowledge systems into their current practice. (Note: this resource is specific to Alberta)

Format: Website

Historical and Contemporary Realities: Movement Towards Reconciliation

Susan Manitowabi (Laurentian University)

2019

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0

This open textbook is written as a resource for educators to teach students about the Indigenous historical significance of the lands encompassing the Robinson-Huron Treaty area and more specifically the Greater Sudbury and Manitoulin area. It also, through the use of interactive mapping strategies, serves as a guide for educators to develop a similar resource to document Indigenous stories from their own areas.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more

Includes: Instructor and student resources

Indigenous e-Learning Assessment Strategies

Stevie Jonathan (Six Nations Polytechnic)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

This course explores assessments in post-secondary online studies using a decolonizing approach to education and student success. In this five-module course, participants will critically engage with and adapt e-learning assessment strategies for use in their classrooms. Each module contributes to a cumulative understanding of how Indigenous pedagogies are operationalized and employed to effectively assess students, encourage intellectual self-determination, and support learner flourishing.

Format: D2L (Brightspace) export (downloadable as a .zip file)

Indigenous Healthcare Education and Practice: Applying Digital Teaching and Learning Resources to the TRC’s Calls to Action

Shalisa Barton, Bailey Brant, Lindsay Brant, Rachel Burger, Nicholas Cofie, Holly Crowson, Nancy Dalgarno, Mikaila Da Silva, Leslie Flynn, Sarah Funnell, Natalie Graham, Brian Hallam, Janice Hill, Bryn Hoffman, William Horton, Portia Kalun, Gracie Kehoe, Stephen Kelly, Laura Kenealy, Klodiana Kolomitro, Michelle Krezonoski, Joseph Leblanc, Joeline Lim, Lorrilee McGregor, Trinidad Mena, Jack Moher, Jeanne Mulder, Jason Pennington, Wendy Phillips, Douglas Smiley, Mary Smith, Stephen Sparks, Denise Stockley, Jenny Stodola, Jennifer Turnnidge, Giselle Valarezo, Richard van Wylick, Sarita Verma, Sarah Wickett, and Yolanda Wanakamik (Queen’s University)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission

The topics of the digital collection were informed by collaborations with researchers and practitioners in healthcare and education, community partners, and learners. The creation of the digital collection was informed by the TRC’s Calls to Action and the principle of two-eyed seeing, which focuses on facilitating an online experience that respects and builds on the strengths of both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing and learning. The seven themes represented in the digital collection are (a) Historical Perspectives of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and Implications for Health Outcomes, (b) Biases, Racism, and Discrimination in Healthcare. (c) Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Healthcare, (d) Healthcare Rights, (e) Healthcare Services, (f) Culturally Safe Healthcare, and (g) Intersections between Education and Healthcare. Each of these themes has been developed into an open-access online module. Six pieces of artwork created by Indigenous artists that represent one or more of the seven project themes are also included. Providing community-informed, accessible educational resources for healthcare learners is one way to help ensure that the TRC’s Calls to Action will be translated into meaningful change in clinical knowledge and practice by future generations of healthcare practitioners on the path to reconciliation and health equity.

Format: Individual PDF file for each module

Indigenous Information Literacy∗

Rachel Chong (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

This book outlines best principles for working with Indigenous print and oral sources in academic research. Topics include evaluating Indigenous print sources for credibility and authenticity, finding Indigenous authors, and respectfully working with Elders.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF

Indigenous Perspectives on Business Ethics and Business Law in British Columbia

Annette Sorensen (Coast Mountain College), Scott van Dyk (Coast Mountain College), and Marianne Brørup Weston 

2022

Licence: CC BY 4.0

This book explores business ethics and business law through the lens of Indigenous-settler relations in Canada (with a focus on British Columbia in particular). It aims to fill a gap in business curriculum and support instructors who want to bring Indigenous content into their classes. The book starts by exploring relevant history, focusing on treaties, legislation, and federal government policy. It then looks at business ethics and what it means for businesses to work ethically with Indigenous communities. And finally, the book discusses business law and the requirements and responsibilities for businesses doing work on Indigenous lands.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF

Includes: end-of-chapter questions, PowerPoint slides

Indigenous Teaching Resources: Students Collection∗

Edited by Katelyn Bouvier, Michelle Souliere, Lilach Marom, and Rachel Chong (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

A compilation of resources to support Indigenous education initiatives. Includes picture book and chapter book use for K-12 classrooms. Activities to support mathematics and science-based learning. A portion of resources is also dedicated to intergenerational learning.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF

In Their Mocassins

Sarena Johnson, Montana Paypompee, Kelsey Whissel, Samantha Mandamin, Kyle Desjarlais, Miranda Black, Mkons Stone-Debassige, and Jeremie Caribou (Toronto Metropolitan University)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

In Their Moccasins is an online game environment based on the “choose your own adventure” storybook format. The game supports the education of allies about Indigenous ways of knowing, learning, and being. It fosters empathy toward the experiences of Indigenous peoples with the goal of building solidarity with an Indigenous resurgence in higher education and beyond.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook and PDF

Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science, Book 1

Edited by Gloria Snively and Wanosts’a7 Lorna Williams (University of Victoria)

2017

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Since Indigenous peoples have developed time-proven approaches to sustaining both community and environment, Elders and young people are concerned that this rich legacy of Indigenous Science with its wealth of environmental knowledge and the wisdom of previous generations could disappear if it is not respected, studied and understood by today’s children and youth. A perspective where relationships between home place and all other beings that inhabit the earth is vitally important to all residents—both inheritors of ancient Indigenous Knowledge and wisdom, and newcomers who can experience the engagement, joy and promise of science instilled with a sense of place. This book takes a step forward toward preserving and actively using the knowledge, stories, and lessons for today and future generations, and with it a worldview that informs everyday attitudes toward the earth. Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science is far more than a set of research papers or curriculum studies. The project outputs include both, but they are incorporated into a theoretical structure that can provide the methodological basis for future efforts that attempt to develop culturally responsive Indigenous Science curricula in home places.

Book 1 provides an overview of why traditional knowledge and wisdom should be included in the science curriculum, a window into the science and technologies of the Indigenous peoples who live in Northwestern North America, Indigenous worldview, culturally responsive teaching strategies and curric­ulum models, and evaluative techniques. It is intended that the rich examples and cases, combined with the resources listed in the appendices, will enable teachers and students to explore Indigenous Science examples in the classroom; and in addition, support the development of culturally appropriate curriculum projects.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more

Reviews: BCcampus – eCampusOntario Open Library

Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science, Book 2

Edited by Gloria Snively and Wanosts’a7 Lorna Williams (University of Victoria)

2017

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Knowing Home attempts to capture the creative vision of Indigenous scientific knowledge and technology that is derived from an ecology of a home place. The traditional wisdom component of Indigenous Science—the values and ways of decision-making—assists humans in their relationship with each other, the land and water, and all of creation. Indigenous perspectives have the potential to give insight and guidance to the kind of environmental ethics and deep understanding that we must gain as we attempt to solve the increasingly complex problems of the 21st century. This book provides a window into the vast storehouse of innovations and technologies of the Indigenous peoples who live in Northwestern North America. It is our hope that the Indigenous Science examples, research, and curriculum models will inspire deep reflection regarding the under-representation of Aboriginal students in the sciences. It is intended that the rich examples and cases, combined with the resources listed in the appendices, will enable teachers and students to explore Indigenous Science examples in the classroom, and in addition, support the development of curriculum projects in home places.

Book 2 provides supportive research, case studies, curriculum projects and commentary that extends and enriches the chapters presented in Book 1. The chapters provide rich descriptions related to Indigenous cultural beliefs and values; teacher thinking about Indigenous Science; the perceptions and experiences of successful Indigenous students in secondary science; a metaphorical study of Indigenous students’ orientations (scientific, spiritual, utilitarian, aesthetic, and recreational) to the seashore and their adult orientations 19 years later;  the use of digital video as a learning tool for secondary Indigenous students; a cross-cultural marine education program involving an exploration of WS and IS related to the local Indigenous culture; and a WSÁNEĆ immersion school program focused on language revitalization and the concept of “knowledge of most worth.”

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more

Living Earth Community: Multiple Ways of Being and Knowing

Edited by Sam Mickey (University of San Francisco), Mary Evelyn Tucker (Yale University), and John Grim (Yale University)

2020

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission) (selected chapters under CC BY 4.0)

Living Earth Community: Multiple Ways of Being and Knowing is a celebration of the diversity of ways in which humans can relate to the world around them, and an invitation to its readers to partake in planetary coexistence. Innovative, informative, and highly accessible, this interdisciplinary anthology of essays brings together scholars, writers and educators across the sciences and humanities, in a collaborative effort to illuminate the different ways of being in the world and the different kinds of knowledge they entail – from the ecological knowledge of Indigenous communities, to the scientific knowledge of a biologist and the embodied knowledge communicated through storytelling. This anthology examines the interplay between Nature and Culture in the setting of our current age of ecological crisis, stressing the importance of addressing these ecological crises occurring around the planet through multiple perspectives. These perspectives are exemplified through diverse case studies – from the political and ethical implications of thinking with forests, to the capacity of storytelling to motivate action, to the worldview of the Indigenous Okanagan community in British Columbia.

Format: Online and PDF

Includes: Vlog series

Our Stories: First Peoples in Canada

Collective (Centennial College)

2018

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

Led by a diverse team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous creators, Our Stories: First Peoples in Canada is a unique multi-media resource developed with Indigenous peoples from across Canada. Eliciting an unsettling of Western authority, this free eTextbook encourages recognition that moves beyond a colonial lens. This dynamic text allows the reader to engage with Indigenous histories, culture, and knowledge in a unique format that includes videos, podcasts, interactive tools, and more. Our Stories: First Peoples in Canada includes: contemporary and historic information and media; a balance of sources about injustice and resistance; both urban and remote Indigenous perspectives in Canada; and oral stories about the lived experiences of Indigenous community members. Answering the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada’s Calls to Action, the team developed Our Stories: First Peoples in Canada through a decolonizing lens. The materials present a balance of historical and contemporary materials that value Indigenous perspectives.

Formats: PDF, Kindle, and iBooks

Includes: Videos and podcasts

Pulling Together: Foundations Guide

Kory Wilson (BC Institute of Technology)

2018-2021

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0

The Foundations Guide is part of an open professional learning series developed for staff across post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. These guides are the result of the Indigenization Project, a collaboration between BCcampus and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. The project was supported by a steering committee of Indigenous education leaders from BC universities, colleges, and institutes, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, and Métis Nation BC. These guides are intended to support the systemic change occurring across post-secondary institutions through Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more

Includes: Learning goals, activities, knowledge checks, and glossary

Other titles in the series:

Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers

by Asma-na-hi Antoine, Rachel Mason, Roberta Mason, Sophia Palahicky, and Carmen Rodriguez de France

Pulling Together: A Guide for Front-Line Staff, Student Services, and Advisors

by Ian Cull, Robert L. A. Hancock, Stephanie McKeown, Michelle Pidgeon, and Adrienne Vedan

Pulling Together: A Guide for Leaders and Administrators

by Sybil Harrison, Janice Simcoe, Dawn Smith, and Jennifer Stein

Pulling Together: A Guide for Researchers, Hiłḵ̓ala

by Dianne Biin, Deborah Canada, John Chenoweth, and Lou-ann Neel

Pulling Together: A Guide for Teachers and Instructors

by Bruce Allan, Amy Perreault, John Chenoweth, Dianne Biin, Sharon Hobenshield, Todd Ormiston, Shirley Anne Hardman, Louise Lacerte, Lucas Wright, and Justin Wilson

Other editions:

Pulling Together: Manitoba Foundations Guide (Brandon Edition)

by Manitoba Foundations Group

2021

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0

Skoden: Teaching, Talking, and Sharing About and for Reconciliation

Laureen Blu Waters, Randy Pitawanakwat, and Darcey Dachyshyn (Seneca College)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In Skoden, instructors, staff, and administrators consider how to decolonize and Indigenize those aspects of post-secondary settings they are responsible for. Through a lens of looking back to understand how to go forward in reconciliation, participants learn about Indigenous teachings, Canadian colonization, the history and impact of treaties, and contemporary Indigenous challenges and resilience.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF

Stories of Decolonization

Gladys Rowe, Teddy Zegeye-Gebrehiwot, and Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara (Laurentian University)

2022

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

Stories of Decolonization is a multi-film interview-based documentary project that shares personal stories in order to explore accessible understandings of colonialism and its continued impact on those living on the lands now called Canada. It also explores notions and actions of decolonization.

Film One – Stories of Decolonization: Land Dispossession and Settlement (curriculum and definitions)

Film Two – Stories of Decolonization: Decolonial Relations (curriculum and video under “Supplementary Materials”)

Formats: Website, video, and PDF

Talking Stories: Encyclopedia of Traditional Ecological Knowledge∗

Michelle Scalise Sugiyama (University of Oregon)

2021

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)

Talking Stories explores oral storytelling as one of humanity’s earliest information technologies. For most of their existence as a species, humans have made their living as hunter-gatherers, which requires extensive, nuanced ecological knowledge. In the absence of writing, storytelling and other forms of symbolic behavior (e.g., art, song, dance, ritual, games) provided mnemonic frameworks for storing this knowledge, rules for faithfully copying it, and regular occasions for refreshing and transmitting it. Talking Stories is an open educational resource dedicated to raising awareness of hunter-gatherer literary traditions and ecological knowledge, and encouraging their incorporation into Western teaching. To this end, it aggregates stories from diverse foraging peoples across the planet, explicates the ecological knowledge encoded in these stories, and guides users to additional resources. It is intended for use by educators seeking to integrate traditional Indigenous literature and natural history into their courses, and by students and researchers interested in the origins of literature, science, and cultural transmission.

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