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Introduction
The article First Nations Pedagogy for Online Learning by Currie S. and Kaminski J. contains a presentation of the project founded by Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and Kwatlen University College. The project is dedicated to creating and developing new opportunities for online education for Aboriginal learners. The article provides a brief description of the projects goals, values, principles, and methods. It explains the necessity of using the First Nations Pedagogy principles as well.
Discussion
The purpose of the article is to introduce the reader to the First Nations Pedagogy for Online Learning project. As it was presented at the ICT Summit in 2008, the article was addressed to the educational workers in the first place. The Currie & Kaminski central thesis is the need to incorporate Pre-Colonial First Nations situated Pedagogy into online course design and delivery (p. 3). The topic is important as nowadays globalization processes in many ways standardized educational systems to the European pattern. However, teaching strategies are more varied, and it is significant to represent as many of them as possible as different techniques and strategies ensure the different needs that students have. Not all of these needs are met in the global standard of education. It is especially important to provide different strategies when it comes to representatives of unique cultures whose legacy needs to be protected and passed to the next generations. It is essential to implement these strategies in online education as well to ensure the right of Aboriginal students to be educated by First Nations Pedagogy techniques regardless of their educational environment.
The structure of the article is logical and consistent; it provides the reader with the necessary information. The central themes of the article are the main principles and methods of First Nations Pedagogy and decolonization as the primary goal of the project (Currie & Kaminski, 2008). In regard to the mentioned above principles, Currie & Kaminski pay a lot of attention to the interaction with Elders as carriers and emblems of communally generated and mediated knowledge (p. 10). The vital role Elders play in the educational process is covered from a cultural and social point of view. However, the way this exact principle could be implemented in online learning is not clear, as some techniques described in the article, for example, circle talk, are intended to be presented through live communication only. Implementing some other principles, such as skill-building, for instance, into an online environment seems to be challenging too, and the article does not provide answers to the question of what ways it should be done. This is the main disadvantage of the article, as there are no solutions or suggestions on transferring the Principles of the First Nations Pedagogy online.
The authors often highlight the differences between the European approach and the First Nations Pedagogy approach to education (Currie & Kaminski, 2008). However, they provide this information in small details mostly, and it could be important to see the difference, especially as the authors state that the main goal of their project is decolonization and transformation of knowledge. A more systematic comparison between the two models could illustrate the necessity of such transformation more effectively.
Despite this drawback, the authors goal is mainly achieved. The article gives the first idea about what the First Nations Pedagogy is and why it is important; the goals of the project are clear too. The authors use illustrations that help to present information effectively. They use appropriate tone and objective language to present their point of view. The article is successful in convincing readers of the merits of using principles of First Nations Pedagogy. The only improvement that could be used is an explanation of how those principles would be implemented in online learning.
The topic is relevant to Indigenous Education as the principles of the First Nation Pedagogy pursue the same goal that Indigenous Education does: supporting Indigenous cultures. It includes following the traditions and methods of each cultures unique educational experience and increasing the cultures presence (Indigenous Education, 2022, para. 1). This is exactly what the project of First Nation Pedagogy for online learning is trying to do in regard of the culture of the aborigines of North America. Keeping traditional methods of education helps to protect the culture from being extinguished by the forced assimilation processes and makes it visible and known, which is the basic principle of Indigenous Education.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the article First Nations Pedagogy for Online Learning is important as it represents the educational strategies that differ from the European approach and help to support Aboriginal students needs. It encourages educational workers to develop strategies that will be implemented online which helps to make these strategies more accessible. The main purpose of the article is to introduce the basic principles of the First Nations Pedagogy, and the authors achieve this goal successfully. The topic is relevant to Indigenous Education as the principles of the First Nations Pedagogy are subordinated to the same goals as Indigenous Education is based on, which is to save local cultural knowledge.
References
Currie S. & Kaminski J. (2008) First Nations pedagogy for online learning. ICT Summit.
Indigenous Education. (2022). Indigenous Education in British Columbia. Web.
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