Yukon University is engaged in the dynamic process of Indigenization in a variety of ways, including exploring what it means to "indigenize" our courses and programs.  While the process for doing so is very much a work in progress, considering the questions found within each section below as you design your course may help you with this critical work. 

Course 

  • How do you uncover the colonial aspects of your discipline? What voices, worldviews, and norms inform your selection of knowledge for your curriculum? Who is present/absent, at the centre/margins? 
  • Have you incorporated multiple ways of knowing into your course learning outcomes? 
  • How/where/when may you acknowledge traditional territories in the course? 

Instructor 

  • How do you articulate your own positionality when teaching? 
  • Have you thought about your role as the instructor in addressing the need for reconciliation and overcoming the legacy of colonialism? 

Students 

  • Who are the learners that will be in your class? Who will not be there? How will you find out your student characteristics (including needs, interests, aspirations)?  
  • Have you created opportunities for students to develop positive and meaningful relationships with each other and with you, the instructor? 
  • Are there opportunities for you to acknowledge and celebrate the cultural identities of all students represented in your classes? 
  • Are there opportunities for your students to gain self-awareness grounded in knowledge of family origins, cultural background, place of origin, allegiance and affiliation, citizenship, and other identity markers? 

Content 

  • What different perspectives and voices are included in the course content? What is omitted? How is the content made relevant to the student needs and interests (what are the real-life connections)?  
  • Have you explored opportunities to bring Elders into your classroom?  Are there opportunities to incorporate traditional knowledge/teachings into course content? 
  • Have you integrated research and curriculum resources authored by Indigenous scholars across the curriculum? 
  • Are you able to incorporate Indigenous language and culture into your course content by using words and phrases for greetings, interactions, place references, etc.? 
  • Are there any voices/perspectives missing from your course design/course content? 
  • Have you contacted FNI for guidance and help accessing local content and local protocols? 
  • Is oral tradition identified as being crucial to Indigenous cultures; are the worldviews of Indigenous peoples articulated?  
  • Are Indigenous peoples’ values and beliefs part of the curriculum (e.g. respect for selves, family, community, plants, animals, the land)?  

Teaching & Learning Approaches  

  • How diverse are your teaching and learning approaches and do they include strategies for sharing and generating knowledge? 
  • Are there opportunities to use peer feedback to support learning? 
  • Are there ways to relate learning to students’ selves, to their families and communities, and to other aspects of Indigenous Worldviews? 
  • Do you have a learner-centered approach to teaching?  Do you interact with students to ascertain their strengths and preferences when it comes to learning experiences and assessments? 
  • Are there opportunities to nurture reflective learning including the use of student self-assessment activities and student-generated criteria for assessment? 
  • When referencing Indigenous content, can you give learners a chance to work with locally developed resources (including local knowledge keepers) wherever possible? 
  • Can you emphasize possible practical applications (e.g., “real-world”) when introducing abstract or theoretical concepts? 
  • Do learning and evaluation take place at the same time thus offering the opportunity for ongoing formative assessment? 
  • Are there opportunities to incorporate place-based learning into your practice (a focus on local First Nation history, experience, stories, imagery, ecology, etc.)? 
  • Are there ways to incorporate hands-on learning experiences for students into your practice? 
  • Can activities take place on the land with Elders (observation, practice, participation, active involvement, etc.)? 
  • Are there opportunities for students to apply and demonstrate the skills associated with oral storytelling – to tell their own experiential stories and listen and respond to those of peers? 
  • Are the activities numerous, varied and student-centred? 

Syllabus 

  • Does the syllabus communicate openness to multiple perspectives? Who is included in your reading list? Does the syllabus include guidelines on effectively responding to microagressions, and creating an accountable classroom environment? Does it include a territorial acknowledgment that is meaningfully spoken and revisited throughout the course for its underlying meaning and significance?  

Classroom Climate and Support 

  • How will you negotiate a culture of learning (personal space, interrupting others, manage impulse control, taking turns, parking lot, prepare ahead of time contribution)? How do you provide ample opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning? Is there opportunity for cultural production to allow students to express their culture within the assessment?  
  • How will emotional support be provided for students if they are confronted with racism or experience emotional turmoil when learning about and reflecting upon colonialism, decolonization and reconciliation? 

Classroom Space 

  • What is the set-up of the space? Does the physical set-up of the classroom confer power to you as the instructor or does it distribute power amongst the class? 
  • Are there opportunities to help students build a relationship with and become engaged with the natural world and can you take instruction and learning outdoors where possible, involving elders? 

Additional Resources

Last modified: Tuesday, June 15, 2021, 1:54 PM