A Phenomenographic Study on On-reserve First Nations, Metis and Inuit Students' Experiences in a One-year College Transition Programme

Abstract

In an age when access to higher education is expanding, the literature shows that First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) students are underrepresented. Those who manage to enter university experience challenges that hinder their success. Consequently, transitional programmes have been set up to support FNMI students as they move from high school to higher education institutions. To better understand the challenges of transitioning, I decided to embark on a phenomenographic study that explores six on-reserve Canadian FNMI students’ conceptions of their learning experiences in their community college. In addition, the study also examines two of their teachers’ perceptions of the students’ experiences as they prepared them for university. The findings show that some students adopted approaches to learning that do not define or characterize who they are as learners, but instead reflect how they coped with teaching and learning in their environment. These approaches, conceptualised in phenomenography as surface and deep approaches, are not truly the way that FNMIs are as learners. Surface and deep approaches do not mirror the cultural perspectives and holistic experiences evident in an indigenous view of learning. The surface approach (learning as primarily reproductive) refers to those who see learning as based on that, which is extrinsic to the real purpose of the task. By contrast, the deep approach (learning as primarily seeking meaning) is associated with students’ intentions to understand and engage in meaningful learning, focusing on principles, and using strategies that are appropriate for creating meaning.