Teacher candidates’ and course instructors' perspectives of a mandatory Indigenous Education course in teacher education

Melissa Oskineegish,Paul D. Berger

doi:10.26522/brocked.v30i1.798

Abstract

This mixed methods study examined non-Indigenous teacher candidates’ disposition towards a mandatory Aboriginal Education course in teacher education from teacher candidates’ and course instructors’ perspectives. Results from a pre- and post Likert Scale survey of two sections of an Aboriginal Education course at a small Canadian University indicated that teacher candidates felt more knowledgeable by the end of the course, and maintained a fairly strong interest in, and positive attitude towards, the course. Results from course instructors provided additional and, at times, contradictory information, describing the course as limited and, at best, an introduction to the issues and perspectives within Indigenous education. The results suggest the need for mandatory Indigenous Education courses and for faculties of education and school boards to provide further learning opportunities with Indigenous education content and resources.

Highlights

This mixed methods study examined non-Indigenous teacher candidates’ attitude towards a mandatory Aboriginal Education course in teacher education from teacher candidates’ and course instructors’ perspectives
Teacher candidates in this study indicated an increase in knowledge at the end of the Aboriginal Education course, the limitations of an 18-hour course taught over 9 or 12 weeks were expressed by Paul: What I try to do is an introduction, because most of them have had no exposure to Aboriginal culture
Lex explained that the “implication that education is a tool of colonialism was really hard for them to wrap their heads around.”. She said that they were “being confronted with how little they know about the context that’s all around them.”. She attributes this process to “cognitive dissonance,” a constructivist theory that in an Indigenous education course can be described as “moments when we suddenly discover that things are not the way we thought they were in the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal worlds” (Curwen Doige, 1999, p. 387)

Summary

Introduction

This mixed methods study examined non-Indigenous teacher candidates’ attitude towards a mandatory Aboriginal Education course in teacher education from teacher candidates’ and course instructors’ perspectives. In addition to broadening knowledge of Indigenous peoples, cultures, and histories, teachers need to become open and willing to learn new perspectives—an attitude that can and should be fostered in teacher education programs (Milne, 2017). This paper discusses findings from a study that explored teacher candidates’ knowledge of, interest in, and attitudes toward a mandatory Aboriginal Education course in a small Canadian university, and compares that with the perspectives of five instructors who have taught the course. We discuss the realities and tensions of developing teacher candidates’ knowledge and attitude towards integrating Indigenous histories, cultures, and perspectives in teacher education. The mentorship provided by colleagues and community members influenced her to further explore how non-Indigenous educators can learn to develop meaningful and culturally appropriate teaching pedagogies and practices within teacher education programs. These are used when quoting directly; otherwise, the more widely accepted term “Indigenous” is used

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion