The purpose of this study was to learn from a Tsuut’ina Elders' perspective of land-based learning, teaching, and educational practices and how Tsuut’ina ninisha (way of life) should be recognized as an equal and legitimate way to educate Tsuut’ina children and youth within Tsuut’ina Nation schools. The primary research question is: What does land-based learning mean to Tsuut'ina Elders? Indigenous Métissage creates a space for braiding and weaving boundary crossing, funds of knowledge, and Tsuut'ina ninisha in a respectful, reciprocal, and relational way, where educators become responsible for creating relevant and meaningful curricula. Using Indigenous Métissage as a research praxis to braid and weave Tsuut’ina Elders’ stories, western theories of funds of knowledge and boundary crossing, and personal experiences as an Indigenous educator to find ways of validating Tsuut’ina ninisha as a respected, honoured way of knowing, being, and learning within Tsuut’ina Nation schools. The results of this study have substantial implications for systemic changes in education for Indigenous students in reserve schools and provide new insights into boundary crossing from an Indigenous perspective. From my time with Tsuut’ina Elders, I have identified four main components of land-based learning: creating community, experiential learning, learning to care, and spiritual guidance. Community creates a sense of belonging, uniting people and harnessing everyone's knowledge and strengths. Community is identity. Experiential learning is the way Tsuut’ina elders were taught. Experiential learning connects people to the land. Learning to care creates responsibility. Spiritual guidance maintains balance and harmony with self, others, and the environment.

ABSTRACT This article examines the integration of an Indigenous paradigm within the cultural landscape of education amidst the challenges posed by colonisation. It explores pathways towards more equitable futures, highlighting the unique aspects of a research design grounded in Indigenous Knowledge and Respectful Design principles. The article emphasises relational pedagogy and strength-based education, showcasing the importance of including Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum. Informed directly by Australian Aboriginal elders, the approach ensures ethical conduct and the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge into contemporary education, defined here as the current mainstream educational practices and policies. The article underscores the necessity of privileging elders’ voices within mainstream Australian education, aligning Indigenous Knowledge Systems with the predominant Western Knowledge System. It discusses the lasting impact of the Doctrine of Discovery on education and advocates for a balanced integration of Indigenous perspectives. By showcasing strength-based cultural practices, the article aims to foster reciprocal relationships with local places, peoples, and ancestry, ultimately enhancing educational outcomes for Indigenous students.

Post-secondary institutions and the business schools within them have been inhospitable spaces for Indigenous peoples. Changing this pattern requires decolonization (dismantling of entrenched colonial approaches) and Indigenization (incorporating Indigenous-informed content), which are actions that schools increasingly purport to be enacting. These practices are likely to significantly impact Indigenous students. Yet, due to their continued marginalization, these students’ voices are rarely incorporated into the very discussions that concern them. We address this oversight through in-depth interviews with 18 Indigenous undergraduate students and recent alumni. Our conversations reveal distinct challenges that stem from liminal decolonization where students encounter disparities between words and deeds, as well as inconsistencies in how Indigenous ways of knowing and being are incorporated into classrooms and other spaces. They indicate the need to unlearn impersonal “robotic” relationships, as well as partial and misguided inclusion of Indigenous content. By centering students’ voices, we develop an integrative framework of responsive Indigenization with “personal regard” in relationships and “rhythmic inclusion” of Indigenous ways of knowing and being as its foundation. This framework also includes four “balancing points” that institutions and individuals must be prepared to persistently navigate as an inherent part of, rather than an obstacle to, decolonization and responsive Indigenization.

Mathematics is often perceived as difficult and abstract by students, especially when learning materials are not connected to their daily lives. This is particularly relevant for indigenous students, whose cultural and environmental contexts are rarely represented in conventional textbooks. This research developed contextual mathematics learning worksheets that integrate natural elements and local culture to support indigenous students’ numeracy and literacy in Merauke. The study employed a four-D development model: define, design, develop, and disseminate. The methodology involved field observations, curriculum analysis, expert validation, and classroom trials in selected elementary schools. The resulting learning material took the form of student worksheets featuring culturally relevant topics, such as calculating area and volume through local tools and traditional activities. Expert assessments rated the materials as highly appropriate in both content and media aspects. Furthermore, the implementation showed significant improvement in students' mathematical problem-solving abilities. The paired sample t-test indicated a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores. The normalized gain score of 0.28 placed the improvement in the medium category. These findings suggest that context- and culture-grounded learning materials can enhance the relevance and effectiveness of mathematics education for indigenous learners.

ABSTRACT Schools play an important role in supporting youth cultural identity. Extant research suggests that inclusive, culturally-affirming school practices where ethnic minority students are provided with opportunities to connect with their culture strengthen overall school belonging and reinforce cultural identity. However, few studies have examined this relationship among Canadian Indigenous youth attending public schools. Urban Indigenous youth face unique challenges to connect with their culture, highlighting the importance of cultural opportunities in schools. Additionally, due to the complex and oppressive history of Canadian school systems and Indigenous people, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has called on schools to support Indigenous youth’s academic success and mental health. This study explores youths’ perceptions of how schools are supporting their cultural identity among a sample of urban Indigenous high school youth, ages 13–17 years (N = 12). Thematic analyses revealed that schools varied in the availability of support services that are specifically for Indigenous students, the degree of Indigenous representation in schools, as well as the range of culturally-affirming school practices. These themes were, in turn, related to youths’ sense of school belonging and willingness to engage in culturally-specific prosocial behaviours (e.g. cultural knowledge sharing). Youth’s own personal challenges as urban Indigenous youth, awareness of whether school opportunities exist, and level of cultural exploration were related to how they interacted with cultural opportunities that were available in schools. These findings demonstrate the complex interplay between youth cultural identity and school practices. Implications for more inclusive school policies are discussed.

Students at universities now rely heavily on the Internet for information. Research consistently demonstrates that many students lack the digital information literacy abilities necessary to locate and assess content on the internet. This paper investigates the digital information literacy skills and competencies of the Indigenous postgraduate students of four universities in the southern part of West Bengal, India. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. A structured questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of 260 indigenous PG students across selected public universities in South Bengal. The study finds that most Indigenous students recognize their information needs. Still, only 24.35 % of the students don’t have adequate knowledge of how to find the exact information from the internet, and above 50 % students don’t have knowledge of different search techniques. Only 19.13 % students can distinguish between the various online information sources that are available, such as scholarly or popular, current or historical, etc. The Digital Information Literacy (DIL) skills of these Indigenous students in all four universities were unsatisfactory. The current study emphasizes that DIL skills are essential for university-level students for their studies and also for everyday living. This research contributes original insights into a relatively underexplored population-indigenous postgraduate students in South Bengal, highlighting the digital divide within higher education. It provides a foundational understanding for educators, policymakers, and institutions aiming to foster digital equity in academic settings.

Mathematics achievement among Indigenous learners is influenced by three factors: socio-demographic background, language competency, and culturally relevant learning experiences. Socioeconomic hardship and Indigenous status are consistently associated with lower mathematical performance and widening achievement gaps. Language proficiency, particularly in the language of instruction, is a key predictor of performance; home language instruction and trilingual evaluations can assist bridge these gaps. Integrating Indigenous culture and knowledge into mathematics education, combined with culturally sensitive pedagogy, boosts Indigenous students' engagement, confidence, and accomplishment. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive, culturally sensitive approaches to promoting equal mathematics outcomes for Indigenous students.

Probing the Intricacies of Language Maintenance of Indigenous Students in Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study

Student learning achievement, especially in biology material, is still low. One of the causes is the lack of interesting and contextual teaching materials on local culture. This study aims to develop Articulate Storyline (AR) learning media with the Sunda Mandala game on the human digestive system for students of the Kasepuhan Citorek, Banten. The research method uses Research and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). The sample taken in this study was 30 students of class XI MIPA 1 at Senior High School. Data collection techniques in this study used interview and questionnaire techniques. The results of the study showed that the feasibility value of interactive learning media based on an articulate storyline on the human digestive system material from material experts was 93.75% with a very feasible category, the results of media expert assessments were 85% with a feasible category, and the results of language expert assessments were 85% with a feasible category. The results of the trial data analysis showed that student responses were 83.9%, categorized as very good. Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Articulate Stroryline (AR) dengan game Sunda Mandala Pada Materi Sistem Pencernaan Manusia untuk Siswa Adat Kasepuhan Citorek, Banten ABSTRAK: Prestasi belajar siswa khususnya materi biologi masih rendah. Salah satu penyebabnya adalah kurangnya bahan ajar yang menarik dan kontekstual dengan budaya lokal.Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan media pembelajaran Articulate Stroryline (AR) dengan game Sunda Mandala materi sistem pencernaan manusia pada siswa/i adat kasepuhan Citorek, Banten. Metode penelitian menggunakan Research and Development (R&D) dengan model ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). Sampel yang diambil dalam penelitian ini yaitu siswa kelas XI MIPA 1 di Sekolah Menegah Atas sebanyak 30 siswa. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan teknik wawancara dan angket. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai kelayakan media pembelajaran interaktif berbasis articulate storyline pada materi sistem pencernaan manusia dari ahli materi sebesar 93,75% dengan kategori sangat layak, hasil penilaian ahli media sebesar 85% dengan kategori layak dan hasil penilaian ahli bahasa sebesar 85% dengan kategori layak. Hasil analisis data uji coba respon siswa didapatkan sebesar 83,9% dengan kategori sangat baik.

The support system is essential to Aeta’s educational success. Self-determination is a very important factor in attaining success in finishing tertiary education. Nevertheless, this dream will not become a reality without the support of the family, peers, school, and community. The study aimed to examine the importance of the support system in enabling Aeta individuals to pursue education as a pathway to success. It discusses the support received from school, family, peers, and the Indigenous community. This quantitative descriptive research investigated the extent of support from these groups among 143 Aeta from different ethnolinguistic groups in Zambales. The researchers employed a researcher-made questionnaire to assess the level of support, utilizing a 5-point Likert scale to interpret the data. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, and weighted mean to interpret respondents’ perceptions of the support system's role. The analysis revealed a moderate level of support from the school. The findings also demonstrated support from peers and family. However, support from the Indigenous community was minimal, indicating limited involvement in Aeta educational initiatives. The results also highlight the insufficient integration of Indigenous cultural values and practices into the academic framework. Therefore, improving the level of support within the system could foster a sense of belonging and empowerment. This, in turn, would help transform the Aeta’s insights on education as a pathway to success into a tangible reality.

ABSTRACT STEM fields perpetuate systemic racism under the guise of meritocracy, forcing Black, Latino, and Indigenous students—particularly women—to endure racialized stress, institutional exclusion, and the psychological toll of weathering and racial battle fatigue. This paper argues that narratives of “grit” and “resilience” individualize these systemic failures, pathologizing rational responses to hostile environments as personal deficits like “imposter syndrome.” We introduce the framework of Equity Ethics —a measurable commitment to social justice comprising an equity ethos and equity action—to demonstrate how marginalized STEMmers are actively re‐engineering their fields toward liberation, often at great personal cost. In an era of eroding DEI initiatives, we move beyond critique to propose a radical blueprint for structural reckoning. Grounded in four core criteria—material redistribution, power‐shifting, structural accountability, and solidarity—we advocate for actionable solutions, including mandatory diversity cluster hires, trauma‐informed mentoring, decolonized curricula, and reparative funding models. We conclude that the time for incremental reform has passed; only a fundamental dismantling of STEM's racist architecture can transform it from a site of exclusion into a platform for liberation.

ABSTRACT Indigenous students are the experts of their own experiences, and in this paper, we center the narratives of 17 Indigenous students pursuing STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine) pathways in colleges and universities across the western United States to better understand the affirming and challenging elements that compose their experiences. We narrate their experiences through the 6 Rs framework, which names relationships, relevance, reciprocity, responsibility, representation, and respect as core concepts for exploring Indigenous research and experiences. These concepts are also offered to frame the work that remains for postsecondary institutions, and especially STEMM stakeholders within these institutions. Our data and analysis point to three key learnings: (1) for many students, work experiences and/or research experiences are a significant factor influencing their STEMM pathways; (2) Indigenous students who identified as more traditional generally experience more conflicts along their STEMM pathways, but these students also understand the importance of their own presence and engagement because of the diverse epistemologies, understandings, and relationships they bring to STEMM spaces; and (3) sovereignty is important for STEMM leaders, faculty, and staff to understand because it is a foundational principle that informs many Indigenous students' decisions along their STEMM pathways.

Background: To advance social accountability in our medical school admissions, this study aims to examine how sociodemographic profiles of students admitted to undergraduate medicine at the University of Ottawa compare to those of the Ottawa regional community. Methods: Weconducted a cohort study of our 2023 first-year MD students. We used data from the Ontario Medical Student Applicant Service and the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study to descriptively compare nine sociodemographic factors. Results: Of 183 students, our cohort demonstrated greater diversity in non-official first languages, second and third-generation status, and non-White racial identities. However, Black students (4.4% vs. 6.3%) were underrepresented, and Indigenous students (4.4% vs. 3.2%) were likely underrepresented given the known underreporting of Indigenous identity in census data. Students from the highest-earning households (32.8% vs. 13.2%), and with parents working in education (30.1% vs 16.5%) or health (15.8% vs 7.5%) professions were overrepresented. Conclusions: This study demonstrates student underrepresentation for some sociodemographic factors and serves as an approach for other medical schools to consider admissions representation using local data.

It is important to keep in mind that Environmental Education cannot be developed alone, as an isolated entity. It has to be within a context that allows it to grow and make sense. Therefore, this article proposes the transversality of learning environmental education in teaching children and then greater integration with indigenous students, currently severely discriminated against and even mistreated. This transversality generates greater knowledge about the subject and at the same time greater awareness of the importance of respect for the environment and the inhabitants and defenders of nature, the indigenous people. This study carries out an analysis, through a questionnaire, available in the annex, with the indigenous peoples of Aldeia Terere (Brazil), Aldea Curicha (Bolivia), the Aigo Community (Argentina) and the Kukama Kukamiria community (Peru) on the following topics: ecological awareness, governance, social participation and paradigm shift. A citizen ecologically aware of the importance of respecting nature and other cultures is open to the best practices of environmental education and, therefore, is more prepared for popular participation in government programs and projects. Given this context of changing attitudes, this work proposes, in addition to the transversality of learning about Environmental Education, a model based on Communities of Practice, social participation and alignment with the indigenous community in search of building a new paradigm of Environmental Education.

Sparking justice under the aegis of pragmatism: A mentorship program for Black and Indigenous students in Canadian medicine.

<span lang="EN-US">Career orientation competency (COC) plays a crucial role in preparing students for lifelong learning and labor market adaptability. However, existing research has largely overlooked how this competency develops among indigenous ethnic minority students in culturally diverse and educationally disadvantaged contexts such as Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Addressing this gap, the present study adopts the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to examine how personal, contextual, and behavioral factors interact to shape COC in this population. SCCT serves not only as a conceptual lens but also informs the development of the research model and interpretation of findings. A quantitative approach was employed using cross-sectional survey data collected from 669 ethnic minority students. Analytical techniques included reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for construct validation, and multiple linear regression to test predictive relationships. Results revealed six key determinants of COC: self-awareness (SA), expectations for results (ER), personal goals (PG), community connection (CC), career exploration (CE), and cultural identity (CI). Notably, CI had the most significant effect (β=0.308), suggesting its central role in guiding career-related behaviors. These findings have important implications for both theory and practice. They extend SCCT by integrating culturally specific constructs relevant to marginalized communities and they highlight the need for context-responsive career guidance programs that recognize and leverage students’ cultural identities. The study contributes to the empirical foundation for inclusive education policy reforms targeting ethnic minority youth in Vietnam.</span>

ABSTRACT Increasing student retention remains a high priority of Australian governments and universities. Central to retention is the process by which students take leave, or stop-out, during their studies. Drawing on longitudinal national data, this paper focusses on the leave-taking behaviour of four priority groups: Indigenous students, those from low socio-economic status or regional backgrounds, and those with disability. We find that students from these four groups are more likely than their peers both to take leave, and to fail to return to study having taken leave. Collectively, these trends account for much of the retention gaps between groups. However, the higher priority group rates of leave and non-return are mostly explained by underlying factors, in particular prior achievement, study mode, and study status. Understanding the significance of these factors is critical to identifying risk, avoiding deficit language and stereotypes, and clarifying the needs on which future funding could be based.

ABSTRACT Across Australia, Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and the United States, Indigenous students continue to face racism, stereotyping, and systemic exclusion within schooling systems. These experiences contribute to widespread disengagement, anxiety, and educational underachievement. While teachers are tasked with fostering safe and inclusive classrooms, many lack the cultural knowledge and critical reflexivity required to address these harms effectively. This study adopts an Indigenous phenomenological approach to explore how sixteen Indigenous educational scholars understand and enact inclusive, culturally responsive pedagogy. Participants were selected based on their identification as Indigenous and their expertise in curriculum, teacher education, and policy. Although informed by international perspectives, the findings are primarily situated within the Australian context. Through the analysis of expert testimony, the study identifies key strategies for transformation, including the development of critical reflexivity, the use of storytelling as relational pedagogy, culturally accountable role-modelling, and policy frameworks that enable systemic change. These elements are positioned as essential to countering educational inequities and embedding Indigenous knowledges and values at the heart of practice. By foregrounding Indigenous voices, this study contributes to a relational, decolonial framework for educational renewal – one that benefits not only Indigenous learners, but all students in increasingly diverse educational settings.

A methodological journey: amplifying the voices of Indigenous students in gifted education programs through Yarning, Dadirri and Ganma using participatory action research

This paper presents a framework implementing the Psychology Board of Australia’s Competency 8 through an Indigenous Rights-Based Approach (IRBA), recognising that effective cultural competency requires Indigenous expert leadership rather than models developed without Indigenous guidance. Centring Indigenous Sovereignty, self-determination, and reciprocal partnerships with Indigenous experts, the framework emphasises sustained relationships rather than episodic training. The three-tiered structure—Active Engagement, Adapting Practice, and Synthesis and Integration—guides practitioners from foundational understanding to systemic leadership, addressing colonial legacies within educational systems. It provides practical applications across all seven Competency 8 subsections, including culturally responsive care, trauma-aware practices and consultation frameworks, underpinned by pedagogically informed approaches. Critically, this paper addresses how implementation of Competency 8 risks placing another “colonial load” on Indigenous people expected to fix colonial systems without addressing the fundamental systemic flaws. The framework advocates for structured, Indigenous-expert-led supervision and reflective practice incorporating Indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing, supporting professional growth of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous psychologists. By centring Indigenous rights, it provides actionable guidance for creating culturally safe environments that honour Indigenous students’ identities, aspirations, and inherent capabilities, contributing to decolonising psychological practice and fostering equity within Australian educational contexts.