Knowledge Centres > Aboriginal Learning > Themes
Explores the potential we have as human beings for learning, as individuals and as groups.
Little is known about the learning journey that each person travels to arrive comfortably at their own awareness of their gifts, capacities, strengths, which broadly can be seen as their learning spirit. How that learning spirit evolves in a lifetime to create a learning journey is also less well known. What is better known is how many Aboriginal people venture off conventional learning paths of high schools and universities and colleges. This theme explores the nature of the Learning Spirit in Aboriginal learning, the literature, issues, and promising practices, and considers how learning can be enriched lifelong to nourish the learning spirit.
Lead: Dr. Marie Battiste Dr. Marie Battiste is the Director of Aboriginal Education Research Centre, and Co-Director of the Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre at the University of Saskatchewan.
Her academic and scholarly work in First Nations education has been a practical front line activity as a Mi’kmaw First Nations administrator, teacher, consultant, and curriculum developer, advancing Aboriginal epistemology, languages, pedagogy, and research.
An active speaker, writer, and researcher, Marie has theorized the Learning Spirit as part a National Science Foundation catalyst grant and is continuing to explore its praxis and promising practices.
Contact Information: Aboriginal Education Research Centre
Ph: (306) 966-7576 Fax: --- E-mail: marie.battiste@usask.ca
Dr. Marie Battiste, Director University of Saskatchewan College of Education, Room 1212, 28 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X2
In Aboriginal societies, it is acknowledged that learning environments must reflect the fact that both First Nations men and women have diverse experiences and needs. In order to make progress in redefining success in Aboriginal learning, there is also the need to acknowledge and address issues that hamper learning among First Nations men and women.
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These Elders were part of a dialogue session on "Nourishing the Learning Spirit" in March 2008 at the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation organized by AbLKC, the University of Saskatchewan, Aboriginal Education Research Centre, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education and the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre.
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» View the report
According to the International Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (IALLS), Aboriginal adults can be as much as twice as likely as Canadian adults to have literacy skills lower than the minimum required for adults to succeed in today's society. Aboriginal Adult Literacy: Nourishing Their Learning Spirits author Ningwakwe George has compiled a document using 80 sources to explain the reasons behind the gap while addressing Aboriginal holistic and healing approaches to education, literacy and life.
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By many measurements, Canadian learning institutions are failing to adapt to the needs of Aboriginal students. Naturalizing Indigenous Knowledge author Dr. Leroy Little Bear says that bringing Aboriginal culture, language and knowledge into classrooms will result in better educated Aboriginal students.
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