Written by Lorna Andrews, Teaching and Learning Specialist, Indigenization
I have been a part of the Indigenous Curriculum Specialist Network (ICSN) that has Indigenous representatives from universities across Canada since November 2020. I was invited to join this network to connect with others across the country doing similar work to mine. We have common challenges and celebrations. We also realize there are gaps in what we are able to do individually and share best practices to help one another progress in their work.
Through this group, we determined that we have a common goal in helping faculty Indigenize and the common Indigenous worldview and ways of knowing and being are those of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. The Seven Grandfather Teachings are considered “universal” Indigenous teachings and with ICSN members being of Anishinaabe ancestry, thought this was a great way to move forward as a collective. The opportunity arose for Lakehead University to apply for funding to create digital literacy around the Seven Grandfather Teachings, a worldview that I often use in my own work here at UFV. A number of us from the ICSN worked to identify the project components and contribute to writing the proposal. This project will benefit the Post-secondary Institutions represented by the ICSN, but there is also an opportunity for the completed digital literacy course to be accessed through provincial education platforms like BC Campus or e-Ontario etc. I am very excited to be a part of this project as it will definitely benefit the Indigenization efforts at UFV.