6.4: UDL for Indigenous Pedagogies
Indigenous Pedagogies have been used on Turtle Island (North America) to teach and transfer knowledge since time immemorial. A quick summary of the First Peoples Principles of Learning, offered by the First Nations Education Steering Committee in BC, touches on many of the topics identified in the Indigenous pedagogies module.
Given the Universal Design for Learning is about approaches to teaching and learning equitably, the following 9 principles “ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors (First Nations Education Steering Committee, n.d.)”.
- Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits and the ancestors.
- Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships and a sense of place).
- Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
- Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
- Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.
- Learning is embedded in memory, history and story.
- Learning involves patience and time.
- Learning requires exploration of one’s identity.
- Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.
Wherever possible, these principles should be considered and adapted when helping to create a climate of inclusiveness for all students in a classroom, but in particular, for First Nations, Métis or Inuit students.
Utilizing UDL Principles
The goal of UDL is to support learners to become masterful learners in the way that meets their learning goals and needs. As stated in section 6.1, “Every decision we make, as educators, includes unconscious bias.” UDL implementation helps educators to create space for indigenous pedagogies in their content, while also helping to support the innate needs and self-determination of all learners, with appropriate emphasis on the needs of Indigenous students.
Circling back to case study 2 mentioned in 6.1, there are two perspectives that should be examined. To begin with, the student who is far from home and does not feel a connection with the course or assigned readings may utilize UDL by using action and expression. This student could benefit from using multimedia to seek out various forms of Indigenized course content. For example: Isaac Murdoch, Storyteller on YouTube.
The faculty member who is experiencing discomfort about their own qualifications to teach Indigenous elements could use UDL engagement to begin building competency with Indigenous knowledges. By using engagement with Indigenous knowledge holders, faculty will have practiced representation, action, and expression guidelines but with a focus on Indigenous knowledges and community which in turn will help the Indigenous student experience learner success.
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