Indigenous Education and Mobile Learning

Empowering Indigenous voices through apps

start

Indigenous Education and Mobile Learning

Index

Land acknowledgment

introduction

Applications for indigenous learning

First voices

Whose Land

First people's heritage language and culture apps

reconciliation : a starting point

plantnet

merlin

challenges

c0nclusion

Land Acknowledgment

I acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.As a student in the MET program at UBC and a teacher at Churchill Secondary, I recognize the importance of respecting and honoring the Indigenous peoples who have cared for this land for countless generations.This acknowledgment is a reminder of the enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and their territories and a call to action to support Indigenous education, cultural preservation, and reconciliation. Through this project, I aim to contribute to the ongoing efforts to empower Indigenous voices and help educators integrate Indigenous knowledge within educational practices.

Introduction

Indigenous education holds a pivotal role in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. I teach French, Social Studies and a Contemporary Indigenous Studies class at the largest public high school in Vancouver. Throughout this presentation I will be trying to connect to my own personal teaching experiences so that other educators can learn how to use technology in their classroom to teach Indigenous education. Sometimes it can be challenging to get students ‘onboard’ with the path to reconciliation, however technology can serve as a bridge to engage today’s youth to the importance of Indigenous education. This media presentation explores various mobile applications that can be used in the classroom to encourage Indigenous education in various ways and subjects.

Merlin

Reconciliation : A Starting Point

PlantNet

First People's Heritage Language and Culture

First Voices

Applications for Indigenous Education

Whose Land

• Keyboard apps for writing in Indigenous languages.
• Phrasebooks with audio recordings by Indigenous speakers.
• Interactive games to reinforce language learning.

https://www.firstvoices.com/apps

First Voices

Features

The school where I teach is on the land of the Musqueam people and their traditional language is called hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. I have used the First Voices app, along with other resources for students to start to learn hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. I have used this app in my French class in addition to my Social Studies / Contemporary Indigenous classes. In any project, assignment or presentation I encouage students to use and speak some hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

First Voices

FirstVoices helps preserve Indigenous languages and encourages Indigenous students to learn and use their heritage language in addition to non-Indigenous students to learn more about Indigenous culture through languge. Using an app like First Voices allow a deeper connection to Indigenous cultres.

https://www.whose.land

Whose Land

Features

• Interactive maps showing Indigenous territories in North America.
• Educational videos and descriptions of treaties and traditional land claims.
• Resources for understanding land acknowledgments and Indigenous histories.

I use this app when teaching students how to do Land Acknowledgments. It's important that students know whose land we learn on. I also use it when students work on a naming project which asks students to map out all the different Indigenous communities and the languages they speak on a map of BC.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

Whose Land

Whose Land serves as a powerful educational tool to raise awareness about the importance of land acknowledgments and to educate students about the Indigenous history of the land they inhabit. It fosters respect and understanding of Indigenous rights and sovereignty.

First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Apps

Features

The First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Council offers various apps focused on preserving and revitalizing Indigenous languages and cultures in British Columbia. Research what language is spoken by your local nation and you will find that The First People’s Heritage Language and Culture Council has created an app dedicated to that language. There are so many!!

I use these apps the same way I use First Voices, to teach students hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. I use these apps in my social studies classes in addition to my French classes to encourage language revitilization and to give students tools to learn and appreciate languages beyond 'modern languages' taught in school.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Apps

These apps support the revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures, providing students with tools to learn and appreciate their heritage. They offer a comprehensive approach to integrating language learning with Indigenous cultural education.

Reconciliation : A Starting Point

Features

Reconciliation: A Starting Point is an app developed by the Government of Canada to educate users about the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and the importance of reconciliation. Features include : Educational resources on the history of residential schools, stories and testimonies from residential school survivors and guidance on how individuals can contribute to reconciliation efforts.Bonus... it's in French as well!

I have used this app when teaching about reconciliation and asking students to complete a reconciliACTION project. Students use the app for valuable resources and ideas to how they can be an active participant in reconciliation.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

Reconciliation : A Starting Point

This app provides valuable resources for understanding the historical context and current efforts towards reconciliation. It can be used to educate students about the impacts of colonization and the importance of supporting reconciliation initiatives.

https://plantnet.org/en/

PlantNet is a mobile app designed for plant identification, allowing users to identify plants by simply taking a photo. It is particularly useful for land-based educational activities and can be an invaluable tool for Indigenous plant identification and learning about traditional uses of native plants.Features include :

• Image-based plant identification using a vast database of plant species.
• Detailed information on plant characteristics, habitats, and distribution.
• User contributions to improve and expand the plant database.
• Offline mode for use in remote areas without internet access.

PlantNet

Features

In my Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12 class, students partake in year long land based activity called sit spots. Students choose a spot outside and return to the same spot every week for a year (rain or shine) and journal their thoughts and what they observe around them. I encourage them to use apps like PlantNet to be able to identify the plants around them and observe how they grow and change throughout the year.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

PlantNet

PlantNet can be effectively used in land-based learning activities to teach students about Indigenous plant species and their traditional uses. By identifying plants in their natural habitat, students can learn about ecological relationships and cultural significance of plants within Indigenous knowledge systems. PlantNet promotes experiential learning, encourages exploration and connection with nature, and supports the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge.

https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Merlin Bird ID is a mobile app developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that assists users in identifying bird species based on photos, sounds, and observations. This app can be particularly beneficial for integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices related to bird species and their cultural significance into educational activities.Features include :

• Bird identification using photos, sounds, and detailed descriptions.
• A vast database of bird species with comprehensive information on each.
• Sound identification feature for recognizing bird calls and songs.
• Offline mode for field use without internet access.

Merlin

Features

As stated in the slide about PlantNet. for land based activities such as sit spots, I encourage encourage to use apps like Merlin to be able to identify the birds around them and ultimately promote a connection to nature and ecoystems that surround them at school and in their daily lives.

How have I used it?

Educational potential

Merlin

Merlin Bird ID can enhance land-based learning by helping students identify and learn about various bird species in their natural habitats. The app supports the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge related to birds, such as traditional uses, cultural stories, and ecological roles. By using Merlin Bird ID in the classroom and land based activities, educators can create engaging and informative activities that highlight the importance of birds in Indigenous cultures and ecosystems.

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Potential Challenges

Wifi issues or reception challenges in some schools.

Limited access to mobile devices. For instance, in BC (as of next year) students will not allowed to have devices in the classroom.

Finding time for teacher training of apps.

Conclusion

Indigenous education is crucial for the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous cultures and reconciliation. If you are in a povince like BC, Indigenous education is highlighted and integrated into every subject's curricular competencies. Morever, students are now required to take a senior Indigenous credit before graduating. Teachers are required to integrate Indigenous content more than ever more and finding the time to learn, integrate Indigenous knowledge and find authentic Indigenous resources can be tricky. Mobile learning offers innovative solutions to support the integration of Indigenous knowledge in classrooms, providing accessible and engaging tools that can enhance language learning, reconciliation efforts and cultural education. By integrating apps like FirstVoices, Reconciliation : A Starting Point, and PlantNet into the classroom, educators can facilitate the integration of Indigenous edudcation and ensure the continuity of Indigenous cultures and promote reconciliation.

Your experiences

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