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Indigenous Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development Workshop Series

Ethical Space of Engagement in Curriculum Development Processes: Conceptualizing and Enacting Indigenous Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development Projects

This workshop series was aimed at faculty engaged in curriculum development projects in the context of programs or individual courses that involve Indigenous ways of knowing, being, connecting and doing. The concepts, practices and approaches explore and expand upon the Indigenous Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development Projects, shaped by ii’ taa’poh’to’p, University of Calgary’s Indigenous Strategy, and outlined core values to be considered by faculty undertaking new program/course development or redesigning programs/courses.

Consisting of four separate, but interconnected workshops, this series sparks an ongoing dialogue about curriculum processes and assumptions to provoke thoughtful reflection and intentional planning. This enables the UCalgary academic community to work towards developing transformative, parallel processes so Indigenous faculty, staff and community can see themselves reflected in curriculum, both in the process of developing the content and in the content itself.

These workshops can be watched separately, but due to the scaffolded nature of the series, we recommend that they be watched in order.

By the end of the series, learners should be able to:

  • Reflect on the differences between Indigenous and Western knowledge systems
  • Identify how personal values and beliefs shape curriculum processes
  • Explore the role of relationships and accountability in curriculum processes
  • Analyze approaches to validating knowledge in the institution
  • Evaluate current approaches to curriculum development in comparison to Indigenous processes
  • Conceptualize a curriculum project that incorporates Indigenous Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development

The role of personal values and beliefs in curriculum development

This workshop focuses on dialogue and activities that encourage critical self-reflection on how knowledge and identity are deeply interconnected. Exploring various frameworks provides a conceptual and conscious entry point for reflecting on change and growth as a natural part of learning and coming into new ways of developing knowledge.

Facilitator: Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, PhD

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Cultivating relational accountability in curriculum development approaches

This workshop introduces the notion of relational accountability to provide a broadened understanding of relationships and the central role of relationality within curriculum development. Activities and dialogue encourages participants to envision design processes that encompass relationships with Indigenous communities, Elders and the land.

Facilitator: Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, PhD

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Practicing reciprocity in curriculum design

This workshop enhances participants' understandings of the principle of reciprocity and offers opportunities to brainstorm the many ways that faculty members and curriculum teams can give back to Indigenous communities.

Facilitator: Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, PhD

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An Indigenous approach to validating curriculum

This workshop addresses the need for validating knowledge within curriculum development processes. Inviting critical dialogue and activities for planning check-back opportunities with Indigenous contributors, participants learn how the validation process comes full circle to connect back to teaching, learning and research, developing personal and professional identity, and to appropriate cultural protocols and institutional policies.

Facilitator: Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, PhD

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