Exploring instructional strategies in an indigenous education course in initial teacher education

Abstract

This paper explores the different approaches and instructional strategies of five instructors who have taught a mandatory Aboriginal Education course in a Canadian teacher education program. The findings are drawn from a broader study that examined the impact of selfreflective practices in Indigenous Education. Through semi-structured interviews, five course instructors shared what they believed to be meaningful instructional strategies in the course. Although each instructor shared their personal approach to the course, the four broad themes of story, land, art, and reflection emerged from their examples. These are discussed in relation to what is reported in the literature about the approaches and instructional strategies of Indigenous Education course instructors (Aveling, 2006; Dion, 2007; McInnes, 2017); this expands the conversation on meaningful pedagogies for Indigenous Education courses in initial teacher education.