Indigenous Education

Indigenous Education initiatives at OISE involve all departments and draw upon the diversity of Indigenous peoples. We seek to examine a range of issues, perspectives, and models of Indigenous Education from local, to national and international connections. Students focusing on Indigenous Education will have a greater understanding of the needs, aspirations and knowledges of Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) and Indigenous Peoples around the world.

Important components of learning and work in this research area include:

  • Developing understanding of the diversity of Indigenous peoples locally, nationally, and globally. This includes diverse cultural, spiritual, and political structures, and place based relationships that shape approaches to knowledge production and education.
  • Increasing understanding of the history of colonization projects in Canada and around the world and their impacts on Indigenous peoples. This includes the significant role that education has played as a tool for control and assimilation.
  • Examining ongoing realities of colonization including the ways in which educational institutions, policies and practices continue to produce and maintain conditions of constraint, dominance and control; racist representations of Indigeneity; social and class differences; and social inequities in regards to Indigenous peoples.
  • Advocating for changes in educational policy and practice in Canada by examining issues related to self-determination in public education systems and current literature and research.
  • Centering Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and methodologies in Indigenous education and research. This includes respecting the roles that Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers play in Indigenous communities and holistic understandings of learning and wellness.

Courses are offered at the MT, MEd, MA, EdD, and PhD levels. Faculty members supervise masters' research projects, qualifying research papers, and both masters and doctoral theses. Courses with an Indigenous education focus or content are listed in associated departments; see their websites for details.

Faculty actively working in Indigenous and anti-colonial research are in the departments of Applied Psychology and Human Development (APHD); Curriculum, Teaching and Learning (CTL); Leadership, Higher and Adult Education (LHAE); and Social Justice Education (SJE). This includes Dr. Ansloos (APHD); Dr. Brant, Dr. Styres (CTL); Dr. Waterman, Dr. Wemigwans  (LHAE); Dr. Cannon (SJE). Their research and teaching focuses on a range of topics in Indigenous education including (but not limited to):

  • Indigenous students’ access and experiences in post-secondary education
  • Social movements and approaches to decolonization
  • Sociopolitical dimensions of Indigenous mental health
  • Racism and colonial politics of state recognition
  • Land-centered approaches to language, literacy, and curriculum
  • Ethical representation of Indigenous knowledge in digital spaces
  • Indigenous maternal pedagogies and identity formation
  • Indigenous literatures
  • Indigenous methodologies
  • Indigenous feminisms
  • Racialized social relations and anti-colonialism in higher education
  • Disruption of anti-Black and settler colonial education through place-based and environmental learning
     

Indigenous Education Network

The Indigenous Education Network (IEN) is a group of students, staff, faculty and community members who share a common vision that aligns with the principles of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum agreement. As a collective, we offer co-curricular programming to support the wellbeing and academic success of Indigenous graduate students. For more than 35 years, we have offered a welcoming environment for Indigenous students, staff and faculty by hosting events, workshops and crafting meaningful opportunities for mutual aid, collaboration, and keeping relations between students, staff, faculty, and IEN community members. As part of this work, the IEN supports students through co-curricular programming, resources and mentoring. To learn more about IEN offerings, students are encouraged to get in touch with IEN staff and/or visit the IEN Office located on the south end of the 5th floor at OISE (5-180). The office space is open for Indigenous students, faculty and staff to use for meetings, work and social gathering.
E-mail: ien@utoronto.ca
Website: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ien

Indigenous Educational Research Centre

This Indigenous Educational Research Centre (IERC) is designed to foster Indigenous resurgence and strengthen an Indigenous presence in research practices, but more specifically within Indigenous educational research contexts. The Centre will better equip the university to respond to and help shape how institutions can go beyond token Indigenization and reconciliatory efforts.
The Centre provides a safe and supportive research environment linking Indigenous communities and the university. It serves to promote and support culturally aligned methodologies and theoretical approaches to Indigenous educational research. It also seeks to establish and promote place specific ethics and protocols that guide the work in Indigenous and non-Indigenous research collaborations and the ways researchers work with Indigenous communities.
Email: ierc.oise@utoronto.ca
Website: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ierc

Indigenous Literatures Lab

The Indigenous Literatures Lab grew out of Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) scholar Dr. Jennifer Brant’s interest in creating a community learning space that nurtures relations and builds a bridge between academic researchers, school practitioners, and Indigenous communities. 

Founded in 2024, the lab aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and support ethical engagements that inform Indigenous cultural integrity practices within reconciliation education initiatives. 
Email: indigenouslitlab@gmail.com
Website: https://www.indigenousliteratureslab.com/ 

Special Emphasis: Indigenous Education and Decolonization

For information about the special emphasis in Indigenous Education and Decolonization offered by the department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, visit the website:https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ctl/emphasis-indigenous-education-and-decolonization

Deepening Knowledge Project

The Deepening Knowledge Project (DKP) seeks to infuse Indigenous peoples' histories, knowledges and pedagogies into all levels of education in Canada. The DKP website offers curricula and other teacher education resources related to Indigenous education.
Website: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/

First Nations House 

The First Nations House provides culturally relevant services to Indigenous students, including academic support, financial aid and planning, meetings with elders and traditional teachers as well as cultural and social events. 
Website: https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/department/first-nations-house/

Traditional Teachers & Supports

OISE’s Indigenous Education Network (IEN) and the University of Toronto’s First Nations House (FNH) has relationships with a number of Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Please contact the IEN and/or FNH for more information about drop-in hours and other programming offering traditional teaching and support.

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For further information about Indigenous Education initiatives at OISE, contact the OISE Indigenous Education Network:
Lisa Maracle (IEN Administrator) and Mike Berg (Coordinator, Indigenous Education Initiatives)
Email: ien@utoronto.ca

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