Vol. 29 No. 2 (2014)
Research Articles

Lessons Learned: Effectiveness of Synchronous Full-Distance Delivery for Aboriginal Teacher

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  • Megan Kathleen Gordon,
  • John Hodson,
  • Julian Kitchen
Megan Kathleen Gordon
Brock University
Bio
John Hodson
Bio
Julian Kitchen
Bio

Published 2014-10-23

Keywords

  • distance education,
  • Aboriginal teacher candidates

How to Cite

Gordon, M. K., Hodson, J., & Kitchen, J. (2014). Lessons Learned: Effectiveness of Synchronous Full-Distance Delivery for Aboriginal Teacher. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education Revue Internationale Du E-Learning Et La Formation à Distance, 29(2). Retrieved from https://ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/798
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Abstract

Recent Ontario provincial and federal education policy developments propose to increase the academic success of an ever increasing number of First Nation children attending urban and First Nation schools. Key to achieving that goal is increasing the number of Aboriginal educators who are skilled in teaching that is grounded in culturally responsive and relational pedagogy. In many instances, those interested in pursuing such a career in education are limited in their ability to attend conventional teacher education programs because they live in remote communities, have familial responsibilities, and/or have limitations related to their employment. Creating and resourcing teacher education programs that consider the realities of First Nation peoples will be fundamental to achieving the goals set out by the Ontario and federal governments. This paper highlights factors that limit access to university education for First Nation peoples and presents the results of a pilot study that evaluated a unique teacher education program for Aboriginal students delivered at a distance from their home communities. The paper also discusses the opportunities and pitfalls associated with technology-mediated Aboriginal teacher education.
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