Journal Home
 

Volume 29 1989 Contents

  • Issue 1 October 1989
    • THIRTEEN MOST COMMON NEEDS OF AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION IN BIA SCHOOLS
      Glenn I. Latham [pp. 1-11]
      Using direct in-class observations and interviews with school personnel and students, determines what needs of an instructional and management type appeared to be the most common across BIA Indian education programs nationally. Information was gathered from BIA Indian Education programs on 17 reservations. Thirteen persisting instructional and management needs were discovered, and a detailed discussion of each of the needs is presented. *

    • THE ROLE OF FACULTY IN CULTURAL AWARENESS AND RETENTION OF AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS
      Danielle Hornett [pp. 12-18]
      The attrition rate of American Indian students at institutions of higher learning continues to be dismal. This article looks at an important and unique asset that colleges and universities have; their professors. By nature of their positions and with the type of contact they have with students, professors can play significant roles in retaining students. Practical suggestions are offered which can be utilized by professors in the classroom, and which can facilitate success for Indian students in higher education.

    • DIALOGUE JOURNALS: A TECHNIQUE TO STRENGTHEN ETHNIC PRIDE AND ACHIEVEMENT
      Barbara V. Kirk [pp. 19-25]
      A dialogue journal is a notebook in which the student and teacher carry on a private, written communication on topics or concerns to the student. In a program to encourage secondary students of Native American heritage to pursue a postsecondary education, dialogue journals were employed to encourage students to reflect on their experiences during the program, to provide personal communication between each student and the staff, to clarify information and ideas presented, and to encourage aspirations for a college education. The exchanges between students and staff suggest that a dialogue journal may be useful in helping minority students clarify their feelings and their values related to their ethnic identity.

    • A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF A CULTURALLY-BASED DANCE EDUCATION MODEL ON IDENTIFIED STRESS FACTORS IN AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE WOMEN
      Ferial Deer Skye; Orla J. Christensen; Joan T. England [pp. 26-31]
      The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a culturally-based dance education model on the reduction of stress in American Indian women college students. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure levels and types of anxiety following the presentation of the dance education model. The STAI has two scales reflecting two separate anxiety concepts. State anxiety (A-State) refers to how a person feels at a particular moment in time. Trait (A-Trait) refers to how a person generally feel over time. The results indicated a reduction in Trait anxiety for the group participating in the dance education model compared with the control group. No difference was found between the two groups on State anxiety.

    • AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION: A STUDY OF DROPOUTS, 1980-1987
      David R. Eberhard [pp. 32-40]
      This study examined all American Indian pupils in an urban school system between the years 1980 and 1987. Four cohorts, or classes of membership, were descriptively examined. The population count was 368 pupils. In addition, dropouts and stayers were identified from these cohorts. There were 167. This sub-population was examined on six variables: academics, family constellation, gender, mobility, school attended, and tribal membership. Chi Square and ANOVA techniques were used in developing statistical relationships between dropouts and stayers. Finally, 55 American Indian high school pupils, 13 American Indian GED students, and 13 American Indian adults were interviewed in groups. The questions asked to them focused upon the variables.

  • Issue 2 January 1990

    • THE EMERGENCE OF AMERICAN INDIAN LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION
      Patrick D. Lynch; G. Mike Charleston [pp. 1-10]
      Traces the entry of American Indian men and women into administrative positions in the BIA schools and public schools over the past 100 years. The period is subdivided into three eras, 1889-1929, 1929-1969, and 1969-present, with the development of leadership in each era described, as well as government and local policies concerning Indian education.

    • INSERVICE TEACHERS EXPAND THEIR CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND APPROACHES THROUGH PRACTICA IN AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES
      James M. Mahan; Frances V. Rains [pp. 11-24]
      An intensive cultural immersion practicum of six to eight weeks duration for inservice teachers is described. Participant reported outcomes of this American Indian reservation placement experience are presented and discussed. The value of personal experience in the expansion of a teacher's cultural knowledge and understanding is emphasized; so is the need to reflect upon, and analyze, these cultural experiences to maximize the development of wisdom, insights, sensitivity, and classroom follow-up.

    • EFFECTS OF RECURRENT OTITIS MEDIA ON LANGUAGE, SPEECH, AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MENOMINEE INDIAN CHILDREN
      Helen M. Thielke; Lawrence D. Shriberg [pp. 25-35]
      The effects of recurrent otitis media on language, speech, and academic achievement were investigated in two groups of 3-6 year old Menominee Indian children. The two groups, one with no history of middle ear involvement and the other with considerable involvement, were comparable in gender, age, educational histories, and non-verbal intelligence. Middle ear involvement was documented by oto-scopic, audiologic, and tympanometric records. A test protocol included measures of language comprehension, language production, speech perception, and speech production. Children with histories of otitis media had significantly lower scores on receptive single word vocabulary, auditory memory for critical elements in sentences, and intelligibility in continuous speech. A follow-up assessment at two years posttesting indicated that children with histories of otitis media maintained lower average educational performance levels. These findings suggest that children with early recurrent otitis media are at risk for language, speech, and educational development and support the need for early and aggressive clinical management.

    • COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND THE EDUCATION OF AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE STUDENTS: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
      Karen Swisher [pp. 36-43]
      The literature about the cooperative nature of Indian children and youth presents enough evidence to conclude that practitioners ought to consider classroom organizational structures which promote cooperative learning activities. While several studies have been conducted with racially mixed groups of students, the effects of specific techniques or strategies on achievement and interaction outcomes of Indian students apparently have not been researched and reported to any great extent. The Johns Hopkins University Student Team Learning strategies are described as one approach for implementation of cooperative learning; however, there is a need to examine practice, and document in an empirical manner the successful strategies which are culturally congruent and achievement oriented.

  • Issue 3 May 1990

    • EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION AT LUMMI
      Susanna A. Hayes [pp. 1-11]
      The Lummi Tribe of Northwest Washington has developed a comprehensive educational plan to provide its members cultural and academic enrichment. With careful utilization of community input and leadership, the tribe is currently able to strengthen their youth. They can unify and build a positive future. Over the past 20 years, the Lummi program has evolved in obvious stages. Starting with early childhood and parenting education, the program has gradually expanded to elementary, secondary and college levels.

    • TEACHING ATTITUDES AND STUDY ATTITUDES OF INDIAN EDUCATION STUDENTS
      Graham Hurlburt; Eldon Gade; John McLaughlin [pp. 12-18]
      This study of the teaching attitudes and study attitudes of a sample of Indian education majors showed that they tended to have a dominating teaching attitude as measured by the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory. The results also showed that these future teachers had below average attitudes toward teacher classroom behavior and methods, and educational objectives and practices when compared to the test norm group of the Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes. Finally, the results showed that the male education students were lower than the female students on all indicators of study habits and attitudes. A discussion of the implications of these low scores for future teaching styles and attitudes concluded the study.

    • PERCEPTION OF FAMILY BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AMONG INDIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS
      Ruey-Lin Lin [pp. 19-28]
      By using data collected May, 1986 at a mid-size, predominantly white college, this study examines the relationship between students' perception of family background, traditional or modern, and the characteristics of students' behavioral patterns. Findings from correlational analyses indicate that behavioral patterns of students from "traditional" families are quite different from patterns of students from "modern" families. Students' perceptions of their families as being modern are positively correlated with parents' educational levels, family support for education, and shared values between students and parents. Students from traditional families are more oriented toward the accomplishment of tasks than those from modern families. Some theoretical implications of these and other correlations are explored.

    • MEASUREMENTS OF NAVAJO AND HOPI BRAIN DOMINANCE AND LEARNING STYLES
      Robert W. Rhodes [pp. 29-40]
      Tests of brain dominance and learning style preference were given to 424 subjects on and near the Navajo and Hopi Reservations, including 199 students, 167 school personnel, and 58 parents. These numbers allow for analysis and discussion of Navajo and Hopi preferential learning styles and comparisons with national norms. Results indicate that Navajo and Hopi students vary significantly from the national norms. These students also vary significantly from Anglo teachers and from Navajo school personnel. Implications for classroom processes based on awareness of brain dominance and learning style are explored.
    * Page numbers refer to location in the original published version of the article.

[    home       |       volumes       |       editor       |       submit       |       subscribe       |       search     ]