Volume 40 2001 Contents
Carol Barnhardt [pp. 1-30]
This article documents significant historical events and trends that have helped to shape the policies and practices of education in Alaska, particularly those that have most directly impacted the schooling of Alaska Native people. The following information is provided: (1) an overview of the Alaska context; (2) a review of federal policies that have directly affected education in Alaska; and (3) an historical analysis of the evolution of schooling for Alaska Native people, including the development of a dual federal/territorial system of schools, and the initiation of a range of federal and state reform efforts. The current status of schooling in Alaska is briefly described.
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Seth A. Agbo [pp. 31-56]
Efforts to improve schooling under the banner of raising standards are taking hold throughout New York State. The emphasis on standards means that all students must meet a range of expectations held by the standards designers. But is there a chance that the rhetoric about standards can improve the education of American Indian children? Given the enormous disparities in the cultural conditions of Aboriginal students, the attainment of standards suggests necessary structural changes in the curriculum, instructional methods and materials, and the standards used to judge performance. This paper looks more closely at the utilization of participatory research in a curriculum development and teaching project that addresses the intercultural or interethnic needs of American Indian students. The paper addresses itself to examining the crisis of the education of Aboriginal children and to developing a new school orientation that sees Aboriginal educational endeavors in a new light. The contexts and arguments suggest that whereas Aboriginal perspective to learning is useful in redefining old problems and proposing fresh alternatives, there are some grounds for careful optimism about what might be possible.
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Kristen R. Stephens, Frances A. Karnes, James Whorton [pp. 57-65]
- THE MATHEMATICAL ECOLOGY OF THE SHOSHONI AND IMPLICATIONS FOR
ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS EDUCATION AND THE YOUNG LEARNER
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Jim Barta, Ann Abeyta, Drusilla Gould, Ed Galindo, Georgia Matt, Delverne Seaman, Garrit Voggessor [pp.1-27]
The Shoshoni are an indigenous people who traditionally inhabited parts of what is now northern Utah, central and southern Idaho, and western Wyoming for the past 14,000 years. While many facets of their historical and recent culture have been analyzed, little investigation has taken place to date concerning their use of mathematics in culturally specific ways. This manuscript is the report of a two-year study involving semi-structured interviews of Shoshoni representatives to describe the culturally specific use of mathematics in Shoshoni traditional living practices. Qualitative research methods were selected in order to gain a rich understanding of the mathematical insight and uses of mathematics for the Shoshoni. The inquiry methods and related interview questions may serve as a model to structure research investigating mathematical practices of other American Indian cultures, thus allowing for a broader understanding of indigenous people and the culturally - specific mathematical practices of each tribe. Insight gained from this research prepares the way for American Indian educators to create culturally specific mathematics curricula reflecting the local culture of those they teach. - POSTSECONDARY TRANSITIONS AMONG NAVAJO INDIANS
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Aaron P. Jackson, Steven A. Smith [pp. 28-47]
This study used interviews to examine the postsecondary transition experiences of 22 Navajo Indians. The interviews were transcribed and the interview texts analyzed using a synthesis of qualitative methods. The analysis showed that (1) family connections, (2) discrepancy between high school and college learning environments, (3) focus on faculty relationships, (4) vague educational and vocational constructs, and (5) connection to homeland and culture were prominent themes. Implications for interventions with Navajo Indians and suggestions for future research are discussed. In particular, the results of the study indicate a need for stable mentoring relationships with other American Indians who are involved and successful in college and related postsecondary experiences. - TRADITIONAL CULTURE AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS AMONG AMERICAN INDIAN
CHILDREN IN THE UPPER MIDWEST
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Les B. Whitbeck, Dan R. Hoyt, Jerry D. Stubben, Theresa LaFromboise [pp. 48-60]
This research examines factors affecting school success for a sample of 196 fifth-eighth grade American Indian children from three reservations in the upper Midwest. The regression model included age, gender, family structure, parent occupation and income, maternal warmth, extracurricular activities, enculturation, and self-esteem. The results indicate that traditional culture positively affects the academic performance of fifth-eighth grade children. The bivariate correlation between enculturation and self-esteem was nonsignificant and there was no significant interaction between enculturation and self-esteem indicating that enculturation was directly associated with school success. The findings are discussed in terms of resiliency effects of enculturation for American Indian children.
- RESISTANCE THEORY AND THE TRANSCULTURATION HYPOTHESIS AS
EXPLANATIONS OF COLLEGE ATTRITION AND PERSISTENCE AMONG CULTURALLY TRADITIONAL AMERICAN
INDIAN STUDENTS
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Terry Huffman [pp. 1-23]
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative research investigation on the educational experiences of 69 American Indian college students. Specifically, the data involving two groups of culturally traditional students (estranged students and transculturated students) are considered. Estranged students are culturally traditional American Indian students who experienced intense alienation while in college and, subsequently, fared poorly academically. Conversely, transculturated students are also culturally traditional students. However, these students overcame acute alienation and generally experienced successful college careers. After an examination of the dominant theoretical perspectives on American Indian educational achievement and attrition, the findings of the research are extended to new theoretical considerations: resistance theory and the transculturation hypothesis. - THERE ARE DOORWAYS IN THESE HUTS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, NATIVE CANADIAN STUDENT NEEDS, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ONTARIO, CANADA
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Keith James [pp. 24-35]
The focus of this paper is on differences in approaches to Native Canadian education at post-secondary institutions in Canada that might influence success by Native Canadian college and university students. In the current study, characteristics of Native Canadian educational programming at 27 colleges and universities in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada’s two most populous provinces, were examined. Existing institutional documents were used to determine the programs for Native students, as well as the numbers of Native students at each institution. Questionnaires completed by staff members from each institution were used to determine numbers of Native faculty, other institutional characteristics, and to identify the perceived major problems for improving Native education at each. The problems identified were factor analyzed, yielding seven categories of issues. These and the institutional characteristics were then tested for their ability to predict ratings of the quality of Native Canadian education provided by each college or university. The rating came from two Native Canadian professionals who were familiar with each of the schools. Two significant program characteristics predicted a substantial amount of the variation in quality ratings. One category of issues (problems) from the factor analysis was also a significant predictor of education quality ratings. Implications of these results for Native Canadian post-secondary education are discussed, as are needs for future research on the issues addressed in this study. - BOOK REVIEW
Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire by Jim Cummins
At War with Diversity: US Language Policy in an Age of Anxiety by James Crawford
The Politics of Mutliculturalism and Bilingual Education: Students and Teachers Caught in the Crossfire by Carlos J. Ovando
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* Page Numbers refer to location in the original published version of the article.
