Current Status, Processes, & Programs of American Indian Adult and Community Education : Current Status, Processes, & Programs of American Indian Adult and Community Education Jo Ann Bamdas & Enid Conley
ADE 5185 Adult & Community Education: Summer A-2005
EDUCATION : EDUCATION “The battle for Indian children will be won in the classroom, not on the streets or on horses. The students of today are our warriors of tomorrow.”
- Eddie Box. Southern Ute, 1988
Slide3 : Pre-Test Experiential Learning Moment
Return to your learning log you began in Teaching Module #1. Now before beginning Module #2, please share what you know about American Indian student higher education status, programs, and processes. Please email your responses through Blackboard’s email to Enid Conley, Dr. Bryan, and
Jo Ann Bamdas. Thank you.
Population : Population Census 2000 showed that the United States population on April 1, 2000, was 281.4 million. Of the total, 4.1 million people, or 1.5 percent, reported as American Indians and Alaska Natives…
…Census 2000 asked separate questions on race and Hispanic or Latino origin. Hispanics who reported their race as American Indian and Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with one or more races, are included in the numbers for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
The term "American Indian and Alaska Native" refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central and South America and the Caribbean) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. It includes people who reported "American Indian and Alaska Native" or wrote in their principal or enrolled tribe.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/mso01aian.pdf
Participation Rates : Participation Rates Adult participation rates reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) attempts to report formal learning activities such as courses and programs focusing on trends and participation over time and patterns of participation.
Differences in participation rates are based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, educational level, labor force status, and occupation group (NCES, 2002).
Participation Rates : Participation Rates However, we have found that the participation rates are distorted due to the inconsistency of the race/ethnicity report.
First and foremost, race/ethnicity is not the same as cultural/linguistic (culture and language) groups and they cannot be combined if one is supposed to report and analyze accurate statistical data.
Even the terms “race” and “ethnicity” are incongruent because race and culture are two distinct entities. For example, a Caucasian (White) person and an Asian can share the same culture (such as Eurowestern or American culture); yet, they are of a different subspecies (usually and incorrectly referred to as “race”).
Definitions : Definitions Race, when referring to the Human Race or Homo Sapiens, can be defined as:
1 a : A local geographic or global human population distinguished by genetically transmitted physical appearances (American Heritage College Dictionary, 1993). 2 a: a taxonomic category (as a subspecies) representing such a group b : a division of humankind possessing traits that are transmissible by descent and sufficient to characterize it as a distinct human type (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, 2005). 3: Biology: a distinct population within a species; a subspecies (Oxford Online Dictionary, 2005).
Slide9 : Ethnicity can be defined as:
1. Relating to a group of people having a common national or cultural tradition.
2. Referring to origin by birth rather than by present nationality (Oxford Online Dictionary, 2005).
3. Of a national or racial (?) group of people (Cambridge Dictionary, 2005).
Slide10 : Culture Can Be Defined as: The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. a: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. b: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes a company or corporation.
Merriam-Webster (2005)
Slide11 : Language can be defined as:
The words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a community. a (1) : audible, articulate, meaningful sound as produced by the action of the vocal organs (2) : a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings (3) : the suggestion by objects, actions, or conditions of associated ideas or feelings (4) : the means by which animals communicate (5) : a formal system of signs and symbols (as FORTRAN or a calculus in logic) including rules for the formation and transformation of admissible expressions.
Merriam-Webster (2005).
DNA : DNA YET:
DNA tells us that the BioGeographical Ancestry admixture is the heritable component of what we commonly refer to as "race”.
DNA tells us that that humans are of one or a mix (admixture) of chromosome or mitochondrial (mtDNA) chromosomes of the following (Ancestry by DNA, 2005):
American Indian: The people of North, South, Central America, and the Caribbean. Caucasians (Whites): Europeans, Middle Easterners and South Asians from the Indian subcontinent including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. East Asian: Japanese, Chinese, Mongolian, Koreans, Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders including peoples native to the Philippines.
African (Blacks): Peoples from Africa including the Sub-Saharan regions such as Nigeria and the Congo region.
Critical Reflection : Critical Reflection Could all of the unchallenged incongruencies be an example of a modern, according to Brookfield, repressive tolerance that leads the way for hegemony in order to incorporate and deflect oppositional voices (Wilson & Hayes, 2000)?
Could the unchallenged incongruencies be the modern day colonialism and assimilation of American Indian People?
According to Brookfield, can we believe that truth and knowledge, according to this perspective, be local, partial, and subject to continual reinvention (Wilson & Hayes, 2000)?
How Can We Visualize the Real Story? : How Can We Visualize the Real Story? By using a variety of American Indian Resources (along with the federal and state data):
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
Tribal College Research and Database Initiative (of AIHEC and AICF)
Tribally Controlled Community Colleges
Graduate students in higher education
Critical Thinking, Self-Directed Learning, and Reflection
Participation – A few notes ….. : Participation – A few notes …..
“American Indians have the lowest level of educational attainment of any racial or ethnic group.”
(AIHEC, 1998)
Reports of Participation by American Indians in Higher Education : Reports of Participation by American Indians in Higher Education According to the U. S. Department of Education (l988), 90,000 American Indians attended colleges and universities, including l,000 in professional schools, and 5,000 in graduate schools”
According to Janine Pease Pretty on Top, In 1999, “{T]his nation’s Tribal Colleges are bringing higher education to more than 25,000 students from over 250 American Indian Tribes.”
For Your Information : For Your Information
1990 - American Indians, ages 25+ ►only 66% were high school graduates and
►just 9% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher
Participants : Participants “National Center for Educational Statistics uses several measures of student enrollment at postsecondary institutions” (AIHEC, 1998)
Click here http://www.aihec.org
Participants Enrollment : Participants Enrollment With the Era of Self-Determination which began with the Civil Rights Movement (60-70’s), American Indian ACE has been changing
Since the Tribally Controlled Community Colleges movement, enrollment has increased significantly
1982 enrollment – 2,000 (O’Brien, 1992)
Fall 1990 enrollment – 11,767 (NCES, 1990-1997)
1996-97 enrollment – 24,363 undergraduates and 260 graduate students
Several thousand were at Dine’ College and less than 200 at Institute of American Indian Arts
Participants Enrollment : Participants Enrollment Between 1990 and 1996, fall enrollment at Tribal Colleges increased by 62 percent.
Tribally Controlled Community Colleges in states of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota hold the majority of American Indian students
American Indian enrollment in tribal colleges has increased more rapidly than has American Indian enrollment at mainstream institutions.
Participants – Additional Information : Participants – Additional Information Seem to be choosing Tribally Controlled Community Colleges over mainstream institutions
Tribally Controlled CC presidents believe the student bodies are gradually becoming younger; for example, “almost 40% of the estimated 2.3 million total AI population was under the age of 20 in l997”
Available data suggest a significant percentage of TC students are completing degrees
What Does All This Mean? : What Does All This Mean?
Participation in education beyond high school is a priority!
Educational Problems : Educational Problems Dropouts and Push-outs
Highest rate of any ethnic group.
Three out of every ten students drop out of school.
Students drop out because their needs are not being met academically.
Students are pushed out because they protest on how they are being treated in schools.
Fact : Fact According to the Census Bureau (1998), one out of five American Indians live on reservations, where access to postsecondary education continues to be limited (AIHEC, 2000).
More Facts : More Facts “Only 8% of American Indians have four or more years of college, compared to l6% for the total population” (Census Bureau, 1985).
“Fewer Indian students are graduating with education degrees.” In l987, only 14.2% of bachelor’s degrees received by American Indians were in education, whereas 26.6% were in science and technology.”
Fewer are headed for a professorship (American Educational Research Association, 1992, p. 77).
Lack of American Indian controlled education (Szasz, 1999).
AMERICAN INDIAN ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION : AMERICAN INDIAN ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION
TRIBALLY CONTROLLED
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
The First Choice: Tribally Controlled Community Colleges : The First Choice: Tribally Controlled Community Colleges Mission – increase access to higher education by bringing the higher education to the people
Unique institutions providing personal attention to needs, integration of cultural values and language into curricula into institutional environments with traditional courses that can be transferred beyond
Tribally Controlled Community Colleges : Tribally Controlled Community Colleges Despite limited resources and lack of funding from the federal government’s legislative Acts, Tribally controlled community colleges seem to be successful!
Participants : Participants Non-traditional
“Disproportionately” Female (AIHEC, 1998)
Single mother
Early 30’s
Half attend part-time basis
Participants : Participants More information:
Most enrolled are the first generation in family to attend college.
Less access to the range of financial aid available to other students.
Lack basic reading, writing, and math skills when they enroll (Tierney, 1992).
Many students forced to “stop out” or skip semesters due to familial or financial obligations.
Participants : Participants Substantial proportion of TC students continue on to four-year institutions after earning associate degrees (due to transfer agreements).
Some Data – 1997 – Degrees Conferred : Some Data – 1997 – Degrees Conferred 16 colleges reported completions as follows:
936 degrees
409 associates, 58 bachelor’s, 2 master’s
84% awarded to American Indian/Alaskan Native students and 67% awarded to women (NCES, 1990-97, quoted by AIHEC, 1998)
AMERICAN INDIAN ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION : AMERICAN INDIAN ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Higher Education Fruition : Higher Education Fruition
“Higher education degree completion for American Indians has remained virtually unchanged for the past three decades.”
Franci Lynne Taylor
Higher Education : Higher Education American Indians “face many barriers to participation and persistence, including inadequate academic preparation, financial difficulties, lack of role models, unfamiliar institutional environments, and the distance from family and community networks”
Wright, 1992, quoted by AIHEC, 2000
Search for Clues in These and Our Other Notable American Indian Graduate Students Who Obtained the Ph. D. : Search for Clues in These and Our Other Notable American Indian Graduate Students Who Obtained the Ph. D. Dr. Maenette Benham; http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/newed/Winter96/benham.htm
Dr. Paula Gunn Allen; http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/paula
Dr. Elizabeth Cook Lynn; http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/cooklynn/
Winona Laduke; http://www.welrp.org/winona.html
Angela Cavender Wilson; http://www.asu.edu/clas/history/faculty/bios/wilson.html
And Search Here in Dissertations for Clues to American Indian Higher Education Success and on Themes that May Interest YOU! : And Search Here in Dissertations for Clues to American Indian Higher Education Success and on Themes that May Interest YOU! Ballew, R. L. (1996). The experience of Native American women obtaining doctoral degrees in psychology at traditional American universities. Retrieved June l8, 2005 from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 9708985.
Greer-Williams, N. (2004). Underrepresented doctoral students: The cultural and institutional barriers that hinder their ability to graduate. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations AAT 3l4497.
Harrison, J. L. (1997). American Indians in higher education: A case study of doctoral candidates at Montana State University. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 9816314.
Henning, Denise. (1999). American Indian perspectives of doctoral program experiences and completion. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 9936726.
Neuerburg, L. L. (2000). An interview study of educational success among American Indian doctoral recipients. Retrieved June 18, 2005 from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 9996600.
Recent Dissertations on Themes in Higher Education that May Interest YOU! : Recent Dissertations on Themes in Higher Education that May Interest YOU! Angspatt, J. D. (2001). Barriers and contributions to American Indian academic success at the University of Montana: A qualitative study. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations. AAT 3010738.
Belgarde, M. J. (1992). The performance and persistence of American Indian undergraduate students at Stanford University. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations. AAT 9221595.
Garvey, T. K. (1999). American Indians and graduate studies. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations. AAT 9934955.
Jeanotte, L. D. (1981). A study of the contributing factors relating to why American Indian students drop out of or graduate from educational programs at the University of North Dakota. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations. AAT8120292
Joshi, K. Y. (2001). Patterns and paths: Ethnic identity development in second generation Indian Americans. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertations. AAT 3027215.
Moon, A. K. (1999). Self-determination through tribal colleges: Rhetoric or reality. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 9951140.
Patterson, Cross, K. (2002). When and why American Indian/Alaska native students graduate: A longitudinal study of student persistence in a tribal college. Retrieved June 18, 2005 from ProQuest Dissertation. AAT 30869866.
Critical Thinking Moment : Critical Thinking Moment Please Review our Information thus far:
American Indian Population
Data from NCES and Census Bureau and American Indian Higher Education Consortium, American Indian College Fund, and other reports on American Indian higher education participation
Please post your thoughts on the “facts,” data, reports, information you are reviewing and post your thoughts on Blackboard where we have posted the question
Higher Education : Higher Education Unfortunately, it seems that few American Indian students have attempted a higher education.
But this is changing ….
Winds of Change are Blowing : Winds of Change are Blowing A factor leading to the growth of the American Indian entering and staying in higher education are when “{s}tudents learn firmly who they are and discover what they believe has great value ….
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1989, p. 56; Pavel & Colby, 1992, p. 2.
Slide45 : Tribally Controlled Community Colleges’ Programs
Programs : Programs Adult Basic, Vocational/Technical
American Indian/Native American Studies
Culture/Language
Business/Accounting/
Economics
Agriculture
Education (early childhood, special, elementary, technical) Biology, Pre-Med
Computer Information Systems
Criminal Justice
Health/Nutrition
Entrepreneurship
Pre-Nursing
Liberal Arts
Tribal Legal Studies
Basic Composition Skills
More Diverse Program Offerings of AA/AS Degrees : More Diverse Program Offerings of AA/AS Degrees Mathematics
Developmental Psychology
Fine Arts & Humanities
Social Sciences
Speech
History
Music Multiculturalism
Construction Technology
Geography
Geology
English
American Federal Government
Animal and Range Science
More Diverse Program Offerings of AA/AS Degrees : More Diverse Program Offerings of AA/AS Degrees Horticulture
Crop & Weed Sciences
Water Treatment Technology
Physics
Emergency Medical Service
Anthropology
Counseling
Political Science
Sociology/Social Work
Natural Resources
Carpentry
Family Services Worker
Visual Fine Arts
Tribally Controlled Community Colleges : Tribally Controlled Community Colleges
To view the list click here ..\..\..\..\26 TCCCs.htm.
Programs : Programs
The American Indian programs currently in place at the Tribally Controlled Community Colleges and universities are diverse and cover complex basics that have been lost through teaching “traditional” irrelevant programs.
American Indian Studies : American Indian Studies …Have moved education forward by “increas[ing] the number of Indian students in higher education” (Fleming, 2003, p.l 253; McNeley in Ambler, 2002).
“[I]ntegrate American Indian traditions into their curriculum, providing classes in tribal language, art, philosophy, and history at the same time they offer students access to the skills needed in the modern world” (p. 520).
Program Characteristics : Program Characteristics Practical, personally self-satisfying, self-improving.
Basic, adult, continuing, holistic, vocational, technical, training; American Indian Studies, Business Administration, Environmental Science, Language & Culture, and others.
Allowing students to find their place and build on their knowledge to develop socially, emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually (definition for holistic teaching).
To become stronger in all these ways while using the powerful philosophy of existence and the uniqueness of being Indian.
Help produce students that benefit the whole self and the community.
CURRENT THINKING : CURRENT THINKING By some American Indian educators stresses that Amerindians have many educational needs that differ from the Eurowestern mainstream society and the assimilation objectives of American education is detrimental to the social, economic, and political well-being of the Amerindian communities.
PROCESS : PROCESS Amerindians appear to be predisposed to participative cooperation rather than a competitive participation.
Studies have shown that Amerindian learners, in both Canada and the U.S., are more cooperative and less competitive than Non-Indian Learners.
The implications of this type of research are that if Amerindians have learned to learn in a cooperative manner this may lead to conflicts in learning in a competitive cultural learning environment.
Cultural barriers may keep American Indians from totally understanding the Eurowestern learning systems which translate into a competitive cultural learning environment.
Comparative Cultural Values Which May Lead to Misunderstanding of American Indian Adult and Community Education : Comparative Cultural Values Which May Lead to Misunderstanding of American Indian Adult and Community Education American Indian
Cooperation
Group Harmony
Modesty and Humility
Non-Interference
Silence is valued
Contemplation
Patience
Generosity and Sharing
Present Time Orientation
Work for the sake of the family.
Indian Time – nonlinear and flexible.
Relationship with nature.
Spiritual beliefs
Extended family orientation.
Cultural pluralism.
Eurowestern
Competitive
Individualistic
Overt identification of accomplishments.
Directive and interfering.
Aggressive verbal behaviors and expression of opinion.
Impatience.
Individual ownership and amassed material property.
Future Time Orientation
Work for work’s sake.
Eurocentric obsession with “time is money.”
Mastery over nature.
Religious beliefs.
Nuclear family orientation.
Eurocentric.
Process : Process View holistically rather than fragmented with basic skills.
Treat curriculum holistically.
Get to the root of the problem instead of treating the symptom.
Add Native language as an elective.
Engaged in local curriculum development.
Increase parental participating in curriculum development.
“Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother’s Voice” : “Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother’s Voice”
We believe the best practices and thinking around learning and teaching for Native communities are exemplified in the following models, the goals of which are:
“In Our Mother’s Voice” : “In Our Mother’s Voice” Emphasize Native language development in both written and oral skills, and press toward multilingualism.
Stress native understandings of culture and history, past and present, and focus on ways to address current issues.
Articulate a curriculum grounded in self-determination, cultural self-esteem, personal vision and passion.
Focus teaching and learning processes on building responsibility to self, family and community, and actively involve family and community in the learning process.
Promote model programs and best practices that significantly improve academic achievement, reduce absenteeism and dropouts, and eliminate social problems.
“Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother’s Voice” : “Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother’s Voice” Learning and teaching are student-centered, therefore, learner is at the core
Grounded in four principles: critical development of the intellect, healthy body and environment, preservation of language, and spiritual wisdom.
Moreover, community involvement and responsibility for dynamic, valid, and lifelong learning environments are the key to this vision
And finally, school and community leaders must support sustained research and development of Native ways of knowing and facilitating learning.
“In Our Mother’s Voice” : “In Our Mother’s Voice” Please Click here for the Indigenous Educational Model
Pictorial summary of IOMV Model
Also, recommended: Please review each “In Our Mother’s Voice’s
Website pages for numerous American Indian resources and reports
So, please click here IOMV
The Right Stuff: Process for Reaching Empowerment : The Right Stuff: Process for Reaching Empowerment Holistic Teaching
Self-Awareness
Self-Esteem
Self-Actualization
Self-Directed Learning
American Indian Controlled Education
▼
Equals - EMPOWERMENT
POST TEST Transformational Learning : POST TEST Transformational Learning In your learning log, through Blackboard’s email system, please send your reflective thought(s) on American Indian Adult and Community Education Status, Programs, and Processes to Enid Conley, Dr. Bryan, and Jo Ann Bamdas.
Thank you.
WebLinks – Must View : WebLinks – Must View American Indian Higher Education Consortium. http://www.aihec.org.
In Our Mother’s Voice. About Us Page. http://ed-web2.educ.msu.edu/voice/aboutus.htm.
Tribally Controlled Community Colleges (all of them).
Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of the Indians. Office of Indian Education Programs. (October 20, 2004). 2004-2005 National Education Directory. http://www.oiep.bia.edu/docs/Directory/2004%20OIEP%20Directory.pdf.
References : References Please find our references posted on Blackboard