Giving students a sense of confidence and self-esteem is an essential part of education.  Unfortunately not all education has reinforced this goal.  Alaska Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) boarding schools had been used as a tool for, as Smith terms in Decolonizing Methodologies, “colonizing.” Alaska Native students had not been allowed to speak their native languages.  They lived away from their communities, families, traditions, and ways of doing things. Historically, education for Alaska Natives was a means of assimilating them into a dominant culture and economy. It has been a place where cultural identity is degraded and students have been disempowered.

Empowerment is a term used in many contexts:  land use and rights, the work place, government participation, gender, and education.  Within education, the term empowerment spreads to language such as “self-determination” (Martin, Mithaug, Cox, Peterson, Van Dycke, Cash 2003), “build[ing] community” (Obenchain, Abernathy, Lock, Robin 2003), and “active resistance” (Raney).  Similarly Stacki and Monkman (2003) state “the term ‘empowerment’…has become a synonym for participation, for speaking out, or for feeling that one can accomplish an important task”.

The need for empowerment in education, as stated by Nieto (1992), comes from the reality that “those outside the dominant culture may find that…they are marginalized…and their cultures, languages, and moral codes frequently dismissed as inferior social practices, even in school settings”.  This may result in students with “internalized oppression, or believing that the self is somehow ‘less than’ and ‘less worthy’” thus resulting “in lowered expectations for life chances” (Corley 2003).

UNICEF (1994) acknowledges the systems and cycles of oppression and recognizes stages in the processes for claiming power.  Using a framework created to address women’s empowerment- this outline applies to both females and males, the under privileged, social groups, minorities, and oppressed peoples.  It lists five “increasingly important levels”: welfare, access to resources, awareness raising, participation in decision-making, control over resources, and developments in the social, economic, and political spheres (Stacki et al. p.183).

Looking to UNICEF’s five stages of empowerment and Stromquist’s categories, it becomes clear that a fundamental step toward empowerment or self-determination begins with awareness-raising, a cognitive and psychological empowerment. The realms of this power are delineated by Stromquist’s (1993) categorization.  Although this categorization is in the context of gender, it can be applied to situations of economic status, ethnic and racial backgrounds as well.  These four areas of empowerment are: cognitive, psychological, economic, and political. (Stacki et al. p. 181)  Both cognitive and psychological empowerment offers the most in the arena of education. … though in Place-Based Education we would equally argue the importance of economic validity for education and empowerment and also the political… empowering students to become active members of their community.

Cognitive empowerment relates to the knowledge and understanding of  “conditions and causes of subordination” or oppression.  This can be taught in the classroom.  Subjects such as history, social studies and language arts lend themselves well to this purpose.  Psychological empowerment promotes building self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-identity. (Stacki et al. p. 181)

Several methods for promoting psychological empowerment exist.  A 1992 study conducted by Shaw describes how community building provides a forum to heighten student’s sense of inclusion, influence, and openness.  This can be done by having students map the community they live in, conduct community interviews, participate in community service, and reciprocal teaching (Obenchain et al.).  The facilitation of self-management, self-evaluation, and self-instruction are also tools for psychological empowerment in education, building self-esteem and confidence  (Martin et al. p. 432).

 

One approach to promoting power in the classroom is place based education. It is an alternative to the teachings of the dominant culture.  This philosophy toward education as summarized by Laurie Land-Zucker in the Foreword of Place Based Education, “emphasizes creative exploration and the joyful realization of the ties that connect a person with nature and culture in her place” (Sobel ii).  She goes on to state that “place based education is not simply a way to integrate the curriculum around a study of place, but a means of inspiring stewardship and …civic life” (iii).  Sobel, the author of this book, goes further to illustrate how the practice of Place Based Education can cultivate psychological empowerment. Citied from an evaluation report in Living and Learning in Rural Communities:

 

Another way to think about this focus on place is to understand that a        

‘grounded’ or ‘rooted’ learner stands within the world…rather than

standing outside looking in, acting in large measure as an observer…A

grounded rooted learner understands that his/her actions matter, that

they affect the community beyond the school… ‘student as a resource to

the community’ takes shape…a pedagogy of place, then recontextualizes

education locally (11 -12).

 

This definition of place based education addresses one of John Dewey’s major concerns.  Dewey was critical of the detachment between formal education and students’ lives.  As explained by Smith in the article Going Local, focusing formal education locally instills exploration of “questions that arise from student’s innate curiosity and desire to become competent and contributing members of their family and community” (30).  

Specifically, projects utilizing some of the 20 Ways to…Build Community and Empower Students of mapping, interviewing, community service and reciprocal teaching can be effective tools for students to learn about their surroundings, who they are, and the importance of their ethnicity and heritage” (Obenchain et al.).

         

Described in The Star with My Name by Emekauwa:

        

    After two centuries of denial within Western education institutions, the             indigenous knowledge systems of Alaska’s Natives are being    
               recaptured through the work of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative.          

    These knowledge systems coupled with the best of Western science,          

    form the foundation of a new type of  education – one that is place-    

    based, culturally responsive, academically rigorous, and capable of

    propelling the achievement of Native children forward (1).

 

The ARSI goals and guidelines were outlined by the Alaska Native Knowledge Network and provide educators of Rural Alaska with tools and inspiration to build and implement curriculum that psychologically empowers students, gives validity to Native ways of knowing and teaching, and preserves these ways as a resource for learning. The creation of the Alaska Native Knowledge Network (ANKN) and establishment of the ASRI are an example of forces bringing Native knowledge, and multiple cultural approaches of knowing back to the classroom in Alaska.

The ideals of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative are intertwined with the philosophy of “Place Based Education.”  Place Based Education emphasizes learning in context, learning that begins with a sense of self, and from where you are.  The importance of instilling Alaska Native ways of knowing and teaching and strengthening Alaska Native self-identity is affirmed by the inclusion of them in the ARSI’s overall goals (ANKN 18 -19).   Specifically one goal is to “Strengthen Alaska Native self-identity and to increase recognition of the contributions of Native people to the society as a whole” (ANKN 19).  This goal connects to ideas of Place Based Education, community-as-text, and the RISC model.

 

The importance of incorporating Native Knowledge with public education is not endemic to Alaska.  Similar situations exist for indigenous peoples everywhere.  Canada’s response to the needs of First Nation peoples has been the adoption of a “generative curriculum model”.  This model has linked indigenous, local knowledge to formal education through Elders (Ball 1).  An example is the bicultural training curriculum on parenting; teaching through textbooks and community Elders (7).  At its core, generative education allows a learner to create, or generate, his or her own knowledge.

Use of the generative model in Canada has shown results.  Quantitatively the rate of completing a post secondary diploma rose.  Qualitatively research determined that leadership in the community increased, Indigenous knowledge and values were reinforced, and intergeneration teaching and learning increased (Ball 1).

The use of community members as agents and formulators of education aligns with Blank’s idea of “community-as-text” (4).  Rather than textbooks derived from an outside culture and place, resources for formal education are garnered from local knowledge.  The effects of this practice, as seen by the results of Canada’s generative curriculum and Blank’s discussion, are multifaceted.

Outcomes of using the community-as-text improve academic achievement and instill leadership and shared vision in education.  Blank describes how this practice brings a focus to the family and community, their conditions, challenges, history, culture and land.  Standard based curriculum is extended and connected to every day life.   Students are involved in developing, participating in, implementing and evaluating learning.  Community-as-text cultivates active learners as well as engaging and motivating students.  Opportunities for service learning make young people a resource to the community. All this creates collaboration between schools and communities (4-5). Characteristics of the community-as-text model connects to the Reinventing Schools Coalition’s (RISC) ideals of leadership and shared vision.  By “integrating cultural and structural approaches to change” these reforms offer answers to the continual question of how to create long lasting, effective educational reform (Lawbrey 1).

    

The Reinventing Schools Coalition educational model has four components: Shared Vision, Leadership, Standards based design and continual refinement. These components are rooted on the idea that “stakeholders,” students, teachers, parents/guardians and community determine educational needs (Shared Vision).  All stakeholders have equal participation and decision-making power (Leadership).  Based on the shared vision of education, areas of study, learning objectives and levels of learning are determined (Standards Based Design).  This process is then evaluated and refined, continuously (PIER).

The concept of Shared Vision is driven by the “need to involve all stakeholders to improve student learning and success during and after leaving the school system” (RISC 8).  Defined in the Reinventing Schools Guide shared vision is the “collective purpose that is derived from stakeholder input .”  A stakeholder is an individual or group that is connected to the organization (RISC 335).  Stakeholders in education are defined as:  all school staff, students, the community and local business.  In this system created around a comprehensive shared vision each stakeholder is supportive and “accountable for its success” (Ibid 8).  

Leadership is a key component for sustaining shared vision.  It’s guide states “to sustain your shared vision” all stakeholders need to take on a leadership role and foster leadership in others (RISC 44). Leadership of community members brings ownership to what is taught.  Implementation of a standards based design conveys ownership of learning and promotes student leadership in their education.  The component of community and student leadership is highly significant to the educational systems of serving rural Alaskans and Alaska Natives.  Developing leaders  for the future is essential for the survival of rural Alaskans.  In addition, it is imperative that Native Alaskans work as educators.

School districts work to improve teacher retention in rural Alaska schools and a variety of organizations promote and fund the growth of Alaska Native educators.  These are not the only barriers to fostering cultural worth and building self-esteem in rural Alaska.  Equally detrimental to the attainment of integrating Native ways of knowing and teaching are systems that do not stem from the local community. Students and their communities do not have ownership of education. The Reinventing Schools model offers, as said by a paraprofessional educator from Lower Yukon, “a chance for Alaska Natives to have a say in education” (Quality Schools Institute Winter 2006).  Until communities and students lead and own their education there will not be sustainable integration of formal education and local ways of knowing.  

 

Technology in the classroom is an excellent and necessary tool for education today.  Technology can be incorporated into the classroom through typing papers, visual presentations and the Internet.  Specifically technology in education has manifested itself through the creation of online exhibits, museums and cultural atlases.  David Silver states that “virtual exhibitions mark a new stage for museums” and that these exhibits could “theoretically…reach tens of millions of Internet users” (1).   The potential of reaching this many people is a powerful idea and motivating to the designers..

What is a virtual or online museum?  “Stated simply, virtual exhibitions are online, World Wide Web-based, hypertextual, dynamic collections devoted to a specific theme, topic, concept, or idea” (Silver 3). Virtual exhibits are either a “film-walk about”  or “stand alone” (2).  Film-walk abouts  allow you to view exhibits interactively through a camera.  Stand alones exist on a cd-rom or hard drive, in a “predetermined ‘space’” (3).    

Regardless of the type of virtual exhibit, if done incorrectly “virtual exhibitions may amount to little more than disorganized and decontextualized digital collections” (Silver 2).  There are several components of the exhibit:  text based documents, sounds, images, and hypertext (2-5).  Sound can be difficult to capture and images can be fuzzy.  But the most challenging element of the virtual exhibit is hypertext, “a network of textual elements and their connections” (4).  Hypertext connects text, images, film, sound, and other destinations on the web to each other.

There are several virtual exhibit categories: virtual version, the missing wing, and the hyperreal-site.  A virtual version represents an existing exhibit (Silver 6).   The missing wing shows items that are not actually in a physical exhibit for “reasons of space, time, and/or money” (7).  The least traditional is the hyperreal-site, “mirroring nothing but itself” ( 8).  It only exists on the World Wide Web.  Exhibits may fit into one or more of these categories.

 

All museums have a curator.  Virtual exhibitions are not different.  It is important to identify and consider curatorship. There are three categories of curator:  organizational, commercial and individual (Silver 8).  Of the three, individually curated virtual exhibitions can “provide the academic community with excellent resources for particular topics of study” because they “frequently showcase materials and topics deemed too politically and/or culturally radical for traditional institutions.  Such exhibitions may serve as critical sites for minority and underrepresented voices” (9).

 Exhibits created by organizational curators also offer a voice for underrepresented voices, but in a more collaborative way.  Indeed “while individually-based virtual exhibitions too often begin and end with the designer and his/her opinions, and commercially-based ones usually center on a particular product, many organization-based virtual exhibitions prioritize institutional collaboration” (Silver 11). What might be lacking financially, as in commercial exhibits, is made up for in people power.