This thesis is an interpretive case study, drawing upon feminist and Aboriginal perspectives, about working in an educational environment described as a border world comprised of overlapping cultures. It is a chronological account of the delivery of a university programme in a First Nations community. The study seeks to explore the reasons why Aboriginal women enter and successfully complete post-secondary study, and whether their roles in traditional Aboriginal culture facilitate this process. This first portion of the study involved semi-structured interviews with three female Aboriginal educators, focusing on the traditional roles of women within Cree culture, and the relationship of these traditional roles to their roles in contemporary Cree society. The second portion of the study involves a series of group and personal interviews with female Aboriginal learners involved in a community-based programme in a Northern Cree community. The interviews, which encompassed a three-year period, sought to provide a chronological account of the learners' experiences in the programme. In addition, interviews were conducted with faculty members teaching within the programme. The interviews provided the data for an operation model entitled Community-Controlled Education that suggests criteria for the delivery of an inclusive learning experience for Aboriginal learners.

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This exploratory case study investigated the ways non-Aboriginal teachers of Biology conceive of incorporating Aboriginal perspectives into their delivery of the Biology curriculum in Alberta. The participants in this study were non-Aboriginal Biology teachers teaching in schools with predominantly non-Aboriginal students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the teacher participants and explored issues and challenges that they face infusing Aboriginal contexts into their teaching. The qualitative data generated were coded using themes developed from a conceptual framework for curriculum implementation. The majority of the teachers saw value in incorporating Aboriginal perspectives but shared concerns due to: unclear definitions of Aboriginal and Aboriginal perspectives; an inadequate knowledge base; and lack of material resources and professional development opportunities. Recommendations to help non-Aboriginal teachers include: better access to and targeted professional development and resources; greater clarification on the definitions of Aboriginal and Aboriginal perspectives; and greater amounts of administrative and governmental support.

No description available.