ECS 6822 - Pacific Islander Indigenous Education

This course will explore various topics within Indigenous education. Through a variety of mixed methods this seminar will examine previous and current educational policy and its affects on diverse Indigenous peoples. It will also examine education as a tool for empowerment, resistance, and healing within varied Indigenous communities. Course topics covered include: Native/Indigenous epistemology, decolonizing methodologies, settler colonialism, cultural reclamation, and critical pedagogy. In addition to the course materials, students will engage in service learning by partnering with a community engagement project associated with the Pacific Islander community. Participating in community engagement will allow students to actively participate in an Indigenous educational initiative that directly relates to the course content and discussions. Thus, this course will require participation in both the course and the community engagement project. Students are required to complete 20 hours of community engagement during scheduled weeks.