CURRICULUM CHANGE IN NUNAVUT: TOWARDS INUIT QAUJIMAJATUQANGIT

Authors

  • Heather Elizabeth McGregor University of British Columbia

Keywords:

Inuit education, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, Nunavut education, Indigenous curriculum, curriculum change, history of education

Abstract

Between 1985 and the present, curriculum developers, educators and Elders in Nunavut have been working towards reconceptualization of curriculum to better meet the strengths and needs of Inuit students and to reflect, preserve, and revitalize Inuit worldview, language, and culture. This article outlines the development of the 1989 curriculum framework Piniaqtavut, the 1996 framework Inuuqatigiit: The Curriculum from the Inuit Perspective, and the 2007 foundation document Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: Education Framework for Nunavut Curriculum. It goes on to describe the cross-curricular principles and philosophies of education in Nunavut, and identify the most important contributing factors in this system-wide curriculum change process. The intent is both to validate the approach taken in Nunavut, as well as to inform comparable work in other Indigenous contexts.

CHANGEMENT DES PROGRAMMES AU NUNAVUT: VERS L’INUIT QAUJIMAJATUQANGIT

Depuis 1985, des développeurs, des éducateurs et des aînés du Nunavut travaillent à la refonte des concepts des programmes et ce, afin de mieux répondre aux forces et besoins des élèves inuit. Ils veulent également refléter, préserver et redonner vie à la vision du monde, à la langue et à la culture inuit. Cet article explique le développement du programme d’études Piniaqtavut (1989), du programme Inuuqatigiit: Un programme d’études à partir d’une perspective inuit (1996) et du document fondateur Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: le cadre d’éducation pour le curriculum du Nunavut (2007). Par la suite, l’auteur décrit les principes des compétences transversales et les philosophies de l’éducation au Nunavut. Elle identifie les facteurs ayant le plus contribué à ce processus de transformation des programmes dans l’ensemble du système. L’objectif est d’à la fois valider l’approche préconisée au Nunavut et de présenter des travaux comparables, réalisés dans d’autres contextes autochtones.

Author Biography

Heather Elizabeth McGregor, University of British Columbia

HEATHER E. McGREGOR is a PhD student affiliated with the Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness in the Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia. She has lived in the NWT and Nunavut and continues to work there. Heather’s primary research interests are Nunavut’s educational history including curriculum, pedagogy and policy, residential schools history, social studies curriculum, and decolonization.

HEATHER E. McGREGOR est une doctorante affiliée au Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness de la faculté des sciences de l’éducation de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique. Elle a demeuré aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest et au Nunavut et y travaille encore. Les principaux intérêts de recherche d’Heather sont l’histoire de l’éducation au Nunavut incluant les programmes, la pédagogie et les politiques, l’histoire des pensionnats amérindiens, les programmes de sciences sociales et la décolonisation.

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Published

2013-01-03

How to Cite

McGregor, H. E. (2013). CURRICULUM CHANGE IN NUNAVUT: TOWARDS INUIT QAUJIMAJATUQANGIT. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 47(3). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/8943

Issue

Vol. 47 No. 3 (2012)

Section

Articles

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