Module 5 Learning Reflection

Artifact 1: Indigenous Healthcare

One of my learning artifacts from this module was my research on Indigenous healthcare in Canada. Through this research, I learned more about the barriers Indigenous Peoples can experience within the healthcare system, including racism, discrimination, and a lack of culturally safe care. I also learned about the importance of cultural safety and humility and how healthcare providers need to recognize their own biases and the power imbalances that can exist between patients and healthcare professionals. Learning about the work of the First Nations Health Authority helped me understand that improving Indigenous healthcare involves more than simply providing medical services. It also means listening to Indigenous communities, respecting Indigenous knowledge, and supporting Indigenous leadership in healthcare.

Artifact 2: Social Media and Self-Representation

My second artifact was my reflection on social media and youth self-representation. This made me think about how social media can give young people an opportunity to share their own identities, cultures, experiences, and perspectives. I found this especially interesting in relation to challenging stereotypes because social media can allow people to tell their own stories rather than having others speak for them. At the same time, I learned that social media can also create pressure for young people to present themselves in certain ways. This connected to my previous learning about bias and the idea of a “single story.” It reminded me that we need to be careful about making assumptions based on what we see online and should give people the opportunity to define themselves.

Artifact 3: Ktunaxa Nation and Self-Determination

My third artifact was my research into the Ktunaxa Nation’s path toward self-determination and self-governance. I learned that self-determination involves Indigenous Nations having greater authority over their lands, resources, culture, communities, and decision-making. The Ktunaxa Nation’s ongoing work toward greater recognition of its rights and involvement in decisions affecting its traditional territory helped me understand that self-determination is an ongoing process. I also found this artifact meaningful because it connected Indigenous rights and governance to the local community where I live and will eventually teach. It helped me recognize the importance of learning about the Nation whose traditional territory we are living and learning on.

Connecting My Learning to My Practice

These three artifacts have helped me think about how I can transfer my learning into my future teaching practice. Although the topics are different, they all connect to the importance of listening to Indigenous voices, challenging assumptions, and respecting Indigenous perspectives and self-determination. As a future teacher, I want to be intentional about the resources and perspectives I bring into my classroom. I want my students to learn about Indigenous Peoples through authentic Indigenous voices and to understand that Indigenous communities are not only part of Canada’s history but are active, diverse, and thriving communities today. I will continue working on my inquiry project with this in mind and consider how I can create learning experiences that move beyond stereotypes and encourage students to think critically about whose voices are being represented.

Connection to My Inquiry Project

This module also connected to my inquiry project because it encouraged me to think more deeply about how Indigenous perspectives are represented, respected, and included in education. The topics I explored this module, including Indigenous healthcare, youth self-representation, and the Ktunaxa Nation’s path toward self-determination, all showed me the importance of listening to Indigenous Peoples and recognizing their own voices and perspectives. These topics connect to my inquiry question because they demonstrate that Indigenous learning should not be limited to historical events or taught from only a Western perspective. Instead, students should have opportunities to learn about Indigenous communities as they are today, including their leadership, culture, rights, knowledge, and ongoing work toward self-determination. This module has encouraged me to continue thinking about how I can apply this understanding to my future classroom and how the choices I make as a teacher can either challenge or reinforce stereotypes and assumptions. It has also helped me see that my inquiry is not just about finding the “right” resources, but about considering whose voices are included, how they are represented, and whether students are being given opportunities to develop a more respectful and accurate understanding of Indigenous Peoples.