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Result(s) for "Alaska Native"

	Project Title	Status	Abstract
1.	Alaska Native Elders: Traditional Educators in the Urban Environment	Completed	The project, "Alaska Native Elders: Traditional Educators in the Urban Environment," studied the role of Alaska Native Elders who served as mentors in the UAA course AKNS 492, "Traditional Knowledge of Alaska Native Elders." This project identifies how Alaska Native Elders contribute to the support and well-being of UAA students, indicates ways that UAA could promote Elder participation on campus, and makes recommendations for future collaborative efforts. Data was collected through the principal researcher's direct participation in the Spring 2007 AKNS 492 course. Students participated in focus groups and conducted interviews with the Elder mentor(s). Students gathered information on topics, such as traditional values and culture, traditional medicine, art, or family and history by interviewing the Elder(s) in a group setting. Student focus groups were also documented. The first focus group was called "Circle of Objects." Students brought in an object that represented their ethnicity, family, or culture as a way to introduce themselves to the class. The second focus group identified current and future UAA support systems to promote Elder participation on campus. The third focus group discussed identity and cultural sensitivity topics. An on-line survey was also administered to research participants. Erik Erikson's model, "Stages of Human Development," was employed to interpret student responses regarding identity and Elder's comments about reciprocity. Analysis of student cultural sensitivity and confidence regarding interactions with Elders, through participation in the course, were also revealed. The study analyzed the reciprocal benefits of intergenerational relationships in the educational setting and generational differences in communication.
2.	An Exploration of Experiences and Outcomes of Mt. Edgecumbe	Completed	Mt. Edgecumbe High School is a State-operated boarding school located in Sitka, Alaska. Originally established by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1947, Mt. Edgecumbe was the only public secondary school within Alaska available to rural children from 1947 to 1965. The BIA closed Mt. Edgecumbe in 1983 after educating more than 9,000 Alaska Native children over a time span of thirty-six years. The school was reopened by the State of Alaska in 1985, in response to lobbying from Alaska Native leaders, and has since provided several thousand youths from all throughout Alaska a quality secondary education in a residential setting. Today, Mt. Edgecumbe High School looks drastically different than it did thirty years ago. Despite its growing size, the student body is much smaller in number than it was while under BIA control, and is much more diverse though still predominately Alaska Native. Mt. Edgecumbe offers many students a broader curriculum, more specialized teachers, extracurricular activities, and better preparation for postsecondary education than might be available to them in their home communities. Most importantly, Mt. Edgecumbe High School is now a school of choice, whereas prior to 1975, attendance was mandated by the BIA. Currently, Mt. Edgecumbe High School has a student body of over 400 students, representing more than 100 Alaskan communities. Through surveys and interviews with recent alumni of Mt. Edgecumbe High School, this study attempts to capture the educational, social, and cultural experiences of the students, and how it has affected their lives. Our research identifies the aspects of the boarding school that have made it successful in educating Alaska Native students, and will help policy makers and Alaska Native education leaders make informed decisions regarding Alaska Native education options as well as rural secondary school alternatives.
3.	Teaching Science to Those Who Have No Word for it	Completed	This project was designed to answer the following question: How can science education be improved for Alaska Native students? In 2001, not one student from a rural school district, where primarily Alaska Native students reside, passed the high school exit exam. Educators and researchers alike have investigated the roots of the problem; non-indigenous teachers unaware of cultural conduct, learning styles not addressed in western curriculum, and the curriculum itself have been considered. This question was investigated, through a partnership with The Imaginarium in Anchorage, Alaska, using an evaluation of the Yup'ik science curriculum, Yuungnaqpiallerput: The Way We Genuinely Live. The curriculum, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), was designed to improve science understanding through the use of culturally relevant concepts and tools. This project evaluated the effectiveness of the delivered curriculum in order to improve the way that science concepts are taught. The curriculum was taught in six different schools in the Southwest Region School District by two Imaginarium educators. Pre and post questionnaires were constructed and analyzed to assess 9-12th graders' understanding of science concepts before and after the curriculum was delivered. Additional data came from evaluation forms provided to the teachers regarding their opinion on the programs and an interview with an Alaska Native elder. The data collected shows that students did retain information learned in the science workshops they received. Teachers and elders both described the format and substance of the programs as a culturally appropriate method for teaching science.