Navigating Digital Spaces in Indigenous Education
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Authors
M'Lot, Christine G.
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Indigenous , Education , Technology , Virtual Reality , Augmented Reality , Digital Immersive Spaces , Educator Perspectives
Alternative Title
Abstract
Educational technology usage among youth surged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic (De’ et al., 2020). My research explores how educational technology has been used by educators and facilitators serving Indigenous youth throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a discussion about the benefits and challenges of moving programming online, as well as the future possibilities of teaching using virtual reality, augmented reality, and engaging in immersive digital spaces.
Now, more than ever, there is a need to discuss the benefits and challenges of utilizing education technology, with a particular focus on how these new technological advancements can be used within Indigenous education contexts. Since most users of virtual social media platforms are youth (Clark, 2021), we can infer that this technology is here to stay, and if educators are going to embrace this technology, we need to discuss ways to mitigate some of the potential negative effects to safeguard the wellbeing of Indigenous students. My research starts this conversation. Along with an extensive literature review, this research informs an analysis of the potential use of augmented and virtual reality technology in navigating digital spaces in Indigenous education. My research involved interviewing people working within Indigenous education contexts (such as educators in public school settings and program facilitators in various community program settings) via Zoom, about their experiences adapting their programming to online platforms during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The interviews were then thematically analyzed to determine the potential benefits and challenges to adopting new technology within Indigenous education contexts. The goal of my research was to record the stories of educators and program facilitators working with Indigenous youth during the Covid-19 pandemic, document the unique benefits and challenges that various types of educational technology have on Indigenous youths’ engagement, and to inform an analysis of the potential use of augmented and virtual reality technology in education settings, particularly settings that work with Indigenous youth and/or to advance Indigenous education. While my research focussed on Indigenous education, there is the potential that this study could have wider implications in shaping the future of education in general, with the hope of informing a future strategy of wellbeing in immersive digital spaces rooted in Indigenous theories of wellness.
Keywords: Indigenous, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
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Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International