Course Syllabus

Course Description

“This course considers pedagogical, planning, and assessment choices in relation to place and Indigenous contexts, the specific knowledges and situations of learners, subject learning and relational curriculum-making, social and ecological justice, and Indigenous education priorities. Holistic, experiential, and Indigenous inquiry-based pedagogical methodologies will be examined and experienced. This course addresses integrated methods content in language arts, science, social sciences, and mathematics, and appropriate adaptation, assessment, and evaluation”

The official course description and prerequisites are in the U of S Course and Program Catalogue available at http://www.usask.ca/calendar/coursecat/

Learning Outcomes

By the completion of this class, students will be expected to:

1. Articulate why and how place matters in education         
2. Investigate local land and community issues with a focus on Reconciliation                               
3. Demonstrate an understanding of how to use holistic, experiential, inquiry-based instruction and assessment strategies related to place                                                                                            
4. Incorporate community- and land-based and virtual resources in designing learning activities within the context of Saskatchewan Ministry of Education curriculum: Indigenous (FNMI) perspectives; Broad Areas of Learning; Cross-Curricular Competencies; Subject Area Aims, Goals, and Outcomes; Understanding the Conceptual Foundations; Identifying the Big Ideas; Assessment and Evaluation.

Course Structure

It is my intent to have designed this course to be responsive to your needs and experiences. This means that the assessments could change based on many factors including you. Consider these materials as starting points. I will do my best to balance the need to learn the theory and the practical portions of courses. I will lean heavily on the hands-on approach of doing and learning. . You need to be prepared to go places and to spend time outside regardless of the weather. This means that we need to help each other with transportation and with equipment as the need presents itself. Come prepared to be challenged. Come prepared to challenge each other and me. Come prepared to participate. You will get as much out of this course and the things that we do as you want.

We will be spending a large majority of our time outside in the natural environment.  Please come to each class dressed to be comfortable and safe in the natural outdoors.  This includes footwear, clothing, jacket, hat, etc.