EDU 7240 Summer 2025 Decolonizing Perspectives in Educational Contexts by Diane Watt

Decolonizing Perspectives (Jenn BB)

2025-07-15 19:38:39 UTC

My selected article by Manion & Payal Shah (2019) urges educators to decolonize its current Western epistemologies which are governed by patriarchy and capitalism. Oppressed groups in education are seen everywhere because of colonialism, hence not only in third world countries. Therefore, the current system needs to adopt new approaches (e.g., curriculum reform, Indigenous approach, etc.) to address groups who are marginalized. Manion & Payal Shah (2019) highlight the importance of using an intersectionality lens (e.g., gender, sexuality, race, etc.) to better understand the root of this issue. The power of colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism are what stand out to me. These are so embedded in our society that they unfortunately shape all systems in our society, especially in education.

I believe that this should be the main goal of the education system. I feel that the mandatory courses haven’t changed all that much in the past two decades and are still geared for the industrial revolution. Thus, the society has evolved and is currently evolving rapidly, therefore so should the education system. The Ministry of Education needs to step up and work with school boards to address this pernicious issue. Consequently, I will emphasize that it’s hard to change a system that is ran by politicians who are controlled by corporations …

Reference:

Manion, Caroline, and Payal Shah (2019). “Decolonizing Gender and Education Research: Unsettling and Recasting Feminist Knowledges, Power and Research Practices.” Gender and Education, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 445–51, https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2019.1596392.

Decolonizing Perspectives - Laura Allan-Boran

2025-07-19 20:18:43 UTC

Annette Furo (2011) examines the problematic nature of museums that exhibit other cultures without contextualizing the knowledge they represent and the power dynamics that shape decisions regarding who’s narrative and voice is included. Even in a carefully designed exhibit, the stories and cultural artifacts of Indigenous peoples are re-contextualized by the museum leaving “‘painful silences’ and ‘powerful absences’ [that] limit the story [Indigenous] Canadians can tell about themselves” (Furo, 2011, p. 106). One area that surprised me was Furo’s (2011) description of written historical accounts as a privilege. As Indigenous people share their history and culture through oral traditions, they are unable to author their own representations in museums as the dominant historical context favours written narratives, such as letters, personal journals or public records. I had not previously considered the colonial impact of these written narratives, which are so integrally linked to historical research and the education system.

The article also reminded me of my recent trip to The Royal BC Museum where totem poles had been removed from exhibits and returned to their original sites at the request of Indigenous communities as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts. Artifacts like totem poles within museums have deep cultural heritage and significance to their community and their removal from their cultural sites is an ongoing source of harm to Indigenous peoples. Tradition states that the spirit of the carver forever remains with the totem pole (Elassar, 2023), meaning their spirit is trapped within the museum and disconnected from the land and their community.

“To us, museums are just like the residential schools where our children were killed,” said Snow, great granddaughter of an Indigenous totem pole carver held by the museum. “They have human remains in the Royal BC museum, and the spirits of these human remains are there. It’s a type of pain that we can’t put into our words.” (Elassar, 2023)

Once the totem pole was return to its original cultural site, the Royal BC Museum curators chose to create space for this discussion by intentionally not replacing the removed artifacts. Instead, they left a noticeable void in the exhibit, adding a small sign indicating the totem pole had been returned to the Indigenous community where it could be restored to its cultural context and purpose within the community. The actions of The Royal BC Museum to return artifacts of cultural significance back to their traditional locations and communities is an important step in Reconciliation. As these actions become more common, I hope there will be increased opportunities to learn Indigenous culture and history directly from Indigenous peoples and within their cultural context as part of ongoing efforts to decolonize education.

References

Elassar, A. (2023). The Nuxalk Nation’s Totem Pole was stolen and sold to a museum. After waiting 110 years, they finally have it back. CNN. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/02/19/americas/nuxalk-nation-totem-pole-royal-bc-museum-reaj.

Furo, A. (2011). What is in a voice? A pedagogy of voice for museums. Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 27(1), 104-116. https://doi.org/10.63997/jct.v27i1.313.

Module 11 - Mary Sturch

2025-07-20 10:36:24 UTC

Reading Saeed’s (2023) article on student movements helped me reflect deeply on the transformative role students play in education—not just as learners, but as change-makers. The article really emphasized how student-led resistance can challenge colonial structures and bring forward more relational, justice-oriented, and hopeful visions for what education could be.

What resonated most was the idea that true transformation requires redistributing power, not just revising curriculum. Saeed positions students not as passive recipients, but as active participants in shaping educational systems. That message connected strongly with something I’ve been learning about recently: Students as Partners (SaP). This approach also sees students as co-creators in education, encouraging collaboration in curriculum design, assessment strategies, and teaching practices. Rather than seeing students as subjects to teach, it frames them as collaborators in the teaching process.

Thinking about Saeed’s work alongside SaP, I’m realizing how both center student voice and agency in ways that are truly radical when compared to traditional models of education. They both challenge the hierarchical structures we often take for granted, and instead promote relational, inclusive, and empowering practices.

It also made me think of earlier course content, especially the work of Sharon Todd and Judith Butler, where discomfort, emotion, and relationality are integral to meaningful change. Saeed’s piece reminds us that the work of decolonizing education is often messy, nonlinear, and uncomfortable—but necessary. I’m left wondering: what would it look like if we didn’t just allow student voices into the room, but actually designed education with them from the start?