Exploring the Concepts of Traditional Inuit Leadership and Effective School Leadership in Nunavut (Canada)

Preston, Jane P.; Claypool, Tim; Rowluck, William; Green, Brenda

doi:10.5206/cie-eci.v44i2.9273

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…As others have reported, Elders are consulted in community decisionmaking processes, and are often tasked with making important decisions given their wealth of vital traditional knowledge (Qitsualik, 1999;Barnaby et al, 2009). In the ways that they conduct themselves and through their expectations for the community, Elders demonstrate leadership, foster the social and spiritual wellness of youth, and disseminate culture, language, and knowledge (Preston et al, 2015). However,…”

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons Learned through Research Partnership and Capacity Enhancement in Inuit Nunangat

Carter¹,

Dawson²,

Simonee³

et al. 2019

ARCTIC

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Facilitating research and enhancing community research capacity through a partnered approach in Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland of Canada, located in Arctic Canada) presents learning opportunities and challenges for southern-based, non-Inuit researchers and community members alike. This article outlines lessons learned through the Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices (AC-NV) project, which involved 14 communities across Inuit Nunangat. The AC-NV focused on understanding community-identified impacts and potential management options of increased shipping in Inuit Nunangat due to sea ice reductions and a changing climate. The approach used to conduct the research involved visiting researchers and community partners working together with local organizations, and training and hiring northern youth as cultural liaisons and workshop co-facilitators. We strove to develop a model of collaborative partnership and strong north-south research relationships. In this paper, we draw on our broad learning experiences from four community case studies conducted as part of the AC-NV project: Arviat, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, and Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Close partnerships were formed in each of these communities, and 32 youth were trained in participatory mapping and workshop facilitation. For our diverse team of Inuit, northern- (i.e., non-Inuit, living in Inuit Nunangat), and southern-based non-Inuit researchers, our efforts to engage in partnered research were a critical component of the research and learning experience. In this article we share methodological reflections and lessons learned from what collaborative-partnered research means in practice. In so doing, we aim to contribute to the increasing dialogue and efforts around knowledge co-production and Inuit self-determination in research. Key conclusions of this reflective exercise include the importance of 1) conducting research that is relevant to local needs and interests, 2) visiting researchers and local organizations partnering together, 3) co-creating and refining knowledge documentation tools, 4) including youth cultural liaisons as co-facilitators, 5) conducting results validation and sharing exercises, and 6) being open to forming personal friendships. For the AC-NV, this community-based partnership approach resulted in more robust research results, strengthened north-south relations, and enhanced local capacity for community-led projects.

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Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons Learned through Research Partnership and Capacity Enhancement in Inuit Nunangat

Carter¹,

Dawson²,

Simonee³

et al. 2019

ARCTIC

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“…Building on traditional notions of leadership elders have explained that a person's leadership should be identified by others based on their skills as demonstrated over time. Each member of a community had the ability and responsibility to recognize the leadership potential and skills of fellow community members (Preston, Claypool, Rowluck, & Green, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leadership is demonstrated in a variety of ways including trusting that one can fight for their own rights: pigunautinivit ; promoting and building trust in cultural ways of knowing and doing (Leon, ; Preston et al., ; Waddell et al., ), respecting and listening to others; and supporting others in developing their own leadership (Wesley‐Esquimaux & Calliou, ). Supporting this personal strength and confidence in oneself and in one's culture allows for people to come together and courageously share their thoughts and build a collective foundation to work as a team (Tagalik, ; Waddell et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Community Mobilization in Northern Quebec: Motivators, Challenges, and Resilience in Action

Fraser

Hordyk

Etok³

et al. 2019

American J of Comm Psychol

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Nunavimmiut (people of the land) are the Indigenous peoples of the northern peninsula of the province of Quebec. Communities of Nunavik and its regional organizations have been making concerted efforts in implementing community‐based strategies to support family wellbeing. These community strategies are grounded in many of the values underpinning community psychology: favoring empowerment‐oriented approaches, fostering community capacity, and transforming organizational cultures to allow for new modes of interaction, as well as new policies and practices that are grounded in community and culture. Despite the growing support and expectation for community mobilization, there is still very little research on the processes and challenges to such mobilization. In this study, we explored the unique challenges and facilitators to community endeavors in northern Quebec in order to better understand the complex dynamics and the strengths that Inuit build upon. We first used a focused ethnographic approach in the context of a 5‐year community mobilization project in Nunavik. We then conducted 12 individual interviews and two small group interviews with Inuit working on community‐based wellbeing‐oriented mobilization projects in four additional communities. Results expose how sociogeographical realities and colonialism influence the process of community mobilization. They also highlight the values and motivational factors that lead community members to move beyond these influences.

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“…Berger's (2007) research showed that Inuit parents and caregivers want the presence of Inuit culture, language, and Elders in schools. Research on the topic of educational leadership in Nunavut indicates that effective school leaders promote teamwork and are people-focused (Preston, Claypool, Rowluck, & Green, 2015). Adopting a generalized review of quality education, Preston (2016b) recognized that successful Indigenous education is a holistic concept that is reflected within four main areas: (a) strong early childhood programs, (b) the existence of Indigenous pedagogy, language, and culture throughout Kindergarten to Grade 12, (c) the existence of postsecondary educational opportunities imbued with Indigenous perspectives, and (d) the existence of productive federal, provincial/territorial, and Indigenous community partnerships.…”

Section: Literature Review: Successes Within Inuit Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insight from Nunavut Educators Using Appreciative Inquiry

Preston

2017

AJER

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The purpose of this paper is to document some successful features of public schools within Nunavut, according to the personal experiences of a group of 14 principals, vice-principals, and teachers. At the start of this paper, I explained my research positionality, depicting my personal history and background related to this study. From a total of 24 individual interviews, three themes surfaced: culturally vibrant programs, the array of professional development offered to educators, and student self-pride and involvement in school activities. To conceptualize the findings, I applied the 4-D cycle of appreciative inquiry (i.e., Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny) and explained how effective change can emerge within a school system. Appreciative inquiry is a change process of identifying what is working well, deciphering why it is working well, and emulating more of those positive attributes. L’objectif de cet article est de documenter quelques-unes des caractéristiques des écoles publiques au Nunavut qui - selon les expériences personnelles d’un groupe de 14 personnes composé de directeurs, directeurs adjoints et d’enseignants - sont les mieux réussies. Je commence par expliquer mon positionnement comme chercheuse, évoquant ainsi mon histoire et mes antécédents personnels par rapport à cette étude. Trois thèmes ressortent des 24 entrevues individuelles : des programmes dynamiques sur le plan culturel, des possibilités en matière de développement professionnel pour les enseignants, et l’orgueil des élèves et leur et la participation aux activités scolaires. Pour présenter les résultats, j’ai appliqué la démarche des 4D de l’enquête appréciative (c.-à-d. découverte, devenir, décision, déployer) et j’ai expliqué comment le changement peut véritablement avoir lieu au sein d’un système scolaire. L’enquête appréciative est un processus de changement qui consiste à identifier les éléments qui fonctionnent bien, comprendre les raisons de leur efficacité et imiter davantage de ces aspects positifs.

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Exploring the Concepts of Traditional Inuit Leadership and Effective School Leadership in Nunavut (Canada)

Cited by 4 publications

References 11 publications

Lessons Learned through Research Partnership and Capacity Enhancement in Inuit Nunangat

Lessons Learned through Research Partnership and Capacity Enhancement in Inuit Nunangat

Exploring Community Mobilization in Northern Quebec: Motivators, Challenges, and Resilience in Action

Insight from Nunavut Educators Using Appreciative Inquiry

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