The Digital Storywork Partnership: Community-Centered Social Studies to Revitalize Indigenous Histories and Cultural Knowledges

Abstract

Indigenous communities have always cultivated social studies learning that is interactive, dynamic, and integrated with traditional knowledges. To confront the assimilative and deculturalizing education that accompanied European settlement of the Americas, Montana has adopted Indian Education for All (IEFA). This case study evaluates the Digital Storywork Partnership (DSP), which strives to advance the goals of IEFA within and beyond the social studies classroom through community-centered research and filmmaking. Results demonstrate the potential for DSP projects to advance culturally revitalizing education, community connectedness, and identity-development. The DSP offers a model for social studies education that is not only culturally affirming and revitalizing for Indigenous communities, but also holds potential for use in all communities. We conclude with recommendations for educators, scholars, and community members engaged in similar efforts.

Informed Change: Exploring the Use of Persuasive Communication of Indigenous Cultures Through Film Narratives

“…In this research, we used an interpretive, qualitative methodology guided by insights into indigenous cultures and persuasive communication in two films produced in 2015 to examine the portrayal of geographically different indigenous communities and cultures that are both impacted by urban and economic development and greed. The films were chosen based on the idea presented by Stoddard & Hicks (2014) that represent voices and stories of indigenous communities, but also as case studies as discussed by Stanton et al (2019). We chose the two films produced in the same year that represent geographical and cultural differences and discuss those based on the reflection of the key global issues that cross these cultures.…”

Using technology to facilitate partnerships between schools and Indigenous parents: A narrative review

“…Elders held a key role in managing the community, fighting for the sustainability of the Indigenous generation (Veintie et al, 2022), and finding solutions to many children's education problems (Hermino & Luangsithideth, 2017), even when the government stood idly by. Stanton et al (2019) firmly believed that the recognition of Indigenous leadership in decision-making was fundamental and attested helpful in culturally responsive approaches to the use of technology. That is, every digital story work, narrative-based prototype, or any project that integrates cultural values, beliefs, norms, or traditions required participative discussion and final verification from community leaders (Hill, 2018;McIvor & Ball, 2019).…”

Planning Community-Centered Inquiries: (Re)Imagining K-8 Civics Teacher Education With/In Rural and Indigenous Communities

“…Rural peoples have long been marginalized within civics education and educational research (Stanton, Hall, & Carjuzaa, 2019; Pini & Bhopal, 2017; White, 2008; Winthrop, 2020). From 1990 to 2015, only nine articles appearing in journals published by the American Educational Research Association included the term “rural” in their titles (Biddle & Azano, 2016).…”

“…For example, very few civics educators explicitly teach about (or understand) tribal governments and sovereignty (Gilio-Whitaker, 2018; Sabzalian & Shear, 2018). In addition to expanded content requirements (e.g., Native American Studies coursework), planning anti-colonial, civics-oriented lessons in partnership with Indigenous community members may offer a way for pre-service and practicing teachers to learn about the content and methods needed to advance desire-centered civics education with/in rural and Indigenous contexts (Stanton, Hall, & Carjuzaa, 2019; Sabzalian, 2019a, 2019b). To ensure such visibility aligns with the desires of minoritized communities—such as rural and reservation communities—equity education depends upon “implementation of … thoughtful pedagogical design” (Stembridge, 2020, p. 1).…”

“…In particular, there is a need for greater attention to equity-oriented teacher education focusing on the assets of rural 2 places (Biddle & Azano, 2016; Corbett & White, 2014; NCSS, 2018; Pini & Bhopal, 2017), especially as those contexts intersect with Indigenous experiences (Adams & Farnsworth, 2020; RedCorn et al, 2021). 3 All education—including rural education—occurs on Indigenous lands, and all students should engage in civics learning that acknowledges Indigenous histories and presence as interwoven with place (Stanton, Hall, & Carjuzaa, 2019; Sabzalian, 2019a, 2019b; TISCC, 2019; Sabzalian, Shear, & Snyder, 2021). Expanding “critical consciousness of one's place and social identity as shaped by mainstream, dominant [i.e., settler-colonial] ideologies” requires rural education to “move students from a place of alienation, marginalization, and hopelessness to a space that allows students to maintain their ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic identities” (Parmar, 2017, p. 158).…”