Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan

Real thinking

The release of the Niitsitapi Strategy in March 2021 provides foundation and direction for projects/progress specifically under the Curriculum and Pedagogy theme. We are honoured to consult and collaborate with Indigenous community members, Elders and knowledge keepers, in this vital work to develop and incorporate relevant Indigenous-focused curriculum and learning approaches. CTLI creates teaching and learning excellence through aligning to the Niitsitapi Strategy.

Coming together in a holistic way: Lethbridge College Niitsitapi Strategy

Through the collaborative work and shared leadership that went in to developing Coming Together in a Holistic Way: Lethbridge College Niitsitapi Strategy, is the college’s collective story merged with Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan (Real Thinking).

Indigenous Services envisions a space of Indigenous cultural inclusion and decolonization of the academic institution with the following questions:

Could we be more than just a territorial acknowledgement?
Could we utilize Indigenous Culture as a Foundation for Innovative Change of the traditional institutional structure of education?
Are we ready to weave aspects of cultural perspective, knowledge and competency into the academic curriculum and the college as a whole?

Peter Weasel Moccasin, Blackfoot Grandfather

Niitsitapi Strategy Five Overarching Themes:

Governance and Community

Include Indigenous peoples at the college governance level with enhanced community relations.

Indigenous Students

Prioritize becoming holistically student-centered.

Curriculum and Pedagogy

Develop and incorporate relevant Indigenous-focused curriculum and learning approaches.

Collective Environment

Become a holistic space of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Research and Innovation

Enhance Indigenous research, innovation and entrepreneurship collaboratively with Indigenous people, communities, businesses, and organizations.

While all of the themes of the Niitsitapi Strategy are important to the work of CTLI, the Curriculum and Pedagogy theme is particularly relevant. CTLI contributes to this theme and the Niitsitapi Strategy as a whole through the many projects and collaborations listed below.

Our journey with CTLI and the Niitsitapi Strategy

Student Core Competencies and Student Core Competency images developed in consultation with Marcia Black Water.

Library given Blackfoot name – Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan, and the digital image of Peter Weasel Moccasin is displayed at the entrance to the library.

Truth and Reconciliation Resources: A collaborative project
Student Core Competency Animation – a short animation featuring the Indigenous inspired Student Core Competency images and narrated by Lowell Yellowhorn.

Niitsitapi Strategy released.
Learning Innovation podcast on the Niitsitapi Strategy.

Niitsitapi Proficiency Microcredential starts development.

IDT and CYC Program Review pilot begins – Lowell Yellow Horn Interim Manager Indigenous Services Co-Chairs – Curriculum Quality Assurance Committee
Niitsitapi Community of Practice – Staff and faculty meet online and face-to-face to learn and share.
Indigenizing and decolonizing throughout numerous projects (CAF, Peer Observation, etc.).

Planning for digital media Grandparent displays in library.
Planning for including Indigenous perspectives in Camp Horizon.

Niitsitapi Proficiency Microcredential opens.

Niitsitapi Proficiency Microcredential – provides faculty, students, and the public with diverse learning environments to develop cultural competency on: Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Land Acknowledgement, Learning from Place, Blackfoot Language Lesson, Indigenization and Decolonization at Lethbridge College.
Camp Horizon – PD for Instructors. Includes Kairos Blanket Exercise facilitated by Indigenous Services staff.

Library partners with Indigenous Services to feature Indigenous artwork on the display at the entrance to the library.
Bookmarks – Truth and Reconciliation, Metis and Blackfoot resources – each has their own bookmark and own set of resources to go with them. Each have a QR code that leads to the resources.
Support Institutional Management Agreement (IMA) goal to increase Indigenous student enrolment.

Deliverables

Indigenous inspired visuals, media, curriculum, learning materials and Blackfoot language and other resources.

Alignments

Glossary

Niitsitapi – Real people
Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan – Real Thinking – Library Name

Engagement

We believe that meaningful stakeholder engagement is essential to any good initiative. You may notice that this section is organized a little differently than the other initiatives pages and that is because our journey to real thinking is layered, complex and ongoing. We have listed the key projects and people and how they support the Niitsitapi Strategy. The accompanying table is a list of engaged stakeholders. (Classification based on CTLI engagement framework and IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum)

Levels of Engagement

Inform

Our promise: We will keep you informed about the project and decisions that are made.

Consult

Our promise: We will inform, listen to, and acknowledge concerns and aspirations and provide feedback on how your input influences each decision.

Involve

Our promise: We will work closely with you to ensure your concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in developing alternatives, and we will provide feedback on how your input influences each decision.

Collaborate

Our promise: We will look to you for advice and innovation in formulating solutions and strive to incorporate your recommendations into decisions to the greatest extent possible.

Empower

Our promise: We will implement your feedback and decisions to the betterment of the process.

Project	Stakeholder Levels of Engagement
Student Core Competencies and SCCs images developed in consultation with Marcia Black Water.	Collaborate: Marcia Black Water, Kiri Stolz
Truth and Reconciliation Resources: A collaborative project	Collaborate: Helen Fulara and Adam Walser, Kiri Stolz and Eric Reger
Library given Blackfoot name – Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan, and the digital image of Peter Weasel Moccasin is displayed at the entrance to the library.
Student Core Competency Animation – A short animation featuring the Indigenous inspired Student Core Competency images and narrated by Lowell Yellowhorn.	Collaborate: Lowell Yellowhorn, Spencer Nelson
Learning Innovation podcast on the Niitsitapi Strategy	Involve: Tyler Wall Collaborate: Shanda Webber, Donna McLaughlin, Ryan Robinson Empower: Jude Bialik
IDT and CYC Program Review pilot: Lowell Yellow Horn – Interim Manager Indigenous Services, Co-Chairs – Curriculum Quality Assurance Committee	Collaborate: Lowell Yellow Horn, Tatiana Kloster, Leanne Vig, Trevor Gellrich Empower: Donna McLaughlin
Planning for digital media Grandparent displays in library
Indigenizing and decolonizing throughout numerous projects (CAF, Peer Observation)	Collaborate: LXD – Leanne Vig, LXD – Trevor Gellrich
Niitsitapi Community of Practice – Staff and faculty meet online and F2F to learn and share	Collaborate: Approximately 30 Lethbridge College Staff and faculty
Niitsitapi Proficiency Microcredential – provides faculty, students, and the public with diverse learning environments to develop cultural competency on: Truth and Reconciliation Commission Land Acknowledgement Learning from Place Blackfoot Language Lesson Indigenization and Decolonization at Lethbridge College	Involve: Media Specialist - Donna Sato Collaborate: LXD – Donna McLaughlin, Subject Matter Expert – William Singer III, Subject Matter Expert – Peter Weasel Moccasin, Subject Matter Expert – Lowell Yellowhorn Empower: Interim Manager Indigenous Services – Lowell Yellowhorn, Project Sponsor – Dean, Student Affairs – Nancy Russell, LCX/LXD – Joelle Reynolds
Camp Horizon: PD for Instructors Includes Kairos Blanket Exercise facilitated by Indigenous Services staff

IN: Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan – real thinking