Decolonizing Institutional Practices: Supporting Aboriginal College Student Success

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dc.contributor.advisorHaig-Brown, E. Celia
dc.creatorBlanchard, Mary Patricia
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-26T15:02:47Z
dc.date.available2015-01-26T15:02:47Z
dc.date.copyright2014-08-20
dc.date.issued2015-01-26
dc.date.updated2015-01-26T15:02:47Z
dc.degree.disciplineEducation
dc.degree.levelDoctoral
dc.degree.namePhD - Doctor of Philosophy
dc.description.abstractThe Aboriginal population is the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population. As a result, it is essential to increase Aboriginal participation in post-secondary studies and persistence to completion. To accomplish these goals, it is necessary to rethink how post-secondary institutions support Aboriginal students and to make them feel welcome and that they belong. This dissertation takes an in-depth look at the experiences of Aboriginal students at a northern Ontario college. It examines the challenges faced by students as they prepare for and complete their studies. It identifies the significance of cultural safety and support in overcoming feelings of loneliness and isolation, and explores the role of family and community encouragement in helping students persist to graduation. It also discusses the role of faculty relationships and the need for institutional commitment in creating an environment that acknowledges and includes Aboriginal worldviews, traditions and cultures. This qualitative study explores the experiences of seventeen students. The outcomes of the study provides guidance to post-secondary institutions in three key areas: promising practices to improve Aboriginal student outcomes; successful approaches to conducting culturally intelligent research; and the significance of Indigenizing the college through generative discussion with individuals local to the institution. The dissertation suggests the use of generative discussion to Indigenize an institution has great potential as a transformative change tool.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/28258
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectEducation
dc.subjectHigher education
dc.subjectAdult education
dc.subject.keywordsPersonal narrativeen_US
dc.subject.keywordsAboriginalen_US
dc.subject.keywordsIndigenousen_US
dc.subject.keywordsStudent successen_US
dc.subject.keywordsSocial justiceen_US
dc.subject.keywordsSeven Grandfather Teachingsen_US
dc.subject.keywordsDecolonizingen_US
dc.subject.keywordsDecolonizing researchen_US
dc.subject.keywordsCollegeen_US
dc.subject.keywordsCanadaen_US
dc.subject.keywordsPost-secondaryen_US
dc.titleDecolonizing Institutional Practices: Supporting Aboriginal College Student Success
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US

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