About this course: Indigenous Canada is a 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada. From an Indigenous perspective, this course explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations. Topics for the 12 lessons include the fur trade and other exchange relationships, land claims and environmental impacts, legal systems and rights, political conflicts and alliances, Indigenous political activism, and contemporary Indigenous life, art and its expressions.
Created by: University of Alberta
Taught by: Dr. Tracy Bear, Assistant Professor
Faculty of Native Studies & Dept. of Women's and Gender Studies
Taught by: Dr. Paul Gareau, Assistant Professor
Faculty of Native Studies
| Commitment | 12 weeks, 3-5 hours a week. |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Worldview
In this introductory module, students learn the significance of stories and storytelling in Indigenous societies. We explore history that comes from Indigenous worldviews, this includes worldviews from the Inuit, Nehiyawak, Kanien:keha’ka and Tlingit peoples.
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 1 Quiz
WEEK 2
Fur Trade
This module discusses pre-contact trading systems between Indigenous peoples of North America with a focus on the geographical region of Canada. We examine the chronological events of contact with Europeans and the events leading up to, and during the fur trad...
5 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 2 Quiz
WEEK 3
Trick or Treaty
Examines Indigenous and settler perspectives of treaty making. Discusses the variation of treaties in Canada and the unique circumstances surrounding these events. Outlines the temporal and geographical history of the numbered treaties (beginning on the east) ...
5 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 3 Quiz
WEEK 4
New Rules, New Game
This lesson begins with a discussion about what is distinctive in Indigenous legal traditions. Explores impacts of policies put in place as British North America attempted to solidify itself geographically and socially. Examines the ways in which the Indian Ac...
3 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 4 Quiz
WEEK 5
“Killing the Indian in the Child”
Outlines characteristics of teaching and learning in Indigenous communities, and discusses how relationships were critical in teaching and learning. Traces the development and implementation of the Residential school system in the period after Confederation. D...
4 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 5 Quiz
WEEK 6
A Modern Indian?
This lesson examines the burgeoning resistance of Indigenous leaders and the formation of Indigenous-led organizations as the Canadian government employed strategies to encourage assimilation of Aboriginal peoples and communities into mainstream society, speci...
5 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 6 Quiz
WEEK 7
Red Power
In this lesson students will learn about key characteristics of a few different Indigenous political structures and the impacts of colonialism on these structures (e.g. Indian Act, Red Power/AIM, White Paper, Red Paper -Citizens Plus) Concepts explored include...
3 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 7 Quiz
WEEK 8
Sovereign Lands
Utilizing contemporary and traditional examples, this lesson connects Indigenous worldviews and traditional ecological knowledge. As well, this lesson traces the historical impacts of settlement. Discusses key concepts of case law associated with Aboriginal ti...
6 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 8 Quiz
WEEK 9
Indigenous Women
Exploring Indigenous concepts of gender, and the traditional roles and responsibilities, this lesson then moves into an examination of how colonization can be characterized as a gendered project. Identifies some concrete examples of the impact of colonialism o...
3 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 9 Quiz
WEEK 10
Indigenous in the City
Looking critically at the statement: “Cities are the place where Aboriginal culture goes to die”, this lesson explores sites of urban Aboriginal agency/active participation, urban Aboriginal governance practices, and urban reserves.
3 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 10 Quiz
WEEK 11
Current Social Movements
What is an Indigenous concept of community? How do Indigenous people form communities traditionally and today? This module will explain how social and environmental activism can mobilize and create communities. This module identifies key moments such as the O...
3 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 11 Quiz
WEEK 12
‘Living’ Traditions – Expressions in Pop Culture and Art
Finally, we will explore how geographical location, trading networks and partnerships have influenced Indigenous art in the past. As well, we will examine contemporary iterations of Indigenous art and explore some of the artistic responses of Indigenous artist...
6 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Module 12 Quiz
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University of Alberta
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Ratings and Reviews
Everyone should take this course - it was amazing.
When I see indigenous people comment online, they trash-talk both government and first nations community leaders alike. They distrust both the government who never came through on promises and the leaders who have underfunded their communities for their own enjoyment.
I didn't see many solutions suggested or a means to an end to some of these issues in this course so in spite of my new found knowledge it would seem this will remain a vicious circle of poverty, distrust, and fear and this saddens me that that there is still little hope for a resolution.
However, this course did bring to light many aspects of my heritage that I was not aware of. My birth father is Métis however my birth mother is not. I was given up for adoption to a Caucasian family when I was 8 months old, so was unaware of being Métis for almost all of my life, let alone did I ever feel remotely a part of it once I found out. So this course also suggested that when you are no longer a part of the Indigenous culture and do not look Indigenous in any way, and because you will never experience the hardships or really know anyone who has, you will never be part of that culture. It's like you get to sit in the front row but will never be in the show.
The rest of the course was okay, the history I knew, the issues I knew, although the elaboration of them was nice. The introduction of key individuals in forming some semblance of a united indigenous culture were good to know. But this course also reminded me that indigeneity in Canada is also about a fractured and injured culture of people, who are separated by language, distance and who will never have the funding that other communities enjoy, and it will never be a whole. After all had there been more formal territories when NA was colonized, maybe it wouldn't be indigenous Canada, it would be Enoch Territory or Papaschase Territory or State and many others where Alberta currently sits and it would now be the United Territories of North America, but alas that will never be.
Informative, and necessary for every Canadian vested in our rich history.
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I learnt a lot. Really love the course!!!!