Native social work education: students making cultural relevance

• Main Author: Sharpe, Judith
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Minorities in social work education > British Columbia; Indians of North America > Education > British Columbia; Culture > Study and teaching > British Columbia
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4530

In the field of Native social work education, the concept of "culturally relevant education" is poorly defined despite increasing student enrollment and development of programs. This study employed a qualitative approach to explore with twelve students, enrolled in a B.S.W. program at a Native college in Merritt, B.C., their experiences and meanings of this concept. In-depth interviews and a focus group were conducted; data were transcribed and analyzed, using grounded theory and narrative analysis, to generate concepts, elements, and themes. Four interactive themes emerged, that when taken together, tell a story of what "culturally relevant education" meant to these Native students: the four themes were Learning What It Is To Be Indian; Healing Residual Personal and Cultural Issues; Integrating the Two Worlds, Aboriginal and White; and, Becoming the Teacher. The principle finding was that students made cultural relevance for themselves. Various elements, such as Indian Studies courses and Native instructors, seemed to support students making cultural relevance. This study indicates that making cultural relevance was highly individualistic and situation-specific, and required competence in mainstream culture and a First Nation's culture. Educators, programs, and institutions can, and should, help students access the necessary elements. The main criterion for determining such elements should be the extent to which they strengthen student's Aboriginal self- identity and worth: it seems that strong Aboriginal self-identity and worth is what supported the student's ability to make cultural relevance. Further research into the phenomenon of making cultural relevance is indicated.