KPU instructor creates virtual resource on decolonizing educational practices

As a settler scholar, Kwantlen Polytechnic University interdisciplinary instructor and learning strategist Lee Beavington wanted to create a resource that works against the ongoing oppression of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

He also wanted to create something that would allow people to either start or continue the journey of decolonizing their education practices.

The end result was the Decolonizing Educational Practices virtual guide, which launched during the spring semester as a response to the university’s xéʔelɬ Pathway to Systemic Transformation framework and the calls to action outlined by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“If you’re decolonizing your educational practice and yourself, it’s very much a personal journey. You can’t really go to the website and get little tips and tricks and apply that and think you’ve done all the work you need to do,” Beavington says.

“Really a huge part of it is an inward journey — a personal journey of reflecting on your own biases. The website also speaks to that in terms of the importance … of how to unlearn our colonial mindset and recognize that we do live in a colonial society, and how to unpack that and what to do about it.”

The resource, which is filled with embedded videos, book suggestions, and links to additional resources, is divided into three waterway-themed sections. The first, “Headwaters,” is where readers can get started on their work. The second, “River,” focuses on expanding readers’ learning. The final section, “Ocean,” allows them to deepen their work in decolonization.

The website includes information on the seven First Nations whose lands KPU’s campuses are located on. Beavington says there is also content on how to find authentic Indigenous resources and conduct more holistic student assessments.

He adds putting together the resource was a collaborative process. The work started in spring last year when the Faculty of Academic and Career Preparation (ACP) formed a team to work on decolonization at KPU. The members, who worked under the guidance of ACP Dean Aimee Begalka, were Beavington, ACP Associate Dean Mitra Gorjipour, Tanya Burnstad, Sean Conway, Angela Godber, and Lesley Hemsworth.

The team consulted with Indigenous colleagues internal and external to KPU and began generating ideas and resources. However, once the semester ended, there was a need to have something tangible that people could access. With the support of Begalka and Gorjipour, Beavington created the website inspired by what the group generated.

He says putting together the website was a very long process and entailed talking to many people, reading lots of books, and visiting other websites and resources for reference.

Associate Vice-President Indigenous Leadership Gayle Bedard, Indigenous Services for Students Manager Natalie Wood-Wiens, Faculty of Arts Associate Dean Melinda Kachina Bige, and Allison Hotti, chair of the Indigenous studies department, were among the Indigenous colleagues and community members Beavington consulted and collected feedback from during the project.

Although the resource is geared towards educators at KPU, Beavington says it includes content students, staff, and administrators can learn from.

“I have heard folks in K-to-12 school districts or universities that [had the site] shared with them, and they’ve been engaging with it and really appreciating it as well,” he says. “So even though it was designed for KPU, it’s still very relevant for other folks, especially in the Lower Mainland.”

Beavington hopes the guide inspires people to adapt and change the way they look at education, so both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students can feel more welcome.

“One thing I’ve noticed … is that [educators] are often intimidated or scared of doing the wrong thing — and understandably,” he says.

“They want to engage in decolonizing their classroom or want to approach an Indigenous guest speaker, but they hesitate because they don’t want to misstep. I totally get that, but unfortunately, in order to do this journey, it means you have to be OK with being uncomfortable.”

Beavington also launched a new experiential community practice for students, faculty, and staff to engage with the guide, with upcoming events scheduled for Nov. 18 at the Surrey campus and Dec. 10 online via Zoom.

To read the resource, visit wordpress.kpu.ca/decolonization.