In Native contexts, art has an existential importance for preserving and perpetuating both communal and individual identity and wholeness, which is qualitatively different from art's more marginalized place in modern Western capitalist societies. As such, art in all its forms is understood in an educational context, such as the Navajo Nation's…

Written by the SECEIJ Special Forum editorial team, this Project Report summarizes the interdisciplinary, collaborative, and inspiring research journey and theoretical background leading to the creation of a strategic plan for the 'IKE Alliance for Transforming STEM Education. 'IKE, which stands for Indigenous Knowledges, Encouragements,…

Extension is not equitably serving Indigenous communities due to the effects of colonization in the Land Grant System, a lack of funding, and a lack of understanding of the needs of Indigenous communities. The concept of food sovereignty offers a way to create meaningful educational programming and, despite the inequitable access to services,…

Preserving the Navajo language, or "Diné bizaad," is of profound importance for all Indigenous people in the United States, as Navajo is one of the more widely spoken Native languages yet is still facing the early stages of endangerment. Currently, the Navajo Nation, like other tribes, lacks a significant presence of community-based…

This article addresses critical issues of how Indigenous (Diné/Navajo) youth construct meaning of their racial, cultural, and linguistic identities within the historical, political, and socio-cultural contexts of the United States of America as a racialized, settler/colonial society. Using Tribal Crit theory, the author, a member of the Diné…

This article takes form following an exchange of letters in which the Chickasaw and Hopi authors reflected on an Indigenous mentorship relationship in higher education as the embodiment of a carved-out space for Indigenous ways of knowing and being. They begin the story of their faculty mentor-doctoral mentee relationship with the memory of the…

Each day when the sun rises at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) professors reach back to the traditional teachings of their elders to prepare lessons for the students of today. It is the connection to Native cultures, attitudes, and philosophy that is what sets TCUs apart from mainstream colleges and universities. For most, teaching…

The mission of Land Grant Institutions (LGIs) and Cooperative Extension has always included the concepts of educational access and inclusion, but not all communities have equitable access to Extension programs. Specifically, Extension is currently only serving about 10% of Indigenous communities. Given the complicated history of Indigenous land…

In light of the current political climate and the effortlessness of disseminating information across social media platforms, the national conversation on information literacy has been focused on combating "fake news." While the urgency of this issue is also a concern in tribal colleges and universities (TCU) classrooms, the librarians at…

This article reports on the first three years of a teacher-led professional development program on the Navajo Nation. We draw on both quantitative and qualitative data from our end-of-year surveys to highlight some of the early lessons we have gathered from the Diné Institute for Navajo Nation Educators (DINÉ). We highlight two guiding principles…

Students bring valuable cultural ways of knowing and worldviews to the classroom. Teachers who build on student cultures are able to motivate and make learning more meaningful. We believe that teachers should "Think Local" within a holistic orientation to create a student-centered and culture-centered education that arises out of student…

Universities in Australia are expanding their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies programs to include Indigenous populations from around the globe. This is also the case for the Indigenous Studies Unit at the University of Wollongong (UOW). Although systems of nomenclature in Indigenous Studies seek to be respectful of difference, the…

As Indigenous communities envision their future, it is without question that the Indigenous youth play a significant role in sustaining their Indigenous lifeways and communities. They will no doubt be faced with the responsibility to navigate socio-cultural, environmental, political and economic issues while simultaneously preserving their…

The experiences of Native Students in campus housing has had limited attention in scholarship, which restricts cultural understanding and opportunities to create inclusive living environments. College and university housing is well positioned to create a positive living environment for students. We raise concerns on how higher education…

From the earliest partnerships between Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and state colleges and universities, to the present-day independent bachelor's and master's degree teacher education programs, there has been a change in how higher education is designed to meet the uniquely Indigenous way that knowledge is exchanged, leading to greater…