The document provides a summary and overview of two sources on the history of adult education for Indigenous peoples in Canada. It describes how early colonial adult education programs aimed to assimilate Inuit populations in the Central Arctic region and encourage adoption of Euro-Canadian ways of life. It also outlines how traditional Indigenous practices of oral history, storytelling, and informal teaching methods differed from the formal education systems imposed by European colonizers. The overall histories show how adult education was used as a tool to oppress Indigenous communities and cultures in Canada for many decades.

1. A History of
Adult Education
in Canada
A Week 9 Summary by Rut Castillo

2. We have been asked to read "From Territory to
Human Resources: A History of Colonial Adult
Education in the Central Arctic" by S. McLean, and
"Histories of Aboriginal Adult Education in
Canada", by Burton & Point.
I have provided a quick summary of both in the
following slides.

3. Colonial Adult Education in the Central Arctic
Adult Basic Education and other
activities offered. Interactions
between Inuit peoples and state
representatives expand for the
worse.
Inuit people were encouraged
to be "sedentary, literate, and
employable". ADED became
"explicitly assimilative to
facilitate ... adaptation of Inuit
to living in settlements... and to
encourage Inuit to recognize
such settlements as being part
of Canada (p. 37).
1970's
1950's
Little formal ADED
education delivered.
No state-operated
schools in existence.
The relationship between
Inuit and Euro-Canadians
focused on the fur trade.
Inuit people shared
knowledge of land
including geography, ice
conditions, wildlife, &
Inuktitut.
Reference: McLean, S. (2017). From Territory to Human Resources: A History of Colonial Adult Education in the Central Arctic. Historical Studies in Education / Revue D’histoire De L’éducation. https://doi.org/10.32316/hse/rhe.v29i2.4507
"Despite its origins as an instrument of colonial intervention, adult education has served as a means through which
to promote and support local self-determination and imaginative community responses to social and economic
development and change. Under the right conditions, it could do so again." (McLean, 2017).
1960's
The "Eskimo Rental
Housing Program" is
established; is the most
prominent form of ADED
at this time.
Fur trade collapses as
Inuit populaces leave
igloos for permanent
settlements. ADED
becomes voluntary
endeavour at this time.
1980's
ADED expands (no)
thanks to Euro-
Canadian state
intervention in Inuit
lives.
Large numbers of adults
attend school full-time
for first time. Most
instructors were Euro-
Canadian; Inuit students
encouraged to embrace
Euro-Canadian
understandings.

4. ... Adult education served, at least in the case of the Kitikmeot region, as an
important medium for the communication of colonial messages... [they] explicitly
communicated messages regarding sovereignty... [and] endeavored to shape
Inuit subjectivities along the lines of those messages. (McLean, 2017, p. 43).

5. "From what is known of traditional methods of education in Aboriginal communities, lifelong learning is a familiar,
ancient construct... After the arrival of Europeans... Education was conversion". (Burton & Point, 2006)
Histories of Aboriginal Adult Education in Canada
Indigenous teaching practices
have often incorporated the use
of look, listen, and learn;
informal teaching methods.
Storytelling is a crucial part of
lifelong learning in Indigenous
communities. Oral history is
valuable as a mode of learning.
Most educational initiatives and
programs (such as agricultural
education) excluded Indigenous
communities.
Canada-wide bans opposed
Potlach festivals and all
Indigenous observances that
were not "Christian" in nature.
"Aboriginal adult education became the
histories of documents (colonial
documents), stories (post-contact
stories), and federal and provincial
government legislation." (p.37).
Public education has
undoubtedly failed Indigenous
peoples.
The "civilization" and
"assimilation" of Indigenous
populations was the aim of early
Adult Education programs.
Movements across Canada were
formed to advance Indigenous
interests, such as the Native
Brotherhood of BC.
8 TAKEAWAYS
from the "Histories
of Aboriginal Adult
Education in
Canada".
Reference: Burton, W. & Point, G. 2006, 'Histories of Aboriginal adult education in Canada', in T J Fenwick, T Nesbit & B Spencer (eds), Contexts of adult education: Canadian perspectives, Thompson Educational Publishing, Toronto, pp.36–48.

6. "What emerges from a review of the histories of Aboriginal adult education in
Canada is this: Throughout the last 300 years of government policies and
legislation, conflicting forces outside Aboriginal communities have tussled about
which approach would be most effective to educate the Aboriginal adult,
confounding the most commonly held belief about education – that it arises from
within the learner and the learner’s community." (Burton & Point, 2006, p.47).

7. Did you know...?
According to the Unesco report on Adult education and Indigenous peoples in
Canada (2000), "[m]ost communities have experienced severe economic and
social loss as a result of assimilation policies. Traditionally, many communities were
self-sufficient, but the loss of land and reduced access to natural resources has
made this impossible. The transition is difficult."
According to the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(2016):
"Prior to the arrival and settlement of European immigrants, Indigenous
people had complex and successful knowledge systems and practices about
land systems, sciences, mathematics, clans, politics, physical and mental
health, and food security that provided healthy and abundant livelihood for
millions of peoples for tens of thousands of years."
"Most Canadians don’t know that most Indigenous peoples’ lives are governed
by federal laws under the Indian Act of 1876, which continue today. This
affects Indigenous peoples’ access to health care, education, housing, clean
drinking water, and many other things that non-Indigenous Canadians often
take for granted."

8. According to the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(2016):
"Education was used as a tool of oppression for Indigenous peoples through Indian
residential schools, an extensive school system set up by the Federal government.
They were administered by churches from the early 1920s to the mid-1990s."
"The goals of residential schools was, according to the Indian Act, “To kill the Indian
in the child” and was based on the premise that Aboriginal cultures were inferior to
White Christian ones."
"In 2006 the Federal Government began a process of reconciliation with Indigenous
peoples for the harms suffered and treatments experienced by survivors of
Residential School through the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
of Canada, which released its final report in 2015."
"Where do things stand now in terms of education? It will take about 20 years to
close the education gap between First Nations and other Canadians, if action to
make changes is taken."
Did you know...?

9. REFERENCES
McLean, S. (2017). From Territory to Human Resources: A History of Colonial Adult Education in the Central
Arctic. Historical Studies in Education / Revue D’histoire De L’éducation.
https://doi.org/10.32316/hse/rhe.v29i2.4507
Richardson, C., Blanchet-Cohen, N., & King, L. (2000). Adult education and Indigenous peoples in Canada. In
Unesco (No. 0000198907). UNESCO Institute for Education.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000198907
Stewart, S. L., & Restoule, J. P. (2016). National Aboriginal Day 2016: 12 Things the Average
Canadian Should Know. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto.
https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/oise/News/national-aboriginal-day-facts.html
Burton, W. & Point, G. 2006, 'Histories of Aboriginal adult education in Canada', in T J Fenwick, T Nesbit & B
Spencer (eds), Contexts of adult education: Canadian perspectives, Thompson Educational Publishing,
Toronto, pp.36–48.
Native Brotherhood. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://www.nativebrotherhood.ca/
Reports - NCTR. (2021, July 27). National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
https://nctr.ca/records/reports/