How this Faculty Training Module (FTM) was Developed

Photo Credit: Sam Barber on Unsplash

This faculty training module was developed under the guidance and funding of the College and Institutes of Canada (CICAN).

From December 2022 to February 2024, a keen and diverse group of Indigenous scholars, technical, vocational education and training (TVET) educators, tradespeople, teaching and curriculum specialists, and subject matter experts (SME) collaborated as a pan-Canadian team to design and develop industry-specific faculty training modules (FTM) to enhance the existing pan-Canadian Trades curriculum.  This FTM for landscape horticulture is one of four modules that are housed within a larger CICAN book, alongside carpentry, electrical, and heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC).

While smaller, industry-specific teams developed the individual FTM, the larger project team met once a month to engage in three-hour workshops to develop our understanding of the project, its goals, and the relevant topics that should be included in the FTMs. The three-hour workshops were hosted by CICAN, and guest speakers, including EcoCanada, Grey and Ivy. During this time, the workshop presenters shared knowledge and experiences from their areas of expertise and invited the group to build capacity and find new meaning in this work.

Approximately ten months into the project, the FTMs were circulated for review and peer feedback to Indigenous scholars and industry-relevant instructors across Canada for three months. The anonymous qualitative and quantitative peer feedback was returned to the FTM developers, who spent the remaining two months reframing and incorporating the feedback into the FTMs.

Through the work of personal reflection and discovery, research on relevant topics, joyous and challenging conversations, and peer feedback from Indigenous scholars and SME educators from across Canada, the project transformed and took shape into its current form, titled Charting a Path to Greening the Trades.

During this time, the meaning of the word greening also transformed. The transformation unfolded as our understanding of the word greening grew and was reframed to encompass a wider, more holistic meaning. Within this FTM, you will engage with the topics encompassed within the word greening, ranging from adaptive horticulture practices and strategies to combat the challenges of climate change, Two-eyed seeing, Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives, decolonization, and technical, vocational, education, and training (TVET) pedagogy.

In every way, credit for this FTM goes to the numerous contributors, peer-reviewers, and knowledge-sharers along the journey. For this, we are grateful.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were referred to for guidance and direction in the development of this faculty training module, specifically:

• #9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
• #13 Climate Action
• #15 Life on Land

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, including the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Today, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues, including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology, the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), partnerships and Small Island Developing States. DSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and on advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement” (United Nations, n.d.).

First Peoples Principles of Learning

The authors acknowledge the First Peoples Principles of Learning, which were referred to for guidance and direction in the development of this faculty training module.

• Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
• Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
• Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one‘s actions.
• Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
• Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.
• Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
• Learning involves patience and time.
• Learning requires exploration of one‘s identity.
• Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations

(First Nations Education Steering Committee, 2023)

“The First Peoples Principles of Learning describes a set of learning principles specific to First Peoples. These were articulated by Indigenous Elders, scholars, and knowledge keepers to guide the development of the curriculum and teaching of the English First Peoples course created by the BC Ministry of Education and First Nations Education Steering Committee in 2006/2007″ (First Nations Education Steering Committee, 2023).

Two-eyed-seeing

The authors acknowledge Two-Eyed Seeing, which was referred to for guidance and direction in the development of this faculty training module.

As noted in the online book Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers, “Elder Albert Marshall from the Eskasoni Mi’kmaq First Nation (2012) describes Etuaptmumk, the approach of two-eyed seeing, as a way to learn to appreciate both Indigenous and Western knowledges and ways of knowing, and he says that using these two perspectives can be to our benefit. He contends that by fostering an active engagement with both ways of seeing, we are providing all students with support systems to move toward a decolonized academy”.

Video Credit: Government of BC (2016)

Pulling Together: Professional Learning Series

The authors refer to the Pulling Together: Professional Learning Series for guidance and direction in the development of this faculty training module.

Indigenization guides

“These guides are the result of a collaboration between BCcampus and the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. The project was led by a steering committee of Indigenous education leaders from B.C universities, colleges, and institutes, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, and Métis Nation BC” (BCCampus, 2023).

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