Description
of the original project plans and goals:
The Alaska Native Curriculum and Teacher Development Project
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The Alaska Native Curriculum and Teacher Development
Project (ANCTD) brings together
teams of teachers, elders, and community members in various parts of
Alaska with university-based specialists to develop curricula on Alaska
Native studies and language that is available to all schools through
the internet or on CD. The project is supported by a grant from the
U.S. Department of Education.
Purposes
- to develop model curricula in Alaska Native studies and languages
that are available on the Internet;
- to develop a model process for curriculum development that can be
replicated in predominantly Native schools throughout Alaska; and
- to develop a model of professional education for both practicing
and preservice teachers centered on curriculum development in Alaska
Native studies and languages.
Needs Addressed
These purposes address the need for curriculum development that:
- supports Alaska Native students participating in their culture;
- prepares Alaska Native students for state and national school standards;
- is adapted to the unique circumstances of Alaska Native communities;
- results in curricular material on the Internet that will be available
to teachers and students in the future;
- supports the professional development of teachers in developing
the understandings, knowledge, and skills needed to work effectively
with Alaska Native students.
Design
To meet these needs, over a period of three years we are creating
six design teams—phased in at the rate of two per year—to
develop Native studies and language curricula. The first two teams
are in Kotzebue in northwestern Alaska and Chevak in the Yukon-Kuskokwim
region. Schools in these areas have been in the forefront of efforts
to develop Native curricula and materials. In subsequent years, teams
will be organized in the Southeast and Interior as well as in Anchorage
and Fairbanks.
These teams include practicing teachers as well as community members,
elders, and university-based specialists. We are using Web pages as
work spaces for the design teams to increase communication, facilitate
the design work, and support field tests of the new curricula. Each
design team includes a local technology consultant as well as the
necessary computer equipment and software. The Institute of Social
and Economic Research and the College of Health, Education, and Social
Welfare at the University of Alaska Anchorage are providing technical
and logistical support, particularly in the area of computer and telecommunications
technology.
Products
- curriculum materials for Alaska Native studies and language courses,
including Web pages that house curriculum outlines and supporting
materials such as video and audio clips, historical documents, and
links to related sites;
- a model process for developing Alaska Native curricula as well as
educators with experience in using such a process;
- new models of professional development that embody emerging national
principles as well as principles for working with Alaska Native students;
and
- thorough documentation and evaluation of the proposed model of curriculum
development and teacher education
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