Land Acknowledgment in Action: Dedicated Study of Indigeneity in an Elementary Teacher Education Program

• In Event: Beyond Acknowledgement: Decolonial Futures in Education and Disability Studies

Abstract

Guided by the belief that justice in education means collective liberation, this study examines how two cohorts of freshmen preservice teachers engaged in a yearlong curricular study of Indigeneity in a Midwest elementary teacher education program. Through critical qualitative inquiry, we analyzed students’ inquiry projects, reflections, and community-engaged assignments to explore how sustained, justice-centered coursework prepared them to disrupt dominant narratives, center Indigenous voices, and commit to truth-telling in their future teaching. Findings show that preservice teachers developed critical awareness, a sense of responsibility, and a deeper understanding of Indigeneity as essential to their roles as educators. This research affirms the significance of early, relational, and community-rooted curriculum in preparing teachers for equity-centered pedagogical practice.

Authors

• Saba Khan Vlach, University of Iowa

• Lia Plakans, University of Texas at Austin

• EunJung Kim, University of Iowa

• I-Chun Hsiao, University of Iowa