This unlikely cast of characters, by working collaboratively in a trusting learning community, was able to identify an approach to teaching rational numbers through measuring from the everyday practices of Yup'ik Eskimo and other elders. "The beginning of everything," as named by a Yup'ik elder, provided deep insights into how practical…

Sense of belonging is associated with several academic outcomes. Additionally, literature suggests minority students experience a low sense of belonging in school. This study's aims were to: (1) examine the sense of belonging of students at a majority American Indian secondary school; and (2) analyze whether there was a relationship between a…

College degree attainment is regarded as a primary solution to reduce poverty and close wealth gaps between people of color and whites in the United States. With the changing labor market and a more globalized economy, a far greater number of jobs require a postsecondary credential. More students must attend and complete college to keep pace with…

This study explores and evaluates a rural practicum experience for pre-service Master of Arts in Teaching students. Using questionnaires, journal analysis, and interviews we share the experience from pre-service teachers' point of view. We learn about their attitudes about rural schools and rural school students. We asked, "does the…

The successful experience of the Tlingit-Haida Native Americans in dealing with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to develop self-determination is an instructive case study. Although the Federal BIA gave verbal encouragement to the tribes to assume their own program responsibilities, the tribes encountered continual blunting tactics from local…

Service-learning experiences can introduce students to locations they typically might not encounter in the composition classroom. This paper discusses a unique program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks that provides a rich and productive contact zone for students. Specifically, the paper discusses the author/educator's attempts to connect her…

Technological accidents such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 create man-made disaster situations that threaten community survival and the well-being and quality of life of community residents. This paper focuses on the social and psychological impact of the 1989 oil spill on Cordova, an isolated Alaskan community with high economic…

The Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline project and accompanying increases in economic wealth have had an enormous impact, particularly on Alaskan women. Prior to pipeline construction, the civilian labor force participation by Alaskan women was close to the national average. During and since pipeline construction, this participation rate has soared.…

This report discusses a study examining the impact of race on education policy decision-making. Though focusing primarily upon the process of change within schools, it also sought to understand the broader social and political context affecting reforms. The study was prompted by the discovery of high dropout rates and generally low achievement of…

This study examined the problems of using conventional and traditional forms of psychotherapeutic and counseling interventions with American Indians and Alaska natives. Cultural specific forms of psychological and behavioral intervention and prevention have existed in Indian and Native communities for centuries. Vestiges of traditional healing and…

This paper describes storyknifing activities practiced by a small group of young girls in a Yup'ik Eskimo village on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska. Storyknifing is a form of play in which girls tell stories to one another, while making drawings and designs in mud or snow. The girls will sit in a circle for hours at a time, taking turns telling…

Alaska's geographic position at the crossroads between East and West and heavy trade with Japan have sparked widespread interest among Alaskans in education about Pacific Rim countries. In 1985 the Alaska Sister Schools Network was formed by the Alaska Department of Education and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, to create opportunities for…

The Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) was established in 1994 under the auspices of the Alaska Native/Rural Education Consortium, representing over 50 organizations impacting education in rural Alaska. AKRSI's institutional homebase and support structure are provided by the Alaska Federation of Natives in cooperation with the University of…

In many Inupiat communities the traditional meeting house, the "qargi," was the first institution to vanish as churches and schools became the dominant forces of change. At present, the Inupiat elders have no responsibility for the formal education of the young Inupiat. The educational environment of each Inupiat community can be altered…

Keeping writing center records is perhaps the director's most dreaded chore, and it is often seen as a negative duty detracting from the more important business of helping tutors and student clients. However, research data that computers now make almost instantly available reveals surprisingly positive results and ways of presenting those results…