‘If it weren’t for YouTube, I wouldn’t be here’: exploring indigenous perspectives on online learning

Abstract

In this study, I explored the voices of Indigenous students and teachers, who, despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), continue to be underrepresented in online learning at post-secondary institutions in Canada. This dissertation draws upon the narrative inquiry methodology to explore accounts of lived experiences through in-depth interviews and Sharing Circles. Data analysis included contextualisation and an inductive thematic analysis, which yielded seven themes: 1. Widening participation, 2. Building capacity, 3. Digital inequity, 4. Text-based dominance, 5. Impersonal environment, 6. Role and impact of peers, 7. Teacher presence. Overall, findings reveal that despite the potential and benefits of online learning for Indigenous students, barriers persist. Efforts must be increased to design and teach online courses in decolonizing ways. Nine tentative design recommendations are proposed.