Indigenizing Counselor Education: Implementing Postsecondary Curriculum Change

Abstract

Indigenizing education is a challenging task for universities and other postsecondaryinstitutions. The recovery and promotion of Indigenous Knowledge and ways ofknowing is a critical aspect of decolonization. In this article we describe theconceptualization of graduate counselor education for Aboriginal communities andthe process of implementing curriculum changes in an undergraduate prerequisitecounseling skills course. Also included are an exploration of personal experiencesrelated to teaching the course, students’ responses to curricular and deliveryadaptations, and themes identified from an interview conducted with two Aboriginalstudents in the class. We address the question of forces in the university structurethat work to resist the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge and share observations andrecommendations.