Educational Experience and Outcomes of Edmonton's Adult Urban Indigenous Community

• Author / Creator

  Banksland, Roxanna E

• The main focus of this research on stereotype threat is how groups and individuals are harmed by negative stereotyping. Negative stereotyping can profoundly alter perceptions of persons stereotyped so they experience alienation, low self-esteem, and hopelessness. Individuals’ achievement and success are affected, even when they do not believe the stereotype. They need only realize its relevance to society. Ultimately, stereotype threat becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. Stereotype threat is a worldwide phenomenon, which also affects Canadian Indigenous populations. Aboriginal individuals’ academic achievement regularly falls behind non-Aboriginal counterparts. Most stereotype threat research addresses rural Indigenous populations in Canada. Much less research addresses urban Indigenous populations. My research includes participants of Edmonton’s urban Aboriginal community. Of primary concern is how urban Indigenous persons are affected by stereotypes and associated social discourses, which claim that Indigenous people are unable to succeed. Strategies for effectively protecting Indigenous individuals from stereotype threat are also explored. Research is conducted through the lens of Indigenous Research Methodology (IRM). IRM proponents advocate in-depth and detailed understanding of Indigenous participants’ subjective experiences and their ties to their culture. Therefore, the current research used structured, semi-structured interviews and a talk circle. This study identifies obstacles faced by urban Indigenous individuals in their quests for academic success, and how they develop and apply strategies to enhance beliefs and practices that enable them to succeed. For the purpose of this study, I focused on the racism aspect of stereotype threat.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Urban Indigenous educational experiences and outcomes

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-vvxw-ew32

• License

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