Challenges and Possibilities for Truth and Reconciliation In Teacher Education: An Engagement with the Literature

Authors

  • Jennifer Tupper University of Alberta
  • Abiemwense Edokpayi Omoregie University of Alberta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6307

Keywords:

truth and reconciliation, teacher education, critical pedagogy, decolonization, indigeneity, anti-racism, historical thinking

Abstract

This article delves into the evolving landscape of teacher education within the context of truth and reconciliation, acknowledging the profound role education has played in perpetuating colonial violence against Indigenous peoples. To assess reconciliation efforts in teacher education, a targeted search was undertaken, which resulted in an inductive thematic analysis of 36 scholarly works and the emergence of five overarching themes: anti-racist/anti-oppressive perspectives, decolonization, critical forms of pedagogy/narrativity, indigenization, and historical thinking. The analysis provides valuable insights and highlights challenges of advancing truth and reconciliation in education including the need for a paradigm shift within teacher education programs, urging them to adopt community-focused, land-based, and decolonizing approaches. By aligning with the spirit and intent of truth and reconciliation, and as the studies demonstrate, teacher education has the potential to contribute significantly to advancing the process of healing, justice, and mutual understanding in the journey toward a more equitable and harmonious future.

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Author Biographies

Jennifer Tupper, University of Alberta

Jennifer Anne Tupper is a Professor and award winning teacher and researcher who currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, in Treaty 6.  She holds a B.Ed. and a PhD from the U of A, and an MA in Curriculum Studies from the University of British Columbia.  Before returning to the U of A in 2017, she was a faculty member, Associate Dean and Dean of Education at the University of Regina in Treaty 4.  Her research and scholarship explore critical approaches to citizenship, anti-oppressive teaching, treaty education, and truth and reconciliation. She is a co-investigator on the SSHRC Funded Partnership Grant “Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future”, and contributes as a member of the teacher education cluster.   

Abiemwense Edokpayi Omoregie, University of Alberta

Abiemwense Edokpayi Omoregie completed a master’s degree at the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. His master’s thesis on restorative justice in education set the stage for his Ph.D. at the University of Alberta. His dissertation delves into applying an Africa-centered perspective and Ubuntu relational ontology in addressing the problem of radicalization and violent extremism in Nigeria. He significantly contributes to the SSHRC-sponsored historical thinking project, primarily promoting reconciliation in Indigenous education. Omoregie’s professional trajectory encompasses diverse fields, commencing with a military background where he cultivated a profound interest in anti-terrorism education. After that, he transitioned to secondary education, teaching students in grades 10 to 12. Currently, his focus lies in conducting research on Black studies and Afrocentric education at the University of

 

Alberta.  

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2024-06-03

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Tupper, J., & Omoregie, A. E. (2024). Challenges and Possibilities for Truth and Reconciliation In Teacher Education: An Engagement with the Literature. Canadian Journal of Education Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 1. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6307

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