An Exploratory Study of Cultural Identity and Culture-Based Educational Programs for Urban American Indian Students

Abstract

Extant survey data collected from 240 urban American Indian students were used to examine the impact of culture-based and universally accepted effective practices in education on American Indian educational outcomes. The results found that culture-based programs had a largely indirect effect, affecting students'educational outcomes via universal constructs, such as a safe and positive school climate, parent involvement in school, and instruction quality. Furthermore, individual students' cultural identification appears to moderate the effects of cultural programs. Cultural programming appeared to have greater influence on urban American Indian students who were most strongly identified with their American Indian culture.

Resilience Among American Indian Adolescents: Investigation Into the Role of Culture

“…It is not too surprising that a positive relationship between enculturation and resilience demonstrated in this study is consistent with previous research, which has demonstrated positive relationships between enculturation and resilience among AI adults, reservation-dwelling AI adolescents, and AI college students (Belcourt-Dittloft, 2006;Bergstrom et al, 2003;Huffman, 2001;LaFromboise et al, 2006;Powers, 2006;Resnick et. al., 1997).…”

“…Information concerning plans to complete high school and attend college was also included. The aforementioned criteria have often been used to capture AI resilience by many authorities (Huffman, 2001;LaFromboise et al, 2006;Powers, 2006).…”

“…Additionally, self-esteem, subjective well-being, and social support from family and friends have also been shown to serve as protective factors that promote resilience among AI adults, college students, and adolescents (Bergstrom, Clearly, & Peacock, 2003;House, Stiffman, & Brown, 2006Montgomery, Miville, Winterowd, Jeffries, & Baysden, 2003;Powers, 2006;Stiffman et al, 2007;Whitesell et al, 2009;Wolsko, Lardon, Mohatt, & Orr, 2007).…”

“…Additionally, it has been noted that AI adolescents are increasingly more likely to be raised in urban areas, which has contributed to positive and negative consequences . For instance, although urban AI seem to struggle less with some issues (i.e., poverty) specific to reservationdwelling AI, urban AI experience unique and specific sets of challenges due to urbanization ( Huang & Gibbs, 1992;Powers et al, 2006;. Moreover, researchers have documented risk factors related to a lack of cultural connection and an increase in suicide rates among urban AI adolescents .…”

Implementing Indigenous Education Policy Directives in Ontario Public Schools: Experiences, Challenges and Successful Practices

“…A study by Taylor and Wright (2003) found that receiving instruction in traditional Indigenous languages provided Inuit students in Nunavik "significant academic and linguistic advantages" (p.13). Powers (2006) found that culture-based programming in schools affected urban Indigenous students' educational outcomes, and there was a stronger association among students who most strongly identified with their culture (see also Powers, Potthoff, Bearinger & Resnick, 2003). Indigenous curricular content as well as traditional Indigenous methods of teaching and learning are also seen to contribute to Indigenous student self-confidence, self-esteem, and cultural identity (McDonald, 2011;Taylor & Wright, 2003).…”