Aboriginal literacy encompasses oral tradition, culture, language, identity, and world view in addition to the written word, and is a process of lifelong learning, much of which occurs beyond school walls. When defining Native literacy, one must move away from measuring Aboriginal students by Euro-Western definitions and move toward a balanced,…

Native Americans must stop giving allegiance and attention to this other way (the Christian, westernized way) that has destroyed them. Native Americans have to reach their people in such a way that their traditional life is the first thing. They have to learn their traditional teachings well enough so that when they pass them on, their children…

The spider's web is presented as a model for Indigenous education and community transformation, grounded in Okanagan philosophy. Children are at the center and benefit from the influence of extended family and community. The model's relevance for language revitalization, cultural maintenance, and educational planning and assessment is discussed.…

Sources of current misuse of standardized tests in assessing the quality of home-based educational programs are identified. Development of new instruments and cooperation of concerned groups are suggested as a means of increasing educational alternatives, excellence, and accountability. (Author/TJH)

Native American storytelling contributes to maintenance of Native cultures; development of individual identities rooted in awareness of family, community, heritage, and land; and the flourishing of contemporary Native American fiction. Today, stories are transmitted by oral tradition and the writer's craft. Includes author's recollections of…

Two books by and about American Indians demonstrate the positive impact of warm and caring relationships between elders and youth. Elders in these stories convey to children important lessons about life, death, traditions, heritage, and family; positively affect the identity development and emotional maturity of the adolescent protagonists; and…

Three Native Americans working in sports training, film making, and engineering discuss their thoughts on leadership. Each one defines leadership in terms of their own experiences, aspirations, and successes, but all three come to similar conclusions: community members must be willing to nurture leadership in young people by acting as role models…

This issue contains materials, about and for women, which have been produced as part of the United Nations Decade for Women. Included are presentations made at the Asian-South Bureau of Adult Education Conferences and other congresses, conferences, and meetings held to discuss women in developing nations. The first three papers deal with the…

During the past 20 years, international and bilateral assistance and funding agencies have become increasingly involved in evaluation activities in adult and nonformal education, especially in developing countries. The adult education field pioneered many approaches now advocated by specialists in program and project evaluation. Beginning in the…

In reviewing and analyzing the World Bank's "Education Sector Policy Paper" of April 1980, the author concentrates, first, on the report's description of worldwide issues and trends in educational development and, second, on the report's assessment of past and future World Bank lending for educational programs. The discussion of…

Recent research on mass media, with a particular emphasis on television, is reviewed for the effects that the media has on behavior and the use of media in educational endeavors. Although a very pessimistic view is taken concerning the contribution of specific research studies, it is emphasized that one should not underestimate their importance,…

This paper explores some examples of Indigenous philosophies from North America. It considers Navajo philosophy as presented by James McNeley and John Farella, Mabel McKay's Pomo Indian insights as presented by her student Gary Sarris, and spiritual insights into Indigenous education. These nondualistic philosophies describe the universe…

Indigenous knowledge is a living, breathing concept and must be treated with care and respect. This living knowledge is transmitted orally. At the University of Queensland (Australia), the Torres Strait Islander Studies course was taught in the Indigenous way, and elders were involved throughout, from formatting the course outline to the running…

Four hataalii (Navajo medicine men) discuss why they chose and how they studied their profession, how ceremonies correct spiritual imbalance, why ceremonies cannot be done for non-Indians (differences in Navajo and non-Navajo belief systems), and how the Native American Church was founded to allow legal use of peyote and was commercialized by…

Three successful American Indian women--film maker and businesswoman Valerie Red-Horse, Cherokee law professor and appeals court justice Stacey Leeds, and prolific artist Virginia Stroud--discuss their careers, emphasizing the importance of retaining cultural values, the struggles of being a racial and gender pioneer in their field, and the…