Knowledge Creation

Learning Honours Aspects of Spirituality and Protocol

Davidson reflects that though spiritual knowledge on ceremony may not always be appropriate in the classroom, it is important to respect everyone's spiritual knowledge and diversity who become a part of our learning circle, thus bringing us back in circular learning to our starting ring of fostering inclusivity.

Further, repeated, mindful recall, practice, and connection reinforce information into our long-term memory, termed memory work, and we ensure it becomes part of not only knowing but also being and doing. Knowledge becomes part of ourselves and our practices and a part of us as people operating in a community. The knowledge and skills we carry expand, enhancing identity and confidence, relating to spirituality and the skills and gifts we bring to community for the collective. Spirituality in this context can also be thought of as whole-body intelligence and using what you have learned for the wellness of many.

“Indigenous education is a process of becoming whole whereby learning becomes a personal part of who the learner is, what s/he does and ultimately their self-identity. Becoming whole requires balance among mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical capacities. A balanced person can then fulfill his or her responsibilities within the interdependent context of family, community, ceremonies, and nature relationships” (Bell, 2013, p. 104).
When we are practicing memory work, we are not just doing so for better grades but to add additional skills and ways of doing and knowing into our being, which contribute to community within a larger picture. It becomes part of us and is interconnected to each strategy and principle outlined prior: “The northern direction teaches that true wisdom can only be attained when the awareness, understanding, and knowledge achieved is enacted in behaviors. It is not enough to know; one must do” (Bell, 2013, p. 103).

When learners have moved through all the concepts of the Science of Learning, and gained mastery of a topic, their knowledge should be successfully built into long-term memory. This allows learners to engage in the concept of retrieval, which occurs when aiming to access (remember) learned information. Building this skill set allows learners to retrieve information in new contexts, further solidifying their learning. One of the most common methods of examining retrieval practice at DC is through testing; however, we encourage building this practice into the learning environment throughout the course. In the classroom, this should be explored in frequent, low-stakes settings such as small tests at the end of class or asking learners to review what they remember from a previous lesson. Creative or authentic assignments can also support learners connecting to material in order to make retrieval more effective. You may notice that retrieval, used in this way, can be considered a form of interleaving, reminding us that learning can be conducted in many combinations. Combining this retrieval with feedback helps learners to practice the knowledge helping to solidify the connections to their long-term memory. Once a part of long-term memory, knowledge has the capacity to help shape the way one operates.

To learn about retrieval practice through video see here:

Once knowledge becomes part of who we are, part of our knowing, being, and doing it is then our responsibility to share this knowledge. To use it for the wellness of All Our Relations and the Seven Generations to come:

“Each individual is unique yet a part of a whole community. The community and the individual have reciprocal responsibilities. In one sense the individual and the community and the world are the same entity, interdependent. What affects one, affects the others. [...] Everyone has a responsibility to give back and to consider their actions in the light of their effect on generations to come [...] Responsibility can be understood as ‘response-ability’ meaning that one is expected to use their abilities to respond. [...] It is the responsibility of each individual to use their gifts to the best of their ability for the good of the community, and for the good of creation. [...] While western scientists pursue knowledge in an analytical and critical way, Indigenous elders pursue wisdom-in-action as lifelong learning and as advice for a community’s survival” (Bell, 2013, p. 93 - 103).

This responsibility is to All My Relations bringing us back to the beginning with circular learning contributing to the smallest circles first and the last portion of Richard Wagamese’s teachings of The Sacred Breath and the Ripple Effect:

“When you are comfortable with the ritual, when you feel an emotional attachment to it, when you feel that it is indispensable to you, bring it to other people. Tell your co-workers about it. Tell your friends and family. Tell everyone in your circle of influence about the benefits of this wonderful, simple ceremony. [...] In this way, the great circle of energy that is the universe becomes stronger by virtue of all the energy consciously joining in. In this way there is unity and harmony even in the smallest of circles. The degree to which we can bring our energies into the great flowing circle of energy everywhere is the precise degree to which we eliminate separation and create harmony.” (Wagamese, 2019, p. 77).

In the final level of Blooms, we ask learners to combine all the knowledge from the below levels and put elements together to Create something new. This is accomplished through working to form a functional whole or reorganize elements into a new pattern or structure (Bloom et al., 1956 & Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001). At this level, learners have built competency and can begin to share their knowledge with others through the development of something novel.