Perspectives on relationality in online Indigenous language learning

Abstract

This study focuses on perspectives and experiences of Indigenous community members who have either created or are in the process of creating computer-assisted language learning courses for Indigenous languages and how these community members center relationality in the creation of the courses. We engaged a decolonizing and relational methodology to document Indigenous language courses and co-create knowledge with Indigenous language course creators. We conducted qualitative interviews with creators of 11 asynchronous Indigenous language computer-assisted language learning courses to learn how these creators enact relationality and cultural values in online language courses. From analysis of these interviews, five key themes emerged related to: (a) language planning; (b) partnering with technology providers; (c) Indigenous expertise; (d) decolonizing praxis; and (e) relational epistemologies. The researchers share ways that communities can center relational epistemologies when creating their own computer-assisted language learning courses.