Mapping the Journey from the Head to the Heart - Actualizing Indigenization in Health and Human Services Education

Oct 15, 2026

Camosun College’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation includes Indigenization, defined as embedding Indigenous worldviews in curriculum practices while preparing non-Indigenous learners to build stronger relationships with Indigenous peoples. The study uses an Indigenized Quadrant Model grounded in Wilber’s Integral theory to inventory internal and external Indigenization interventions, analyze non-Indigenous faculty participation rates, and assess progress. Findings indicate mid-stage implementation and suggest targeted quadrant activities, plus community-aligned efforts, can support program development. Results also highlight a need for advanced faculty training focused on addressing racism and privilege, along with ongoing alignment, monitoring, and measurement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Indigenization commitment and definition

Indigenized Quadrant Model and study purpose

Findings on progress and participation

Recommendations for program design and faculty training

Call for alignment, monitoring, and measurement

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 14 | Issue 1 | Article 17 | | --- | --- | | Spring 05-31-2023
Mapping the Journey from the Head to the Heart: Actualizing Indigenization in Health and Human Services Education
Marcia A. Docherty
Island Health, [marcia.docherty@me.com](marcia.docherty@me.com)[ ](marcia.docherty@me.com)Janice Simcoe
Camosun College, simcoe@camosun.ca Cynthia J. Smith
Camosun College, [cynthias@ualberta.ca](cynthias@ualberta.ca)[ ](cynthias@ualberta.ca)Hiislacinxw (Faye Martin) Camosun College, martin@camosun.ca
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.13661](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.13661) | | Recommended Citation Docherty, M. A., Simcoe, J., Smith, C. J., & Hiislacinxw (Martin, F.) (2023) . Mapping the journey from the head to the heart: Actualizing Indigenization in health and human services education. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 14(1). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.13661](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.13661) Mapping the Journey from the Head to the Heart: Actualizing Indigenization in Health and Human Services Education Abstract Camosun College’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation includes Indigenization. At the College, Indigenization means the worldviews of Indigenous students are reflected in curriculum practices and non-Indigenous students are prepared to build better relationships with Indigenous peoples. The College uses a number of models to support Indigenization including an Indigenized Quadrant Model based on Wilber’s (1997) Integral theory. This Model is used in this research study to inventory the Indigenization interventions and activities internal and external to the College and examine participation rates by non-Indigenous faculty. At the time of the study, respondents viewed the College as midway on its progress ofIndigenization. The results suggest that developing a few activities across the four quadrants of the Model and leveraging relevant activities in the larger community may be sufficient to build an Indigenization program within a post-secondary institute. We also identified a need for more advanced training to support non-Indigenous faculty to fully Indigenize their teaching practices. The focus of this advanced training includes developing skills to address racism and confront privilege not only in their students but also their professions. For administrators wanting to actualize Indigenization, we recommend the continued alignment, monitoring, and measurement of the impacts of Indigenization activities and programs. L’engagement du Collège Camosun envers la vérité et la réconciliation comprend l’indigénisation. Au Collège, l’indigénisation signifie que la vision du monde des étudiants et des étudiantes autochtones est reflétée dans les programmes d’études et que les étudiants et les étudiantes non-autochtones sont prêts à établir de meilleures relations avec les peuples autochtones. Au Collège, on emploie un certain nombre de modèles pour soutenir l’indigénisation, y compris un modèle de quadrant indigénisé basé sur la théorie de l’intégration de Wilber (1997) . Ce modèle est utilisé dans la présente recherche pour étudier l’inventaire des interventions et des activités d’indigénisation internes et externes au Collège et pour examiner les taux de participation des professeurs et des professeures non-autochtones. En date de cette recherche, les répondants et les répondantes ont estimé que le Collège était à mi-chemin de son parcours d’indigénisation. Les résultats suggèrent que le fait de développer quelques activitésdans les quatre quadrants du modèle et de tirer parti d’activités pertinentes dans la communauté ausens large pourraient suffire à établir un programme d’indigénisation au sein d’un établissementd’enseigne

FAQs

What does Indigenization mean at Camosun College?

Indigenization reflects Indigenous students’ worldviews in curriculum practices and prepares non-Indigenous students to build better relationships with Indigenous peoples.

How does the study analyze Indigenization efforts and participation?

It uses an Indigenized Quadrant Model based on Wilber’s Integral theory to inventory interventions and activities and to examine participation rates by non-Indigenous faculty.

What recommendations follow from the study results?

Developing select activities across the model’s four quadrants and leveraging community activities may be sufficient to build an Indigenization program, alongside advanced training to help faculty fully Indigenize teaching practices. Administrators are advised to continue aligning, monitoring, and measuring impacts.

Oct 15, 2026

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