INDIGEN 700 : Indigenous Theories

Arts

2024 Academic Year Term (1241) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Topics include cultural autonomy, political inclusion, land claims, urbanisation and indigenous rights. Through a close reading of key texts and engaging in seminar discussions, students will deepen their insight into the knowledge systems that embody indigenous world views and be able to critically and analytically engage with historical and contemporary issues in Indigenous Studies.

Course Overview

This core course in the Masters of Indigenous Studies focuses on Indigenous theories. Theories emerge from particular Indigenous knowledge traditions and ways of seeing the world, and in turn inform Indigenous research methodologies. While grounded in te ao Māori the course covers material from a range of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous perspectives. Through close readings of key texts and engaging in seminar discussions, students will deepen their insight into the knowledge systems that embody Indigenous world views and be able to critically and analytically engage with historical and contemporary issues in Indigenous studies. Student participation is critical. You will bring your own knowledge into the learning spaces and collectively enhance our shared understandings.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of Indigenous theories and the knowledge systems from which these arise (Capability 1 and 4)
  2. Demonstrate an awareness of the extent to which different knowledge systems and theories relate to each other and inform a student’s own ethnic identity/ies (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of how particular knowledge systems and theories might lead to specific research methodologies (Capability 1)
  4. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the importance and effectiveness of particular Indigenous theories and to be able to use theory to inform research in a case study. (Capability 1)
  5. Demonstrate an ability to develop and present a seminar on a chosen research topic (Capability 1)
  6. Demonstrate an ability to contest knowledge and practice, critically consider ideas, texts and research and think reflectively and reflexively. (Capability 1, 3 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Indigenous threshold concepts 20% Individual Coursework
Creative scholarship/Photo essay/Indigenous resurgence 40% Individual Coursework
Research Essay/Indigenous theorising 40% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30.00 point course and students are expected to spend around 20 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in. Please note that this course is offered in two modes: as an on campus course with weekly lecture attendance and online through Auckland Online.

On campus delivery: For this course, you are expected to commit to 3 hours per week of lectures/seminars ; 10 hours of reading and critiquing course material and independent reading and 7 hours of coursework preparation and writing. It is important to start engaging with the readings immediately and writing up notes on your readings. You will also be expected to contribute to discussion in class. Key to this is preparation prior to coming to class.


Auckland Online delivery: This mode is asynchronus  learning and is delivered 100% online. It does not have lectures as all material is available through the Canvas platform to be done at your own time. To successfully complete you will need to dedicate a significant amount of time each week. A guide would be 10 hours of reading and critiquing course material and independent reading and 7 hours of coursework preparation and writing. There are different activities that should be completed each week. A tutorial  live session is available each week. it is optional but is likely to greatly enhance your learning.

This course runs to the University semester and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.


Delivery Mode

Campus Experience or Online

This course is offered in two delivery modes:

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at weekly scheduled  lectures/seminars. 
The course may nclude live online events including group discussions.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Online

 To do this course online you must be enrolled in the Master of Indigenous Studies through Auckland  Online. In 2024 this degree is only offered for part-time student enrollment. It will be offered for fulltime student enrollment in 2025

Attendance is expected though not required at scheduled online tutorials to support students in their online learning and to facilitate engagement with others students that are enrolled in this course.
The course may include live online events including group discussions or tutorials.
Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement.
This course runs to the University semester and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

This course is available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Students at the postgraduate level are expected to read widely. For this course you will be required to be familiar with the work of Māori and global Indigenous scholars.  Your reading should inform your  assignments. Readings will be made available but you will also be expected to identify readings for your own work and for broader class engagement.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This course has a variety of different types of assessment that extend the ways that you disseminate scholarship. It allows for an important creative dimension to this work. In 2024 I have changed the assessment requirements in line with student feedback.

Other Information

This course draws on a critical Indigenous studies framework and incorporates tikanga Māori values. These values  include whakawhanaungatanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, auahatanga and kaitiakitanga. These values are  foundational to creating a supportive learning environment An important objective of the course is to encourage a love for deep learning and independent and collective scholarship. 
To support this objective on campus students  must be prepared for each meeting and able to contribute to the discussions. Auckland online students need to keep up with each module and engage with the online activities. You do not need to know or understand everything but there must be a willingness and drive to learn. Readings are key and you will need to have read course material and to have critically engaged with the material. Comprehensive notes on what you have read is likely to be very important to your learning. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 09/02/2024 09:09 a.m.