Neovation Partners with University of Alberta to Introduce Indigenous Peoples and Canada Course

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winnipeg, Canada – September 29, 2023

Neovation Learning Solutions is pleased to partner with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies to introduce the U of A’s Indigenous Peoples and Canada course to a North American corporate audience. 

Net proceeds for course sales support the Faculty of Native Studies, which is an Indigenous-led, autonomous academic unit. Established in 1988, the Faculty of Native Studies is one of the world’s leading Indigenous studies units. Neovation has provided its SmarterU LMS as well as professional course creation services at no charge as part of its corporate commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

“We are honored to partner with the University of Alberta to be able to present this course to our prospects, clients, and partners, and to anyone who want to deepen their understanding of the multi-faceted relationships between Indigenous Peoples and their fellow Canadians, institutions and government,”

says Dan Belhassen, Neovation’s Founder and CEO. 

“Being able to launch this in the days leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation aligns perfectly, as we support the U of A in reaching more Canadians with this powerful and deeply insightful course offering.”

Consisting of six modules taught by Course Instructor Dr. Paul Gareau, the Indigenous Peoples and Canada micro-course explores Indigenous histories, contemporary experiences, and the relationship between Indigenous peoples and settler society.  

“It’s a good basic tool for workers in the private and public sectors to engage in. They can apply it to their own work in Indigenous engagement,”

Dr. Gareau notes.

“It’s useful for a vast majority of Canadians who don’t have any Indigenous knowledge at all.” 

“The course focuses on Indigenous resiliency and capacity,  to help dispel racist narratives. It’s about shifting your mind to be open to understanding Indigenous experiences a little further, to say, let’s take a moment to look at how things aren’t equitable, and to push back against structural racism because that will dispossess everyone every time.” 

“The curriculum includes lessons on Indigenous worldviews and genders, particularly focused on the importance of women to Indigenous governance, leadership, and relations. It’s a viewpoint that “challenges settler colonial perspectives, which lead to issues like racism,” says Gareau.

The course offers a nuanced understanding of Indigenous experiences, traditions, and contemporary issues, fostering a critical and empathetic lens for learners to engage with Indigenous perspectives and their impact on Canada’s identity and development.

Available on Neovation’s SmarterU LMS, Neovation can also make this course available on most SCORM-compliant LMS. Course pricing starts at $75 CAD per student and scales for organizations wishing to enroll a group of employees into the course. The self-directed online course, including activities and knowledge checks, takes eight to ten hours to complete.  

As individuals across North America seek out opportunities to learn more about the histories of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the complexities they continue to face today, the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies is striving, through this partnership with Neovation, to make that information easy for anyone to access and understand.

To get more information about the Indigenous Peoples and Canada course or to register yourself or your team, go to https://www.neovation.com/uoa-indigenous-peoples-and-canada-course.

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Download the press release as a PDF document

Media Contacts

Neovation Learning Solutions

neovation.com
Dan Belhassen, CEO
dcb@neovation.com
204-594-1341 x201

Neovation respectfully acknowledges that our diverse team resides coast to coast to coast, and beyond, across all the sacred lands upon which we operate and the built communities and cities across the country, which are the traditional territories and homelands of the respective First Nations, Métis Nations and Inuit who are the long-time stewards of these lands.  We acknowledge that these are occupied lands subject to inherent rights, covenants, treaties, and self-government agreements to peaceably share and care for the lands and resources.  These regions are still home to diverse Indigenous peoples, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these lands.​

University of Alberta, Faculty of Native Studies

Dr. Paul Gareau
https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/pgareau
pgareau@ualberta.ca

The University of Alberta, its buildings, labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of the Néhiyaw (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Nakoda (Stoney), Dene, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/ Saulteaux), lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and homeland of the Métis. The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit nations.