Learn, Gather, Share

A Framework for Ethical Engagement with Indigenous Knowledges and Pedagogies
 

Program overview

Learn, Gather, Share is a six-phase learning journey grounded in Indigenous values of relationality, reciprocity, and responsibility. Built around the metaphor of gathering, the framework begins with building strong foundations for ethical engagement, then moves through stages of preparation, land-based learning, and the respectful “gathering” of knowledge. Faculty members and instructors are supported in transforming what they have learned into meaningful teaching practices and, ultimately, in sharing their “harvest” with students, colleagues, and the wider community.

Who is this program for?

Learn, Gather, Share is designed for Dalhousie faculty, instructors, and graduate students who are seeking meaningful, relational, and ethically grounded ways to engage with Indigenous knowledges in their teaching. Whether you are new to this work or looking to deepen existing commitments, the program offers guided learning, community connections, and reflective practice to support thoughtful, accountable Indigenization in the classroom.

What will participants gain?

Through a blend of self-paced learning, land-based reflection, and community experiences, program participants will develop a stronger foundation for Indigenization in their teaching, deepen relationships with local Indigenous perspectives, and create a meaningful culminating project that can inform future course or program design.

How is learning recognized?

We recognize that not everyone will be able to complete the entire six-phase program. To honour the time, care, and learning invested at each stage, participants will receive a letter of completion for every phase they finish. These letters can be added to a teaching dossier, annual review, or promotion and tenure file, providing formal evidence of your ongoing commitment to ethical and intentional engagement with Indigenous knowledges.

Program phases

Phase 1: Building the Basket

Starting January 12, 2026, eligible participants will gain access to a three-module self-paced asynchronous course on BrightSpace. 

Phase 2: Preparing to Gather

The second phase invites participants to attend and reflect on Apuknajit, the Mi’kmaw Midwinter Feast, hosted by Dalhousie Libraries. This year's feast takes place on February 3, 2026 (backup date: February 4) at 5 p.m. in the Ko’jua Okuom, Killam Library and will feature a keynote lecture on Reconciliation within post-secondary institutions by Mi’kmaw educator Jude Gerrard.

Phase 3: Learning from the Land

The third phase guides faculty through independent learning, with faculty participants sharing their place-based reflections at one of two in-person workshops:

• May 21 – Halifax campus
• May 28 – Truro campus

Phases 4–6

4. Gathering with Care – Selectivity, Respect, and Reciprocity (Self-paced)
5. Transforming the Harvest – Creating Meaningful Practice (Self-paced)
6. Sharing the Harvest (Self-paced)

These final phases are self-paced and asynchronous, encouraging faculty to:

• Deepen learning through selected Indigenous experiences.
• Synthesize insights into a culminating reflective project.
• Share their growth in ways that strengthen relationships across the Dalhousie teaching community.