Indigenous Voices Pilot
Participant Feedback Survey Results, 2012-­‐2013 The Gwenna Moss Centre and College of Education, University of Saskatchewan Artist: Kevin Wesequate*
December 2013
*This painting is a visual depiction of the story “niyanamis and
the Wooden Boat People,” as told by Barry Ahenakew. The entire
story can be read in the Indigenous Voices Program Foundations
document. John Dickinson
Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary for the 2012-13 academic year
Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary 1
In order to assess the effectiveness and impact of the Indigenous Voices staff and faculty
development program, a short evaluation form was distributed to participants at the end
of each gathering. Amongst other questions, participants were asked to comment on the
relevance of the gathering to their personal and professional lives, on the most salient
aspects of the gathering, and what learning they would like to pursue as a result of their
experiences in the gathering.
Participant Feedback Forms from the 2012-2013 Pilot
In total, 123 Indigenous Voices participant feedback forms were collected during the 2012-13
academic year. The number of unique participants in the program is somewhat lower, however,
as many individuals attended more than one session (n=69). Due to the nature of anonymously
collected data it is not possible to accurately determine the total number of unique respondents.
Participant Demographics - College, Position, and Gender
Participants at Indigenous Voices gatherings came from a number of different Colleges/Units
including the College of Education (n=61), the GMCTE (n=27), the ULC (n=12), Kinesiology
(n=10), and Nursing (n=4). Of these participants, the majority were staff (n=63), followed by
faculty (n=49), and students (n=4); 7 participants did not provide their position on campus. The
majority of participants were also female (n=85), with fewer males attending the gatherings
(n=31); 7 participants did not indicate their gender.
Participant Engagement
As previously noted, it was common for participants to have attended multiple sessions during
the 2012-13 academic year (n=69; see Table 1); a smaller number of individuals attended only
one session in during the 2012-13 academic year (n=32).
Table 1. How many IV events have you attended this
academic year?
Valid
1
Frequency
32
Valid
Percent
31.7
2
25
24.8
3
18
17.8
4
13
12.9
5
6
5.9
6
4
4.0
7
1
1.0
8
1
1.0
1
101
1.0
100.0
16
Total Valid
1 Two other Indigenous Voices reports are available: “The Indigenous Voices Program Foundations” and “The Indigenous Voices Needs Assessment Report.” http://www.usask.ca/indigenousvoices/summary-­‐reports 2
Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary for the 2012-13 academic year
Missing
22*
Total
123
*22 participants did not indicate the number of gatherings during the 2012-13 academic year
Relevance to Professional and Personal Lives
After each Indigenous Voices gathering participants were asked to rate, on a 5-point likert scale,
the relevance of the gathering to their professional and personal lives. The five categories, 1
through 5, represent increasing levels of relevance.
Professional Work at the U of S
When asked about the relevance of the Indigenous Voices gatherings to their professional work
at the U of S, participants most frequently indicated a high level of relevance (n=46) with nearly
all respondents indicating at least a medium level of relevance to their professional work at the U
of S (n=113; see Table 2).
Table 2. The relevance of this gathering to my
professional work at the U of S is:
Valid
1- Low
Valid
Percent
Frequency
1
2
.8
7
5.8
3- Medium
24
19.8
4
43
35.5
5- High
46
38.0
121
100.0
Total
Similarly, when asked to rate the degree to which Indigenous Voices gatherings will influence
their work at the U of S, nearly all respondents indicated that the gatherings would influence
their work to a medium or high degree (n=110; see Table 3).
Table 3. To what degree will your experience in this
gathering influence your work at the U of S?
Valid
1
Frequency
3
2
Valid
Percent
2.5
6
5.0
Medium
29
24.4
4
45
37.8
High
36
30.3
Total
119
100.0
In addition to quantitative measures of professional relevance, respondents were also asked to
provide qualitative comments regarding how the Indigenous Voices gatherings were relevant to
their professional work lives and whether there were ways that the gatherings could been made
more relevant.
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Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary for the 2012-13 academic year
The responses to the open-ended questions were overwhelmingly positive with only a small
number of respondents indicating that the gatherings were not directly relevant to their work on
campus. Notably, those respondents who indicated that the gathering were not directly relevant
to their professional work on campus typically declined to comment on how the gatherings could
have been made more relevant. Where suggestions for increasing relevance were provided, they
included increased time for discussion and additional concrete examples and applications
The majority of respondents indicated a high degree of professional relevance. In particular, the
program was perceived to foster a reflective examination of professional practice and, for some,
elucidated transformative potential within the context of their current professional roles. More
specifically, participants indicated the following:
“Very relevant. I really enjoyed the activity. It was creative, artistic, reflective, kinesthetic and
modeled different ways of learning/knowing”
“Every part of my work life has the potential to be changed - how I teach, how I have
conversations with colleagues, how I choose the people I surround myself with”
“It was relevant in all aspects of my work - building relationships with peers and students,
creating a sense of community and belonging and connected culture and place in everything I
do”
“Working with students both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal it is important to have a knowledge
base of that is presented here”
“Being more aware of Aboriginal culture will help with my dealings with all students. It will
help me deal with those who have never known an Aboriginal person as well as Aboriginal
students”
“My teaching includes all students so being more aware of the needs of specific groups is
essential to overall program goals”
“Relevant to my teaching practice, interactions with students, peers, inspirational in terms of my
own self-awareness and in generating questions or analyzing assumptions”
“This session will impact my work with students. This provides me ways of thinking about antioppressive teaching”
“Encourages me to try to help students I am advising to feel like they belong to our College and I
am there to support them in their journey”
“Important information that can help me understand/relate to students who come into our office,
to be more respectful of their needs and issues”
“It will allow me to better interact with the Aboriginal people I come into contact within the
College and University”
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Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary for the 2012-13 academic year
Relevance of Indigenous Voices to Participant’s Personal Lives
In addition to their professional lives, participants were also asked to rate the relevance of the
Indigenous Voices gatherings to their personal lives. Respondents most frequently scored the
relevance to their personal life as a 4 (n=48), with nearly all respondents indicating a
medium/moderate level of relevance or higher (n=117; see Table 5).
Table 5. The relevance of this gathering to my
personal life is:
Valid
Frequency
3
Valid
Percent
2.5
3- Medium
24
20.0
4
48
40.0
5- High
45
37.5
120
100.0
2
Total
In addition to the quantitative measures of personal relevance, participants were also asked to
provide qualitative comments regarding the personal relevance of the Indigenous Voices
gatherings and what could be done to increase the personal relevance. While some individuals
were unable to comment on how the Indigenous Voices gatherings were relevant to their
personal lives, the vast majority of responses were positive. Participants indicated that the
gatherings were personally relevant in numerous ways ranging from educational to reflective,
from creating positive family values to facilitating personal advocacy. Below are representative
qualitative comments:
“As Canada grows and changes it is important to learn how being white has privileged me and
disadvantaged others. This has definitely impacted my views on life and society”
“See world with more cracks in the myth veneer that usually paints the world”
“Helps in understanding the issues facing Aboriginal people and the history behind these issues
(e.g. parenting skills due to residential schools)”
“I have some knowledge base related to the impact of colonialism but nowhere near a complete
picture, and the information today began to fill in some big gaps (and even gaps I hadn't been
aware of, which is very profound).”
“As I continue to endeavor to make sense of myself in relation to place, listening to the stories
and efforts of others in this deliberation is extremely helpful”
“The cultural competence continuum will help me reflect on my own position/beliefs/attitudes
regarding my culture and other cultures”
“This experience was rejuvenating for me. Inspiring, reflective, thoughtful...I have to go home
and think more about the things I have taken from the stories today”
“Allowed me to think and reflect on how I currently + plan to educate my children”
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Indigenous Voices Participant Feedback Summary for the 2012-13 academic year
“Can be more effective in my family life in sharing anti-oppressive practice”
“I am continually shocked to hear of the mistreatment of Aboriginal people + the outright racism
in SK. I am now more motivated than ever to try and be an ally and promote harmony between
all human beings”
“No way it could have been more relevant”
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