Indigenous Transitions Study

The NOIIE Indigenous Transitions Study explores how collaborative inquiry can help educators to improve transitions for Indigenous youth—from grade to grade, school to school, and beyond school. It draws on insights from inquiry teams across British Columbia and from the coaches who were assigned to support their inquiries.

We have just wrapped up our 3rd cohort of Transitions schools that participated from September 2021 to August 2024, which was co-coordinated by Jana Fox and Lori Burger. See below for more information on past NOIIE Transitions Studies.

Indigenous Transitions Study Co-coordinators

Jana Fox

For many years, Jana has had the privilege to learn and teach with talented educators in the Bulkley Valley School District, located on the unceded Witsuwit’en territory. She is a district teacher for SD54 Indigenous Education and a vice-principal at Silverthorne Elementary. Working alongside brilliant NOIIE leaders, Jana supports school and district teams throughout British Columbia as they engage in the Spiral of Inquiry seeking ways to improve outcomes for Indigenous learners in their settings.

Learning is a deeply-rooted passion for Jana, reinforced by the inspirational and creative educators she’s encountered along her learning journey, and by the wisdom of Indigenous knowledge holders and her Blackfoot ancestors. She is committed to the work that leads to quality and equitable environments that nurture the growth and well-being of all learners. Jana is always learning and strives to become a story weaver, gathering and sharing stories, and taking actions that contribute to positive transformations in the education system and the Indigenous community.

Lori Burger

Lori Burger is from the Nisga’a Nation, from the community of Gitlaxt’aamiks in the Nass valley. She is Giskaast (Killerwhale), from the house of Wisin xbiltkw, and Cree from Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan on her mother’s side, as well as settler heritages on her father’s side. Lori is committed to uplifting Indigenous voices and passionate about Indigenous representation both professionally and personally. She cares deeply about Indigenous representation and reconciliation learning, and is actively involved in evaluating Indigenous literatures and resources for use in the K-12 public school system. She has worked with the Association of Book Publishers of BC Indigenous Books for Schools and the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) on authenticating First Peoples resources. 

Lori has been involved in Indigenous education for over twenty years in roles spanning from Support Worker to Teacher, to Vice Principal and District Administration. Lori is currently the District Vice Principal of Indigenous Education, Equity and Excellence in School District 52 in Prince Rupert. Her personal and professional focus has been, and continues to be, equity and Indigenous Education for all.

Cohort 3 (2021-2024)

Cohort 3 Transitions Research

2024 NOIIE Transitions Report

“From 2021-2024 twenty secondary schools in British Columbia participated in an inquiry network aimed at improving the experiences of Indigenous learners as they transitioned from one stage to the next. This report, authored by Jo Chrona and Dr. Catherine McGregor, draws on written case studies and extensive interviews with the team members, the learning coaches and the network leaders.” Click here to read more.

Cohort 3 Spotlight (2021-2024)

Cohort 3 Progress Updates (2021 – 2024)

Cohort 3 Mid-Study Stories (2022)

In this video, educators from Nanaimo District Secondary School (SD 68) emphasize the importance of relationships and a sense of belonging inside and outside the school building.

 In this video, Reagan from Charles Hays Secondary School (SD 52) shares how utilizing and relying on a team-approach has been a game-changer in supporting the students, and the staff, at their school.

Cohort 2 (2017-2020)

Cohort 2 Accomplishments

2020 Indigenous Transitions Accomplishments

2019 Indigenous Transitions Accomplishments

Cohort 1 (2016-2018)

Cohort 1 Transitions Research

Improving Transitions Report Image

2016-2018 Improving Transitions for Indigenous Learners Through Collaborative Inquiry

Read the full report here (84+ pages)
Download the poster here
Download the report handout here
NOIIE Transitions Video

Recommended Resources

Cultivating Joy, Healing, and Wellness in Learning by Robyn Corelitz, Foluke N. Beveridge, and Gholnecsar Muhammad

An article on how educators cultivate and embrace joy, healing and wellness in their classrooms and schools.

Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta

An innovative book, similar to Sapiens, providing an essential Indigenous viewpoint on historical and cultural matters like education, money, power, and sustainability. It introduces a fresh blueprint for living.

The Power of Story by Harold Johnson

A book about how stories have the power to help or harm, and that our narratives become our reality.

Heart Wisdom by Ilarion “Larry” Merculieff (Unangan, Aleut)

An article on ‘Heart Wisdom’ as the wisdom arising from the awareness of the profound interconnectedness between the natural and human worlds that “keeps us in right relationship with all life”, ensuring an individual and collective wellbeing.

A poetic and candid exploration of Truth and Reconciliation, offering a model that invites both an inward and an outward journey.

Welcoming Indigenous Ways of Knowing by Dr. Leyton Schnellert, Dr. Sara Florence Davidson, Dr. Nikki Yee, and Bonny-Lynn Donovan

This work speaks to the concept of “education change networks”, just like the work we do with NOIIE, suggesting ideas for effectiveness which are great advice for teams utilizing the spirals and focusing on transitions for Indigenous learners.

Circle Works by Fyre Jean Graveline

This book explores the legitimacy of Aboriginal, holistic paradigms within some of the diverse frameworks available to educators: experiential learning, feminist and anti-racist pedagogies are emphasized.

We strongly recommend this book for every BC educator as they engage in reconciliation and anti-racism work.

This article that provides rationale and suggestions for how to engage with families as a way of cultivating equity in our schools.

We would like to thank the Vancouver Foundation for their generous financial support towards NOIIE. The Vancouver Foundation is dedicated to creating healthy, vibrant and livable communities across BC. Since 1943, their donors have created 1,800 endowment funds and together they have distributed more than $1 billion to charities. From arts and culture to the environment, health and social development, education, medical research and more, they exist to make meaningful and lasting improvements to communities in BC. With the financial support of the Vancouver Foundation, NOIIE has been able to take on more Transitions teams and continue to support BC educators in improving transitions for Indigenous students.

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