Indigenous Learning in Spotlight at PLA Conference

TYENDINAGA MOHAWK TERRITORY -- First Nation's Technical Institute's annual PLA Conference, "Embracing Wholistic Practice," will take place June 1 - 4 in Belleville. Held at the Ramada In, the prior learning assessment gathering will highlight efforts to recognize Indigenous knowledge in Canada and around the world. It will also mark the first of many events planned to celebrate FNTI's 25th anniversary.

"I'm delighted that we're able to host the conference during FNTI's 25th anniversary as a post-secondary institute," said PLA Manager, Paul Zakos. "PLA has been an important and integral part of FNTI's philosophy and practice from the beginning and it's fitting that we should be celebrating our 25th anniversary during this conference, part of which will see a plenary session devoted to recounting significant events in FNTI's evolution over the past 25 years."

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is the process of identifying and recognizing knowledge acquired from non-academic work and life experience, and can include knowledge gained from volunteerism, travel, and hobbies.

Speakers from as far as Nunavut and Chile will collectively highlight the commonalities among Indigenous people across the world in acknowledging unique worldviews and learning styles, which enhances Indigenous peoples full participation in their socities.

"Dr. Joan Conolly will be sharing the work that she has been doing in South Africa, working with the oral traditions of people in that country in helping them to identify important learning arising from their cultures and making culture in that region plural," said Zakos, noting that there are eleven different cultures and languages in South Africa.

Updates including video from the conference will be posted daily here on the FNTI blog, as well as the FNTI Twitter feed, www.twitter.com/fntinews. The complete schedule for the conference is available on the FNTI website: www.fnti.net.

FNTI is an internationally recognized Aboriginal controlled post-secondary institute created in 1985 through a partnership between the Tyendinaga Mohawk Council, Indian & Norther Affairs Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Education & Training to provide access to post-secondary programs for Aboriginal people.