PLA Q&A: Diane Hill

They started yesterday and wrapped up this morning: the PLA pre-conference workshops. More than a presentation, with opportunities for a bit more in-depth focus on participants' own professional use -- and potential use -- of the prior learning assessment process, the pre-conference workshops are a must, especially for those new to PLA.

Participants had three workshops to choose from. In the Sagonaska Room on the main conference floor, Diane Hill of FNTI's social services worker (SSW) program, who presented along with Banakonda Kennedy Kish Bell, spoke with us about her session called "The FNTI Model: Portfolio Development as a Tool for Transformative Learning."

FNTI: Tell us a little about yourself.

Diane: I've been the academic program coordinator for one of the social service worker programs at FNTI. I wear many hats, actually. As academic program coordinator, I had to oversee the accreditation standards of the program. I have to ensure that the program met the same accreditation standards of other SSW programs in Ontario. I have to articulate a learning and teaching model based on Indigenous cultural philosophy and I have to build a bridge between our style of Indigenous education and mainstream. I have to explain in a way that makes sense to other adult educators so that they can appreciate the depth and the breadth of how we operate.

I've done a lot of keynotes, a lot of work with teachers and education people. I've done workshops for administrators of both college and university level programs. I do a lot of mainstream bridging.

And I actually teach! I'm lead faculty in the program. I oversee program and course design, content and delivery, guide teaching faculty, supervise, and manage them. Plus provide counselling and healing with learners.

FNTI: We can assume you've been to the PLA conference before?

Diane: I started coming here at conference number four and now we're at what? Twenty-one? So what is that? Seventeen?

FNTI: What has your workshop entailed? It's called "The FNTI Model?"

Diane: We introduced participants to the Aboriginal culture-based model of learning and teaching utilized by FNTI faculty for the SSW program. Portfolio development especially has been integrated into the curriculum as a way of providing adult learners with the opportunity not only to assess their prior learning, but also to document new learning acquired through their training program.

FNTI: Is there anything you learned or taken away from this session?

Diane: What I take away is what I always take away. The model is always appreciated by people. They understand the depth and the breadth and the reason why we do it, from an Indigenous perspective. People are always so profoundly touched by what they learn here. They say, "Thank you, Diane, for clarifying the Indigenous worldview." I get that every single time. For 17 years now that's what I've heard. It's about wholistic education that's not just about Aboriginal people. It's about all of us, and people here seem to understand that. Even when I'm just talking about Aboriginal people.