Teaching Indigenous Historical Trauma: Cognitive and Affective Implications for Education

Authors' Affiliations

Marcia Whitaker, Department of Social Work, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Services, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Wesley Adam, Department of Social Work, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Services, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Location

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

Start Date

4-5-2024 9:00 AM

End Date

4-5-2024 11:30 AM

Poster Number

185

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Deborah Thibeault

Faculty Sponsor's Department

Social Work

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Competition Type

Competitive

Type

Poster Presentation

Presentation Category

Education

Abstract or Artist's Statement

The Council on Social Work Education’s Accreditation Standards asks educators to attend to students' cognitive and affective processes such as self-awareness, recognition of bias, and self-regulation. This study examines students' cognitive and affection reactions to historical trauma of Indigenous Peoples in, what is known as, the United States; and explores how the “divisive concepts” bill impacts students from learning these essential educational skills. The study began in June of 2020, during the beginning of the Covid-19, therefore classes were online, and data was collected using Survey Monkey. Participants were recruited while completing a module discussing Indigenous topics during a core course. Participation in the study was voluntary. While completing the assigned module students watched three consecutive video clips taken from the documentary 500 Nations. Students were asked to share “feelings” and “thoughts” with a single word response about each video clip. Additionally, a literature review about the impact “divisive concepts” laws have on education was conducted. To date there are little scholarly publications about this topic and no empirical studies have been found. However, articles from organizations and professionals in higher education were reviewed. Data collection took place between June 2020 and April 2022. There were sixty-five undergraduate and graduate participants in the study. For the first video, most participants reported feeling “sad”, and expressed feelings of “anger” “frustration” and “disgust”. There were notable reported outliers, including “inspired”, “loved”, and “enlightened”. Students reported thoughts about the video depicting actions of colonizers as being “greedy” and “evil”. Outlying responses include “wondering why” such action was taken. For the second video, most participants shared feeling “sad” and “angry” and outlying feelings included “loved”, “truth” and “not applicable”. For reported thoughts, the most highly reported was “cruel”, “stolen” and “assimilation”. There was one notable exception to the thoughts for the second video was “unsure”. The last video had similar feelings reported, “sadness”, “anger” and “disgust”. With a notable difference in one participant reporting “safe”. Top thoughts reported were “inhumanity”, “death”, and “cruelty”. Additionally, participants reported thinking about the children involved in the traumatic events. There was also notably stronger language used such as “genocide”, “murder”, and references to people being “caged”. This study was conducted prior to the passing of the “divisive concepts” bill in the university’s state. Participant responses depict that there was “discomfort” which is in clear violation of the “divisive concepts” bill. This demonstrates that following the bill inhibits educators from teaching students about these historical events. This study found that “sadness”, “anger”, “disgust”, and “discomfort” were most participant’s reactions to historical trauma of Indigenous Peoples of the United States. The “divisive concepts” bill inhibits educators from teaching students about history if a student has the potential to experience “discomfort”. Significant historical accounts must be taught in the educational field to understand vulnerable and oppressed groups, to shed light on periods of exploitation humanity has historically participated in, and to ensure use of evidence-based practices for affected populations, such as trauma-informed care.

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Apr 5th, 9:00 AM Apr 5th, 11:30 AM

Teaching Indigenous Historical Trauma: Cognitive and Affective Implications for Education

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

The Council on Social Work Education’s Accreditation Standards asks educators to attend to students' cognitive and affective processes such as self-awareness, recognition of bias, and self-regulation. This study examines students' cognitive and affection reactions to historical trauma of Indigenous Peoples in, what is known as, the United States; and explores how the “divisive concepts” bill impacts students from learning these essential educational skills. The study began in June of 2020, during the beginning of the Covid-19, therefore classes were online, and data was collected using Survey Monkey. Participants were recruited while completing a module discussing Indigenous topics during a core course. Participation in the study was voluntary. While completing the assigned module students watched three consecutive video clips taken from the documentary 500 Nations. Students were asked to share “feelings” and “thoughts” with a single word response about each video clip. Additionally, a literature review about the impact “divisive concepts” laws have on education was conducted. To date there are little scholarly publications about this topic and no empirical studies have been found. However, articles from organizations and professionals in higher education were reviewed. Data collection took place between June 2020 and April 2022. There were sixty-five undergraduate and graduate participants in the study. For the first video, most participants reported feeling “sad”, and expressed feelings of “anger” “frustration” and “disgust”. There were notable reported outliers, including “inspired”, “loved”, and “enlightened”. Students reported thoughts about the video depicting actions of colonizers as being “greedy” and “evil”. Outlying responses include “wondering why” such action was taken. For the second video, most participants shared feeling “sad” and “angry” and outlying feelings included “loved”, “truth” and “not applicable”. For reported thoughts, the most highly reported was “cruel”, “stolen” and “assimilation”. There was one notable exception to the thoughts for the second video was “unsure”. The last video had similar feelings reported, “sadness”, “anger” and “disgust”. With a notable difference in one participant reporting “safe”. Top thoughts reported were “inhumanity”, “death”, and “cruelty”. Additionally, participants reported thinking about the children involved in the traumatic events. There was also notably stronger language used such as “genocide”, “murder”, and references to people being “caged”. This study was conducted prior to the passing of the “divisive concepts” bill in the university’s state. Participant responses depict that there was “discomfort” which is in clear violation of the “divisive concepts” bill. This demonstrates that following the bill inhibits educators from teaching students about these historical events. This study found that “sadness”, “anger”, “disgust”, and “discomfort” were most participant’s reactions to historical trauma of Indigenous Peoples of the United States. The “divisive concepts” bill inhibits educators from teaching students about history if a student has the potential to experience “discomfort”. Significant historical accounts must be taught in the educational field to understand vulnerable and oppressed groups, to shed light on periods of exploitation humanity has historically participated in, and to ensure use of evidence-based practices for affected populations, such as trauma-informed care.