Teacher Education for Diversity and Equality in the Arctic
The Arctic Council's SDWG project
About
In spring 2017, the UArctic TN on Teacher Education project Teacher Education for Diversity and Equality in the Arctic was approved as a new project for the Arctic Council's Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). The project was part of the Finnish chairmanship of Arctic Council 2017-2019, and supported the priority of Education. The project focused on knowledge exchange around inclusive and effective practices, such as:
- Arctic pedagogy that incorporates indigenous pedagogical practices;
- innovative approaches to education in sparsely populated areas;
- community-based education;
- using technology to enhance participation and agency;
- and pedagogical models for multi-modal and digital environments.
The project organized networking among teacher education institutions to facilitate the sharing of good practices. The project activities promoted establishment of local and international networks of teachers, teacher educators, policy makers and researchers in the circumpolar north. Through shared research activities, the project enhanced understanding of the teaching profession in the circumpolar north, and highlighted ways in which pre-service and in-service teacher education can help teachers contribute to a sustainable future in the Arctic. Project activities also aimed to enhance practices of shared teaching across the institutions, widen the students' perspectives on shared practices and challenges and across the circumpolar north, and to provide them with possibilities to network with colleagues across the Arctic to improve their own practice.
The project activities were coordinated by the members of the University of the Arctic (UArctic) Thematic Network on Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity in Education. Finland, Canada and Norway co-led the project.
The project was funded by Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture through IBA allowance of Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The project supported the priorities of Finnish Chairmanship of Arctic Council in the field of Education.
