College of Letters & Science
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The College of Letters and Science, the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
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Item An Apsaalooke view for educational leadership(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2019) Cummins, Jason Dean; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: William RuffThere have been many calls for Native American communities to be given more self-determination in the education of their children. Yet despite these calls for allowing Native American parents to be included in the education of their children this is not happening (Bird, Lee and Lopez, 2013). In this study the researcher utilizes an Indigenous research methodology adhering the cultural protocols of the Apsaalooke nation and building upon the 4 R's, which are respect, relevance, reciprocity and responsibility (Kirkness & Barnhardt, 1991). This research allowed Apsaalooke tribal members, identified through the protocols of the Ashammaliaxxiia to voice their perspective and expectations for school leaders who serve students in their communities. There were formal interviews, informal visits and personal communications. The research questions that guided this study are: 1. What kind of behavior and actions do Apsaalooke tribal members expect from school leaders such as principals and superintendents serving their students? 2. How can school leaders work well with parents and leaders in the Apsaalooke community? 3. What do Apsaalooke tribal members want school leaders to know and be aware of in the education of the children of the tribe? From the research four salient themes emerged which are: 1. A leaders first job is to learn; 2. Lead through relationships; 3. Crows take education seriously; 4. The preservation of Apsaalooke identity and culture. Seventeen tribal members participated in the study. From the study the researcher found that leaders need to respect the community and build authentic relationships within it by being present and connected to the community. Lead the school with those relationships within the informal leadership model in the community in a more flattened model based on the respect of and the character possessed by influential leaders, rather than a hierarchical one, as well as defend those relationships. Understand the Apsaalooke want their student to achieve academically and help parents to support their students in this and hire and retain quality teachers. Support the preservation and perpetuation of the Apsaalooke way of life.Item Piikani School leadership(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2018) Hall, Omaksaakoomapi Bradford Roy; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: William RuffThis dissertation focuses on Piikani school leadership as shared through the narratives and experiences of a retired school leader. Noonaki's experiences chronicle her longevity in school leadership and steadfast commitment to integrating the Piikani culture and language into the schools she led on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Noonaki's stories provide a realistic view of school leadership challenges she faced and offer her thought provoking knowledge to inspire current and aspiring school leaders to accept the Piikani values into their practices. School leaders are key to advancing Piikani values, culture, and language into the schools they serve on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Therefore, school leaders when developing relevant leadership practices, are called upon to commit themselves to practice ai-sii-moki' (guidance, teaching, and discipline), as they encounter and mitigate challenges among community stakeholders, specifically focusing on how they each can support student success. Through Noonaki's transfer of knowledge from her to the researcher, this exchange encapsulates her experiences into stories, told in the places where she practiced school leadership. Community Centered Digital Storywork (CCDS), is an integrated Piikani knowledge dissemination framework, that leverages cultural protocols to capture Piikani ways of knowing. Noonaki inspires current and aspiring school leaders to build their skills and practices around the Piikani values of okamotsitapiyiisin (honesty), ainnakowe (respect), aahsitapiitsin (generosity), waattosin (spirituality), matsisskii or iiyiikittahpii (courage), maanistapaisspipii (humility), and kimmapiiyipitsinni (compassion).Item Nkʷuwils: becoming one through Sqelixʷ education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2017) Munson, Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: William Ruff; Jioanna Carjuzaa (co-chair)To carry the hope envisioned by the Elders and ancestors who have come before us, it is our duty as Séliš and Ql'ispé peoples of The Flathead Reservation, to stand together to redefine success for our children--to re-imagine a system of education that realizes deeper understandings of our traditional languages and cultures, stronger identity, greater pride, higher rates of achievement as determined by our people, and better preparation for our children to live in the best way possible, as strong and proud contributors and leaders for our communities. Guided by teachings passed on since time immemorial, we can meld our traditional languages, cultures, educational strategies, practices, and lifeways with high expectations to provide an education that prepares our children to lead our communities, state, nation and world in spiritual, cultural, linguistic, emotional, physical, and academic ways. The information gathered within this work has been informed by informal conversations with Sqelixʷ Elders, their children, and their grandchildren, which have followed Sqelixʷ life ways to work towards finding a consensus. This collaborative work offers seven key considerations to remember in regards to understanding and carrying on Sqelixʷ education and lifeways: 1) Nkʷuwilš (Intergenerational Nature); 2) St̓ulix̣ Sʔac̓c̓x̣s łut Sqlqelixʷ (Sqelixʷ Worldview; 3) Ɫus Nqwtnaqsms łu Spx̣pax̣t (Importance of Spirituality; 4) Putʔem u Nćxʷlew̓s (Respect and Relationships); 5) X̣est Sm̓im̓eyem łul Scxʷlxʷlt (Appropriate Teachings Throughout Lifetime; 6) Nttelšm u Nttelšmis (Willingness and Wantingness); and, 7) Sxʷiććš łu č̓ Sqlqelixʷ (Contribution to Community). The findings redefine education for our Sqelixʷ people, from womb until we continue our journeys into life with our ancestors. In fact, the key understandings shared are so robust they identify holistic ways of being - as educators, as learners, as people guided by respect, love, hope, spirituality, contribution to community, and so many other values - Sqelixʷ values. They remind us how to live in the best way, with and for our people. This work solidifies the idea that education for Indigenous communities is best when it is defined by the community. It adds an example for others to use as a reference while working with their own Indigenous communit(ies) globally.Item Inquiry into the cultural consciousness of nursing students during a one-week cultural immersion service learning experience within an American Indian community(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2016) Alexander-Ruff, Julie Heather; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Arthur W. BangertCultural consciousness is a central element of purposeful and appropriate health care delivery that integrates knowledge, sensitivity and understanding (Korton & Sahtouris, 2001). The preponderance of research across a variety of disciplines suggests that cultural consciousness and awareness is strengthened through self-reflection (Axtell, Avery & Westra, 2010; Danielewicz, 2001; Furlong & Wright, 2011; Gay & Kirkland, 2003; Rew, 2014), dialogue about race (Murray-Garcia, Harrell, Garcia, Gizzi, & Simms-Mackey , 2014), and experience within other cultures (Fredericks, 2006; Kozub,2013; Peaz, Allen, Carson & Cooper, 2008; Stone, et.al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine nursing students' perceptions of cultural consciousness pertaining to American Indian culture developed during a one-week cultural immersion service learning (CISL) experience. Specifically, The overarching research question central to the focus of this study was: How do nursing students at this university describe their CISL experience? Three sub questions were posed to inform the main research question. An intrinsic single case study design bounded by the students' perceptions of a cultural immersion service learning experience within an American Indian community was used to answer the research questions. Thirty participants were selected from two cohorts of nursing students enrolled in Nursing Care of Children and Family, a required junior-level course participated in a one-week CISL experience. Data included instructor observations and two sets of student reflections. The data were analyzed using the constant-comparative method (Strauss, 1987). Evidence from clinical reflections demonstrated most students wrestled a mismatch between their initial expectations and the reality of the situation, but several weeks afterward two-thirds of the students integrated the CISL experience into a coherent whole in which cultural consciousness emerged in their reflections. The findings from this study suggest that incorporating CISL experiences into undergraduate nursing curricula may facilitate the development of cultural consciousness and the skills needed for culturally competent care in student nurses. Also, there appeared to be a link between students' ability to recognize their societal privilege, the close proximity of healthcare disparities, and cultural consciousness. Additionally, recommendations were provided for developing a CISL experience within an undergraduate nursing program.Item Status and prospects for bilingual Indian education in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1976) Chesarek, John StephenItem A preliminary investigation into the current status of Indian education in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1971) Watts, Shirley JeanItem A comparison of Indian and Caucasian students' achievement as measured by the Iowa tests of educational development at an Arizona high school(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1962) Van Horn, Alan C.Item A study of educational achievements of Crow Indian students(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1979) Stops, William Galen; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Elnora A. Old CoyoteItem The significance of home life on dropout rates of secondary school Indian students(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1972) Bak, Roger AxelItem A comparative study of Crow Indian students attending an Indian-controlled reservation school and a non-Indian-controlled off-reservation school(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1978) Lefthand, Sara Louise Young