Reconciliation, Relationships, and Learning Through Digital Spaces
Dr. Jan Hare is an Anishinaabe scholar, educator, and leader whose work has helped transform how Indigenous knowledge is shared and experienced through digital learning environments. As a member of M’Chigeeng First Nation and a faculty leader at UBC, Hare has created educational spaces that are more inclusive of Indigenous worldviews, languages, and ways of knowing. [opl.educ.ubc.ca]
What makes Dr. Hare particularly significant in educational technology is her ability to leverage digital platforms to advance reconciliation and Indigenous education on a global scale. In the MALAT program, we have been exploring Weller’s 25 Years of Ed Tech, which identifies Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an influential development in ed-tech. Dr. Hare’s successful MOOC, Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education, demonstrates this potential in practice. The course has engaged over 30 000 learners by providing open access to Indigenous perspectives, histories, and approaches to learning. Through this work, she has shown how digital technologies can be used not only to distribute knowledge widely but also to support reconciliation, challenge existing educational structures, and promote more equitable learning environments. [opl.educ.ubc.ca], [educ.ubc.ca]
I am especially drawn to Dr. Hare’s work because many of her values align with my own. As an educator with indigenous roots, I share her passion for Indigenous knowledge systems, community engagement, and supporting children and families. Her research is grounded in collaboration with communities and educational partners, reflecting a belief that meaningful learning happens through relationships and shared experiences. [opl.educ.ubc.ca]
I also connect strongly with her interest in digital storytelling and multimedia learning. I’ve seen how digital tools can empower students to share their voices, tell stories, and build connections. Dr. Hare’s work demonstrates that ed-tech can be more than a delivery system for content. It can be a powerful platform for amplifying diverse perspectives, preserving cultural knowledge, and fostering understanding across communities. In many ways, her work exemplifies how technology can support learning that is relational, reflective, and deeply human.
Example of her digital storytelling: Hare_etal_c150+.pdf
Her UBC biography: Jan Hare – Language & Literacy Education
Footnote: Copilot was used to refine the language in the final draft. All concepts and ideas are my own.
References:
Hare, J. (n.d.). Jan Hare. University of British Columbia, Department of Language and Literacy Education. https://lled.educ.ubc.ca/jan-hare/
University of British Columbia. (n.d.). Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education. https://educ.ubc.ca/mooc-reconciliation-through-indigenous-education/ [educ.ubc.ca]
Weller, M. (2020). 25 years of ed tech. Athabasca University Press. https://25years.opened.ca/
AI Use Plan and Transparency Statement
For this assignment, I used generative AI as a brainstorming tool to help generate questions, explore connections between course concepts, and organize my ideas. I did not use AI-generated information as evidence without verification. Any claims, references, or sources suggested by AI were checked against course readings and scholarly literature before being included.
My guardrails included verifying all citations, reading original sources, and ensuring that the final analysis and conclusions reflected my own understanding of the topic. AI outputs were treated as suggestions rather than authoritative information.
Transparency Statement: AI was used to support brainstorming and editing. I critically reviewed all AI-generated content, verified factual information, and accepted, modified, or rejected suggestions based on their alignment with the evidence and my own interpretation. The final work represents my own thinking and writing.
Reflection
Using AI helped me generate new questions and consider perspectives I might not have explored on my own. Its greatest value was helping me refine my ideas. However, AI responses sometimes oversimplified concepts or required fact-checking, which reinforced the importance of consulting original sources. Overall, AI encouraged a more iterative thinking process while highlighting the need for critical evaluation, source verification, and maintaining ownership of my work.