Decolonizing and Indigenizing PLAR

with Susan Forseille and Nicole Borhaven

Date & Time: April 10, 2024 noon - 1 p.m. (PST)

Location: Online

Registration deadline: April 8, 2024

Cost: Free to members; $25 to non-members.

Webinar Description

We are proud to be offering this learning opportunity on the traditional territory of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc.

For generations, Canada has followed a destructive path, acknowledged as genocide by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, rooted in the colonizers' erroneous beliefs of superiority in knowledge and learning. Today, there's a growing awareness of the need for change, prompting institutions like Thompson Rivers University to embark on a journey to decolonize Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) processes. Despite PLAR being seen as a model for open education, this decolonization effort has brought new insights into epistemology and pedagogy. The university's experience reflects the challenges and rewards of this transformative process, highlighting the importance of inclusivity, humility, and openness to diverse learning approaches. The presentation will speak to the inspiration, uncertainties, and lessons learned, emphasizing the illumination of Indigenous ways of knowing. The university's commitment to decolonization is evident in the adjustments made to assessment tools, practices, and policies, signaling hope for a more inclusive and empowering educational landscape.

About the presenters:

Susan Forseille As the Director, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) at Thompson Rivers University, 22-years as a career-educator, and an enthusiastic researcher, Susan Forseille has been privileged to work in, and conduct research around, multiple intersections of career development, prior learning, and education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University, a Master of Education from Thompson Rivers University, and is currently completing her PhD with the University of Leicester. Susan is a passionate PLAR advocate believing adult learners acquire great amounts of knowledge and skills through life and work experience.

Nicole Borhaven is the PLAR Manager for Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC. In this role, she supports her department in strengthening the PLAR program and ultimately, service to the students. Before this, she was a PLAR Advisor for 11 years and has deep insight into the diverse needs of students and how to support those, though acknowledges that this learning is never-ending, especially in the world’s shifting landscape. For the past several years, she and the PLAR Department have been on the meaningful, imperative journey of decolonizing and Indigenizing PLAR.