"I Felt Naked in a Way": Understanding the Experience of Indigenous Learners in the Communication Classroom

Abstract

Indigenous peoples are underrepresented at colleges and universities in the U.S. and their ways of knowing are routinely excluded from the knowledge systems that are normalized within these institutions. To expand our understanding of culturally informed teaching practices, this study examines rural Yup’ik learners’ experiences in the foundational communication classroom. A thematic analysis of 10 student reflections from a place-based intensive course, revealed tensions related to authority and feedback, gaps in cultural understanding, silencing through dominant frameworks, and honoring Indigenous perspectives. Understanding these students’ perceptions creates space for communication instructors, and the discipline itself, to further investigate current pedagogies.

Publisher

Routledge Journals

Publication Date

8-24-2025

Publication Title

Western Journal of Communication

Department

Creative Writing

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2025.2547581

Keywords

Communication classrooms, Decolonizing pedagogy, Indigenous knowledge, Qualitative Research, Reflections

Language

English

Format

text

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