Class Activity: Decolonizing Data Analysis adapted from DAL500

Curriculum Integration Statement

Weaving Truth and Reconciliation (TRC), Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), Sustainability (SUS), and Human Skills (HS) into the student experience at Seneca will allow our students to think on a broader scale. While it is not necessarily student learning outcome in terms of productivity and achievement that is the focus, it is more expanding student views so that we graduate people that will become well-rounded inclusive leaders for tomorrow. With respect to TRC, EDI, SUS, and HS development, our graduates should graduate with technical thinking, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and teamwork, adaptability and continuous learning, ethical and professional behavior, problem-solving and initiative, and finally global, cultural, and environmental awareness skills to implement all priority areas.

Setting the Context

To guide students to grow and improve in all three CI priority areas (TRC, EDI, SUS), practical application and project-based learning as well as active learning and class engagement need to be applied in course curriculum and deliverables. CI themes were explicitly integrated into course lectures and connected to authentic situations that are relevant to students’ lived experiences. This content was paired with activities to create meaningful connections and initiate discussion. Students drew upon these discussions to complete a culminating authentic assessment in which they apply the ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) analytic process to critically assess findings, then create a final report using text and graphics.

Activity Details

The activity described below is inspired by one component of a broader culminating assignment. In this activity, students visit an online resource to complete a task, then engage in reflection and group discussion. Specifically, students are asked to critically examine the relationship between government administrative geography and traditional Indigenous territories to explore the interactions between data, geography and Indigenous populations.

Decolonizing Demographic Data

Data plays a powerful role in shaping policies, governance, and identity for the inhabitants of a nation. Forward Sortation Areas (FSA) are Canadian government-defined administrative boundaries that are often used to define data sets. Indigenous territories have existed since before Canada was formed. Indigenous data sovereignty supports Indigenous control over the way data about Indigenous populations is collected and used. This activity asks you to think about some of the issues surrounding collection and analysis of Indigenous data.

• Visit Native Land Digital and explore the map of Indigenous territories.
• Identify the approximate location of the Indigenous territories where the highest number of FSAs are located.
• Consider the following questions and discuss within your group:

1. What are the names of the First Nations that traditionally inhabited and continue to provide stewardship for these territories?
2. What differences do you notice between the colonial and Indigenous maps of this part of Canada/Turtle Island? What principles or criteria guide land mapping under each system?
3. What are some of the limitations of using FSA data sets to analyze: (i) diverse communities? (ii) land and water resources?
4. How can decisions made by the government based on FSA analysis negatively impact Indigenous residents of this colonial FSA/traditional territory? Why is it important for Indigenous nations to be able to define, protect, and govern their own data?
5. What other types of data could be analyzed to provide greater context and help inform more equitable decisions?

Summary

This kernel highlights how simple active learning activities, together with discussion, can support student growth in the CI priority areas. Activities form one part of an essential curriculum that combines content delivery, active learning, and authentic assessment. Online resources can be leveraged as starting points for reflection. For more examples like this, please see the ITAS Curriculum Integration space.

Additional Resources

Native Land Digital Native Land Digital Teacher's Guide 2025

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Wilson Quist for providing the original framework and inspiration for this activity.