Wednesday, August 1, 12:00-12:30, SUB Ballroom B, Theme: Partnership

The Digital Storywork Partnership (DSP) integrates community-based participatory research (CBPR) with Indigenous Research Methodologies (IRMs) to advance culturally revitalizing pedagogy, interdisciplinary scholarship, and creative activity in rural and tribal communities across Montana and Wyoming. Partners include Indigenous high school youth and educators; community nonprofits; university and tribal college students, faculty, and alumni; and elders, language teachers, and tribal leaders from multiple Indigenous nations. Through DSP activities, students conduct community-centered research and create films for dissemination of educational content. To frame DSP activities, we apply 6 Rs (respect, responsibility, relevance, reciprocity, relationality, and representation) identified as central to Indigenous research and education. Generally, the DSP process emphasizes: 1) identifying community research and educational interests, cultural protocol needs, and methodological/technical/creative recommendations; 2) applying appropriate methods to investigate community interests and share cultural knowledge; and, 3) debriefing and planning for future action with community partners and educational institutions. The DSP is very different from conventional approaches to research, education, and filmmaking given its focus on community decision-making and protection of culturally sensitive content. This presentation will describe the DSP model (as both a teaching pedagogy and research methodology), share examples from research and filmmaking workshops, and overview benefits and challenges specific to rural contexts. The DSP advances work related to multiple areas of interest within rural education, particularly those related to rural partnerships, revitalizing Indigenous ways of knowing, integrating technology to support learning, and nurturing leadership development in students and community members.