Title: Meet your FLO Facilitators: Positionality Statement
Course: FLO MicroCourse: Digital Well-being through an Indigenous Lens > Section: Welcome!

Positionality Statement

This course has been developed through an Indigenous lens that is holistic: a way of being and knowing that acknowledges Indigenous Peoples’ relationships with all our relations. Our identities are deeply rooted in the wisdom and traditions of our ancestors. Our positionality is shaped by recognition that the land on which we stand carries the stories of countless generations. It is not merely a physical space but a living entity with its own spirit. We honour the land, its ecosystems, and the Indigenous Knowledges that sustain it. We cannot separate our identities from the impacts of colonization. Our positionality extends beyond the individual. We are part of a collective and we carry the responsibility to honour the past and create a better future. Let us walk together, of good heart and mind guided by our ancestors, and with the hope for a more just and equitable world where all ways of knowing are valued equally.

All our relations,
Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas
Curriculum developers & FLO facilitators

Learner notes:

“Positionality” refers to where you are situated in relation to your various social identities (such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, ability, and geographical location).

“All our relations” includes plants and animals, other human beings, the water, land, wind, sun, moon, stars, and more—everything seen and unseen.

“Positionality is everpresent, affecting all aspects of our lives, including teaching, leading, policymaking, common interactions, and most notably, research—where the concept is most often prevalent.”

Source and recommended reading: Why do we need to reflect on positionality? (engineerinclusion.com)

Consider how your positionality influences your instructional choices for content, activity, assessment, and delivery. Then consider working on positionality with your students by using some of the ideas outlined in Positionality Statement | Centre for Teaching and Learning (queensu.ca)

Remember that each Indigenous person’s positionality is unique, shaped by their specific cultural context, experiences, and ancestral lineage. Consider how you will introduce yourself by stating your positionality.

Your FLO Facilitators will be Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas.

Connie (she/her) is both Métis and German. With gratitude she acknowledges the Qualicum and Snaw-Na- Was First Nations on whose ancestral lands she lives, works and plays on. Connie is an educational developer and Indigenous Relationship Specialist, as well as a regular collaborator with BCcampus. Through a student-centred and decolonized approach to this work, she strives to create systemic change within post-secondary spaces and increase mental health literacy and skills for educators, students, and community members. Connie has had the honour of working under the teachings of many Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Colleagues in many of B.C.’s First Nations Communities; these relationships and teachings have influenced her approach to education.

Robyn (she/her) is both Métis and Lithuanian. With appreciation, she acknowledges the Okanagan and Syilx First Nations on whose ancestral lands she lives, works and plays. Robyn specializes in Indigenous adult education and communications. She is honoured to collaborate with BCcampus on Indigenous education. Robyn is grateful for the many years she has spent working in public and private Indigenous post-secondary education. She is passionate about creating online education learning experiences for adult learners. She has found the achievement of a Master’s Degree in Professional Communications, with research embedded in creating relationship efficacy in the digital realm, a helpful tool. Robyn carries an educational philosophy of traditional grassroots learning with a belief in two-way learning and strength-based learning. Robyn has had the honour of working under the teachings of many Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers and in many First Nations Communities in B.C. and Alberta; this opportunity has greatly influenced her approach to education.

Positionality Statement

This course has been developed through an Indigenous lens that is holistic: a way of being and knowing that acknowledges Indigenous Peoples’ relationships with all our relations. Our identities are deeply rooted in the wisdom and traditions of our ancestors. Our positionality is shaped by recognition that the land on which we stand carries the stories of countless generations. It is not merely a physical space but a living entity with its own spirit. We honour the land, its ecosystems, and the Indigenous Knowledges that sustain it. We cannot separate our identities from the impacts of colonization. Our positionality extends beyond the individual. We are part of a collective and we carry the responsibility to honour the past and create a better future. Let us walk together, of good heart and mind guided by our ancestors, and with the hope for a more just and equitable world where all ways of knowing are valued equally.

All our relations,
Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas
Curriculum developers & FLO facilitators

Learner notes:

“Positionality” refers to where you are situated in relation to your various social identities (such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, ability, and geographical location).

“All our relations” includes plants and animals, other human beings, the water, land, wind, sun, moon, stars, and more—everything seen and unseen.

“Positionality is everpresent, affecting all aspects of our lives, including teaching, leading, policymaking, common interactions, and most notably, research—where the concept is most often prevalent.”

Source and recommended reading: Why do we need to reflect on positionality? (engineerinclusion.com)

Consider how your positionality influences your instructional choices for content, activity, assessment, and delivery. Then consider working on positionality with your students by using some of the ideas outlined in Positionality Statement | Centre for Teaching and Learning (queensu.ca)

Remember that each Indigenous person’s positionality is unique, shaped by their specific cultural context, experiences, and ancestral lineage. Consider how you will introduce yourself by stating your positionality.