Expanding the Circle: Connecting Native American Learners with Distance Education
There appears to be a lack of bridging between Native American students and their culture, and the dominant Anglo system of higher education. This gap widens when the student participates in distance education (DE) and is separated from the teachers by space and time. This article calls for meeting the challenge of caring in academe by addressing cultural aspects of Native American students and provides suggestions for facilitating their learning through DE. After the Native American-Anglo relationship is briefly examined, characteristics and experiences of the Native American student are highlighted, followed by an examination of DE concerns pertinent to this population. Situated learning and a caring pedagogy are used as a framework to provide strategies that enhance success of the Native American student in DE.