ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND NATIVE STUDENTS

Abstract

This chapter looks at how e-learning platforms can improve educational equity and access for Indigenous students. It looks at Indigenous communities' educational settings and the increasing use of digital learning tools as substitutes for conventional, institution-based schooling. The chapter emphasizes the advantages of e-learning, such as its potential for community-centered and culturally sensitive education, flexible learning processes, and enhanced accessibility for distant learners. It also critically examines the difficulties and impediments that Indigenous students encounter, including the digital gap, socioeconomic limitations, inadequate infrastructure, or cultural and epistemological mismatch in popular e-learning platforms. The necessities for inclusive, culturally anchored, and policy-supported e-learning models that acknowledge Indigenous knowledge system while actively involve communities in design and implementation is emphasized in the chapter's conclusion.