Development Project for Online Multi-modal FNEL Learning Resources: Musqueam Language Program (FNEL) & Arts ISIT (Arts Digital Collections)

TitleDevelopment Project for Online Multi-modal FNEL Learning Resources: Musqueam Language Program (FNEL) & Arts ISIT (Arts Digital Collections)
Faculty/College/UnitArts
StatusActive
Duration2 Year
Initiation04/01/2025
Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2025/2026
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorPatricia A. Shaw
Year 1: Funded Amount30,605
Year 1: Team Members

Patricia A. Shaw, Professor Emerita, Critical Indigenous Studies (CIS), Faculty of Arts
Jill Campbell, Adjunct Professor, First Nations and Endangered Languages Program (FNEL) / CIS, Faculty of Arts
Marny Point, Lecturer, Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP), Faculty of Education
Grace Point Bassett, Lecturer, NITEP, Faculty of Education
Fiona Campbell, Sessional Lecturer, FNEL / CIS, Faculty of Arts
Larry Grant, Adjunct Professor, FNEL / CIS, Faculty of Arts

Year 1: Summary

This project will result in the development of a new interactive multimodal online course platform for students in the Musqueam language classes of the First Nations and Endangered Languages Program to work towards the reclamation of the critically endangered hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language. Whereas the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ Salish language spoken by the Musqueam people, on whose traditional and unceded territory UBC is situated, flourished for millennia as a body of rich oral traditions, there are no longer any fluent speakers who grew up with hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ as their first language. Particularly crucial therefore to Indigenous language revitalization is access to sound files. Two fundamentally important design features of this innovative course platform are first, the stable integration of audio files with the literate text; and secondly, in-built safeguards to ensure the protection of these sound files from unauthorized use.

Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2026/2027
Year 2: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorPatricia A. Shaw
Year 2: Funded Amount19,395
Year 2: Team Members

Patricia A. Shaw, Professor Emerita, CIS, Faculty of Arts
Jill Campbell, Musqueam Indian Band (MIB) Member / Co-author, Musqueam Language Program (MLP), FNEL Curriculum, Faculty of Arts
Marny Point, MIB Member / Urban Coordinator, NITEP, Faculty of Education
Grace Point Bassett, MIB Member / Lecturer, MLP, FNEL, CIS, Faculty of Arts / NITEP, Faculty of Education
Fiona Campbell, Sessional Lecturer, MLP, FNEL, CIS, Faculty of Arts
Larry Grant, MIB Member / Adjunct Professor, MLP, FNEL, CIS, Faculty of Arts
Angela Lam, Sr. Manager, Arts Learning Technology Support, Arts ISIT, Faculty of Arts
Henry Hu, Educational Technologist, Arts ISIT, Faculty of Arts
Shaffiq Rahemtulla, Program Analyst II, Arts ISIT, Faculty of Arts

Year 2: Summary

The innovative focus of this project is the development of an interactive multimodal online course platform for students in the FNEL hən ̓ q ̓ əmin ̓ əm ̓ Salish language classes. Traditionally spoken by the Musqueam people, on whose traditional and unceded territory UBC is situated, hən ̓ q ̓ əmin ̓ əm ̓ flourished for millennia as a body of rich oral traditions, but in the past century succumbed to the multiple pressures of colonialism and “went silent”. Outside the limited contact hours of classroom time, individually-controlled access to sound files is a tremendous asset for reclaiming a language no longer heard in public discourse. Unlimited repetition of audio files significantly enhances auditory discrimination and accurate pronunciation of a language with 22 non-English consonants. Building on the stable integration of sound-text pairings for thousands of vocabulary words, along with usage in interactive dialogues and songs, the platform integrates the full corpus of curricular materials into an online searchable audio-enhanced Glossary/Dictionary.