Asynchronous Professional Development Course: Primary Source Histories of Indigenous Enslavement & Colonization

See Stories is offering a free 3-credit class for teachers and other education professionals.

In this course participants will explore history of Indigenous enslavement and colonization in Alaska through original research and primary source material. The course will include guest presentations from Alaska Native scholars and culture bearers, historians, archivists, and educators.

The course will use a culturally responsive, trauma-informed lens. Participants will explore cultural bias in archives and primary sources and strategies for how to Indigenize primary source research in the classroom.

Final assignment: Participants in the course will design meaningful lesson plans (or other activities) to engage students or colleagues with archival sources related to the history of Indigenous enslavement and colonization.

The course is asynchronous. Participants will work through the course content on their own and complete assignments.

Course Dates: September 15- November 17, 2025

Credits: This course is a 3 credit professional development level course through University of Alaska Anchorage: ED 545K: Alaska Studies for Educators: An Examination of Conflicting Perspectives. This course will meet the Alaska Studies course requirement of the State of Alaska for teacher certification.

We welcome educators from outside Alaska to participate. The stories of Indigenous enslavement and colonization are shared history across the country, and the course assignments will be inclusive of participants outside of Alaska.

The course provides a framework for the understanding and teaching of Alaska studies through an examination of conflicting perspectives surrounding and emanating from key events in recent Alaska Native history. Considers the extended impact of these events upon indigenous and immigrant residents, institutions of Alaska, and Alaska’s environment. Focuses on Alaska Native perspectives while exploring varying views of the social, economic, and political history of Alaska and the educational institutions and laws that affect the people of Alaska.

Cost: Free! Funding is provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

This Teacher Professional Development workshop is generously funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.