Federal funding will go towards further developing immersive video game where players learn the Anishinaabe language, culture and ways of life

TORONTO, June 4, 2024 鈥� , a sociology professor at 91亚色鈥檚 Glendon Campus, is the recipient of for her Indigenous-led metaverse project Biskaabiiyaang: Creating a path towards healing and reconciliation. , associate professor in theatre and creative technologies at 91亚色鈥檚 School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), is a co-applicant. Robyn O鈥橪oughlin joins the team as co-applicant working within the New Brunswick Ministry of Education. 91亚色 and the are also partners in the grant application. The award was created in response to Call to Action 65 to establish a national research program to advance understanding of reconciliation. It is a joint initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Chacaby鈥檚 immersive virtual game is set in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by linguicidals responsible for the death of the Ojibwe language Anishinaabemowin. It challenges players to learn the language 鈥� and save it from extinction 鈥� by exploring ruins, listening to the teachings of Elders and taking lessons from nature. Players discover how Indigenous history and culture have a role in returning beauty and magic to this world where Anishinaabe ways of life prevail. As an Indigenous community-led research project, Nokiiwin Tribal Council guides the work ensuring that Indigenous communities are first and foremost in the project鈥檚 direction.

鈥淢etaverses, as we see them in the Western world, are spaces where Indigenous people do not exist,鈥� says Chacaby, who is Anishinaabe, Beaver Clan from Kaministiquia (Thunder Bay). 鈥淭hat is a form of colonial erasure happening in these new technologies that I really want to disrupt.鈥� Part of the groundbreaking interdisciplinary research program Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society, Biskaabiiyaang works to address the impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities, support culture-based healing practices and encourage language reclamation.

Chacaby, a research associate with the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, has long promoted Anishinaabe culture and language through courses she鈥檚 developed at Glendon. In 2016, for her online classes, she crafted a Dungeons and Dragons-style, card-based role-playing game in Anishinaabemowin. This gamified approach to learning led to soaring proficiency levels, with grammar and other difficult areas of language acquisition becoming easier as students developed characters and completed quests. But Chacaby wanted anyone to have access to this education. That鈥檚 where the metaverse came in.

An avid gamer, Chacaby noted how within massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft and Fallout, players use and coin terms that are only understood by other users and immediate team members. That made her realize these virtual worlds were environments ripe for learning. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業f young people can talk in this very sophisticated technical language about a made up world, we can do the exact same thing with the culture鈥�,鈥� says Chacaby.

The project uses research-creation methodologies to build an audio and visual archive that is the foundation of the Biskaabiiyaang metaverse. Scott Baker, the education manager for the Nokiiwin Tribal Council, describes his excitement about Elders鈥� teachings making their way into the virtual world. 鈥淲hat the SSHRC grant is going to open up for us is to start collecting these stories,鈥� says Baker.

鈥淲e're actually documenting stories and teachings, and these will live long beyond when I'm gone,鈥� says Audrey Gilbeau, executive director of the Tribal Council. A co-creation with community Elders and Indigenous youth, the virtual world is a community-built and -owned archive that鈥檚 alive, growing and changing. She says that Elders and Knowledge Keepers who have passed away over the past five years, since work on Biskaabiiyaang began, continue to live on in the recordings and stories captured in the project.

The best way for a community to hold an archive is in a format that people can access, says Caines, adding: 鈥淭he metaverse is the archive.鈥� The researchers have partnered with , a virtual world platform, to build the metaverse and bring the archive to life. Content in the metaverse is based upon Anishinaabe worldview and culture as well as family histories and individuals鈥� lived experiences. The virtual world is a place where players learn by undertaking quests and interacting with traditional tools and objects, teachings, and language learning modules using culture-based game mechanics.

In partnership with AMPD鈥檚 new program opening at Markham Campus, undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows will come together with Indigenous teens from the region to work on the metaverse at the new facilities, as well as gain on-site training in Northern Ontario. Biskaabiiyaang is the first step in a decade-long project running in tandem with the UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous Languages. A multi-year project, it is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 65.

Visit the Biskaabiiyaang to learn more and download a free demonstration.

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TORONTO, June 9, 2017 鈥� Today, 91亚色 is celebrating a $127 million commitment by the Ontario government that will enable 91亚色 to open a Markham Centre Campus in 2021.

The provincial government funding, announced this morning by Michael Chan, MPP Markham-Unionville, on behalf of the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, is crucial for the creation of the new campus. Within a few years of opening, Markham Centre Campus will bring capacity for more than 4,000 students to an area of the province which has a high demand for post-secondary education.

The new campus will be built on a five-acre site contributed by the City of Markham, valued at $27 million in 2016. 91亚色 Region will contribute $25 million and 91亚色 has embarked on a fundraising campaign for the Markham Centre Campus. The total project cost will be made public once the work has been awarded.

The new campus will offer more than 20 degree programs and 91亚色 will work with academic partner Seneca College to offer several joint programs. Markham Centre Campus will also form partnerships with the community to design research programs to meet regional needs, offer experiential education to students and create opportunities for commercialization and jobs.

Located near the corner of Enterprise Boulevard and Rivis Road, near the Markham Pan Am Centre, the Markham Centre Campus is already serviced by 15 transit routes and is anticipated to accommodate up to 10,000 students in future phases.

More Information about 91亚色鈭扢arkham Centre:

QUOTES:
鈥淥ur government is building the first university campus in 91亚色 Region and bringing more postsecondary education opportunities to Markham. A new campus will meet the growing needs of this quickly expanding population and will support Ontario鈥檚 highly skilled workforce of the future.鈥�
鈥� Deb Matthews, Ontario鈥檚 Deputy Premier, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and Minister Responsible for Digital Government

鈥淭his is a thrilling and transformative day for our community here in Markham.听Our government鈥檚 multi-million dollar investment in this beautiful new campus delivers on our commitment to expand post-secondary education options in high-growth locations and will offer thousands of students a broad range of programs from which to learn, experience, grow and prepare for the future, close to home.鈥�
鈥� Michael Chan, MPP, Markham-Unionville

鈥淲ith this announcement of dedicated funding to our new Markham Centre Campus, 91亚色 and our partners are one important step closer to opening its doors in 2021. The $127M in funding from the Government of Ontario will ensure we are able to meet the growing demand for access to leading-edge post-secondary education in 91亚色 Region, partner with local businesses and industry to provide unique experiential learning opportunities for our students, and contribute to the expansion of the Region鈥檚 major economic clusters. We are delighted that Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario government are dedicated to the success of our new 91亚色 campus in Markham Centre.鈥�
鈥� Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor, 91亚色

鈥淲e have been working in collaboration with 91亚色 to get the new campus built in Markham. I applaud the Provincial government for their financial support making our dream a reality. This new campus will help build a vibrant cultural and academic hub within Markham and 91亚色 Region. Markham is already home to Canada's tech and life sciences leaders and this addition of a world class University will allow us to attract and retain some of brightest minds in the world, work with industry leaders on research and development, support and grow our local talent pool and provide opportunities for students to thrive in their local community.鈥�
鈥�听His Worship, Frank Scarpitti, Mayor, City of Markham

鈥淎 university campus has been identified as the top economic priority for 91亚色 Region. The $25-million investment our council is making to support a 91亚色 campus in Markham is an investment in our people, the economy and our future. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to advance this important project.鈥�
鈥�听Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO, Regional Municipality of 91亚色

听is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, 91亚色, 416 455 4710, wallsj@yorku.ca

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