2024 IAIA Student of the Year Bell Edmo (Pyramid Lake Paiute, Shoshone Bannock, and Blackfeet)

By implementing Indigenous Assessment, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) adopted an assessment model and process more meaningful to students, faculty, and the university. Rooted in IAIA’s core values, we spent several years investigating the Indigenous-rooted model of self-reflection, discussion, community-centric cohesion, and improvement which creates dynamic opportunities for programs to effectively meet the changing needs of our students, their Indigenous communities, and the professional industries our graduates enter.

The framework of the IAIA Indigenous assessment is community-based participatory research (CBPR) as opposed to a rubric-centric model. CBPR is an alternative that empowers the community as co-participants and co-equals with the researchers. After several years of trial, review and documented department-level success, the Indigenous Assessment model was formally adopted by IAIA administration in 2018 as our official methodology and is now poised to grow as an official assessment model used not just in academics but across the university.

Indigenous Assessment is strongly embedded in the IAIA culture, community, and systematically assesses assignments, classes, departments, and programs. The process is such a positive and organic experience for all members of the IAIA community that it has been part of the campus culture from its beginnings.

Four values form the basis of IAIA’s Indigenous assessment system: respect, community, dialogue, and honoring. We seek to respect everyone involved in the assessment process and each student’s work that is reviewed. These four values are:

Community: Indigenous assessment involves the IAIA community.  Any member of the community may participate in assessment.  They do not need to have a direct relationship to the student learning, and they do not need to be an expert in any particular discipline in order to participate.  We can also invite outside members into the community to get to know us and contribute.

Dialogue: Indigenous assessment is dialogue-based. Individual participants share their unique perspective and engage in dialogue about the project being assessed.

Honoring: Indigenous assessment honors the work that has been done by the students, faculty, and staff who have created work, designed courses, and provided services.

Respect: Assessment may be critical, but the criticism is provided thoughtfully and with respect.  Participants in assessment listen to and respect each other’s perspectives and varied opinions about the project. Every member of our community belongs in and has the respect of our community.

Explore Degree Programs

We invite you to explore our degree programs and certificates to find out which program is right for you. Below are the programs we offer at IAIA.