Course Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge

• Understanding IEK: characteristics, significance, and contexts

• Ethical principles and cultural protocols for IEK work

• International frameworks (UNDRIP, Nagoya Protocol)

• Community rights and intellectual property considerations

• Case Study: Successful community-led IEK preservation initiatives

Module 2: Digital Documentation Methodologies

• Culturally appropriate interview and recording techniques

• Digital tools: audio/video recording, photography, GIS mapping

• Metadata standards for cultural heritage materials

• Quality assurance in digital capture and processing

• Practical Exercise: Designing a community documentation protocol

Module 3: Digital Preservation Systems and Platforms

• Database design for IEK management

• Digital repository platforms and content management systems

• Data backup, migration, and long-term preservation strategies

• Mobile applications for field documentation

• Hands-on: Setting up a basic digital preservation system

Module 4: Access, Control and Benefit Sharing

• Developing community-controlled access protocols

• Digital rights management and usage restrictions

• Benefit-sharing mechanisms for commercial applications

• Ethical considerations in knowledge dissemination

• Practical Exercise: Creating an access and benefit-sharing agreement

Module 5: Sustainable IEK Management and Capacity Building

• Strategies for intergenerational knowledge transfer

• Community digital literacy and capacity building

• Monitoring and evaluation of preservation efforts

• Funding and sustainability planning

• Group Project: Developing a comprehensive IEK preservation plan

• Course review, feedback, and certification

• Grievance redress mechanisms

• Monitoring, evaluation and adaptive management

• Scaling successful models

• Group Project: Comprehensive benefit-sharing plan

• Course review, feedback, and certification