True Cultural Appreciation and Integration in ID: Creating Learning That Respects Diverse Ways of Knowing

In the Canadian Red Cross' *Indigenous Cultural Safety* training series, one concept stands out: ""Two-Eyed Seeing"" (known as Etuaptmumk in the Mi'kmaw language). It invites us to view the world through both Western and Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing, recognizing that each offers valuable insights, and that together they create a richer, more holistic understanding.

This philosophy has powerful implications for instructional design. Culture shapes far more than language. It influences how people learn, participate, build trust, and make meaning. Drawing on the principles of Two-Eyed Seeing, this session explores how instructional designers can move beyond surface-level inclusion to thoughtfully integrate diverse cultural perspectives, learning traditions, and ways of knowing into the design process, thereby creating learning experiences that are both effective and truly honouring.