In Grade 12 NDW4M online course, students examine global issues from the perspectives of Indigenous peoples, investigating topics such as identity, social justice, human rights, spirituality, resilience, and advocacy for change. Students draw on the depth and diversity of Indigenous cultures, traditions, and knowledge to consider how Indigenous communities around the world persevere despite current global political, social, and economic challenges.
Students learn about the threats to cultural survival posed by trends such as the loss of land as an economic base, environmental decline, lack of sovereignty/self-governance, the legacy of colonialism, globalization, language loss, and gender-based discrimination facing Indigenous women and girls. By encouraging students to examine the political, economic, and social context for a variety of interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in several regions of the world, NDW4M online helps students build knowledge and skills that prepare them for meaningful participation in a globalized society.
As students make connections between contemporary global issues and cultural survival, they learn that all cultures benefit when Indigenous values, rights, and aspirations are respected. Students not only explore the impact of global trends on Indigenous lives and lived experiences but they also discover ways in which Indigenous knowledge and leadership can support efforts to address issues affecting all peoples. Students may investigate the benefits of incorporating Indigenous perspectives into resource management, for example, or of employing Indigenous leadership approaches within organizational structures. By exploring the values reflected in Indigenous concepts such as the two-eyed seeing model and planning for future generations – and by investigating how these values can guide approaches to the complex issues facing nations and peoples around the world – students extend their understanding of the contributions that Indigenous cultures make, and the value they add, to the global community. They also develop their awareness of the critical importance of building relationships based on truth and mutual respect. 
Summary of Units and Timelines for NDW4M Grade 12 Indigenous Studies
Below is the suggested sequence of course unit delivery as well as the recommended number of hours to complete the respective unit. 
Unit Order
Unit Name
Suggested Time
Unit 1
Identity
25 hours
Unit 2
Relationships
25 hours
MID SEMESTER POINT
Unit 3
Sovereignty
20 hours
Unit 4
Challenges
20 hours
Final
Course Culminating Activity
20 hours
Total
110 Hours