Indigenous Education and Perspectives

Overview

This unit focuses on contemporary and historical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, identity, languages, histories, status, challenges, contributions and perspectives. The unit enables pre-service teachers to synthesise perspectives about Indigenous education and how these can enhance Western education practices. An additional aim is to plan and develop authentic curriculum and pedagogy for teaching Indigenous children and analyse how Indigenous teaching and learning practices can benefit all children. This knowledge and understanding contributes to graduates’ cultural competence and promotes culturally inclusive teaching practices based on sensitive and informed relationships.

Learning outcomes

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• History and culture of Australia’s first nation Aboriginal people
• The positioning of Indigenous and traditional education systems within the nation state
• The impact of colonization and issues related to the retaining and maintaining of Indigenous and traditional knowledge through education
• The role of international organisations in protecting, preserving and maintaining Indigenous and traditional education systems
• Current and past contributions of Indigenous people
• Contemporary contexts for Indigenous people
• Reconciliation and its implications for teachers
• Anti-Bias Curriculum
• Integrating authentic Indigenous studies in the curriculum
• Indigenous perspectives and pedagogy in and implications for teaching not only Indigenous children but all children
• Roles of teachers in supporting reconciliation in a post-apology Australia.