EDES105 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges Histories and Cultures

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

EDAB161 Indigenous Cultures and Peoples , EDAB411 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures, Peoples and Education

Unit rationale, description and aim

Australian education aims to promote equity and excellence, and for all children and young people to become successful learners and confident and creative individuals. Teachers must develop knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures in order to support learners from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds to achieve this goal. Teachers also need an awareness of skills, protocols, sensitivities and educational practices needed for teaching all students about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing. 

This unit develops pre-service teacher knowledge and understanding of the complexity and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages, and the impact of cultural identity and language background on the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Through critical reflection on the literature, and sensitive engagement in discussion and collaborative tasks, you will develop an understanding of educational philosophy, contemporary issues, contexts and policies shaping the educational experiences of Australia’s first peoples. Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, the ways of teaching and learning from an Indigenous perspective and how to work culturally with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and communities is explored.

The aim of this unit is to enable pre-service teachers to learn from and through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives to enhance their respect for and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. In doing so, pre-service teachers will develop intercultural understandings, to promote reconciliation and build capacity to work culturally with students from an Indigenous Australian background.  

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the impact of colonial and post-colonial experiences on the histories, cultures, relationships and interactions between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (GA1, GA4, GA8; APST 2.4; ACECQA D3, D5, E1)

LO2 - Analyse contemporary issues, history, context and government policies and their impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (GA1, GA4, GA5, GA8; APST 2.4; ACECQA D3, D5, E1, E2)

LO3 - Describe how to work culturally and communicate authentically in cross cultural situations with an appreciation of the centrality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures to the current national identity of Australians (GA1, GA4, GA7, GA8; APST 1.4, 2.4, 7.3; ACECQA C5, C6, D1, D3, D4, D5)

LO4 - Analyse the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, working with communities, knowledges, pedagogies (GA1, GA2, GA4, GA5, GA8; APST 1.4, 2.4, 3.7, 7.3, 7.4; ACECQA B5, C4, C5, C6, D3, D5).

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:

ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:

Content

Topics will include:

• Overview of diversities of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages, spirituality, beliefs and values, and concepts of kinship and culturally sensitive issues
• An overview of the similarities and diversities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous traditional and contemporary knowledges and knowledge sources, ontologies, epistemologies, and pedagogies
• The impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
• Theories and forms of racism, its impact on individuals, organisations, systems and nations including: white privilege; systemic racism and differing world views; and anti-racism strategies
• Analysis of contemporary issues, including media portrayal, racism and stereotypical views and assumptions impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
• Past and present national and local jurisdictional educational policies, priorities, programs and practices, and their impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within the Australian society, as compared to other relevant international policies.
• Current and historical events that have impacted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their education;
• Strategies to connect with communities and families to promote reconciliation and involve parents/carers in the educative process
• Creating inclusive and culturally safe learning environments to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people highlighting culturally appropriate and relevant teaching strategies incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowings, being and doing.
• Reliable resources for extending the understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and education

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Where in exceptional circumstances small cohort groups of participants exist studying in multi-modal programs, delivery may involve a combination of face to face and multi-mode delivery. Participants should expect to participate in a range of the following: online engagement, lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations and group discussions, both online and face-to-face, self-directed study activities and assessment tasks. Face to face engagement with appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations or service deliverers will be required.

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students must engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.

Technology Enhanced Learning

This unit uses ‘Learning Environment Online’ (LEO) for the provision of lecture and tutorial content, required and/or further readings, and other unit material. Recorded lectures will be made available to students through LEO. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes and demonstrate attainment of professional standards. This unit focuses specifically on two standards: APST 1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The three assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development. Through completing Task 1 the pre-service teacher will have the opportunity to review and reflect on conceptions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in society today. Through completing Task 2 the pre-service teacher will develop research, communication and teamwork skills and will deepen their understanding of community organisations which support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In Task 3 will examine and reflect on a number of educational concerns to ensure the best educational opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Minimum Achievement Standards

The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes by submitting all assessment tasks and obtaining a combined score of at least 50%. 

Electronic Submission, Marking and Return

Turnitin will be used as a means for submitting, marking, and returning of assessment tasks. Assessment tasks will be returned within three weeks of submission.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

Price, K., & Rogers J. (Eds). (2019). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: An introduction for the teaching profession (3rd ed.). Port Melbourne, Vic: Cambridge University Press.

Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au

Early Years Learning Framework https://www.education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework-0

Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents. 

 Recommended references

Battiste, M., & Henderson, J. Y. (2000). Protecting Indigenous knowledge and heritage. A global challenge. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada: Purich.

Bird Rose, D. (1996). Nourishing terrains. Australian Aboriginal views of landscape and wilderness. Canberra, ACT: Australian Heritage Commission.

Blair, N. (2015). Aboriginal Education: More than adding perspectives. In Noelene L. Weatherby-Fell (Ed). Learning to Teach in the Secondary School. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.189-208.

Clark, A. (2008). History’s children: History wars in the classroom. Sydney, NSW: University of New South Wales Press.

Hampton, R., & Toombs, M. (2013). Indigenous Australians and health: The wombat in the room. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Harrison, N., & Sellwood J (2016). Teaching and learning in Aboriginal education (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Kickett-Tucker, C (Ed). (2017). Mia Mia. Aboriginal community development: Fostering cultural security. Port Melbourne. Vic: Cambridge University Press.

Manne, R. (2003) (Ed). Whitewash. On Keith Windschuttle’s fabrication of Aboriginal history. Melbourne, Vic: Black Inc. Agenda.

Martin, K. (2008). Please knock before you enter: Aboriginal regulator of outsiders and the implication for researchers. Teneriffe, Qld: Post Pressed.

Nakata, M. (2007). Disciplining the savages. Savaging the disciplines. Canberra, ACT: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Reynolds, H. (2018) This whispering in our hearts revisited. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.