First Nations in Education (EDUC91047)

This subject empowers Teacher Candidates to meet their responsibilities as future classroom teachers to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

This subject encourages Teacher Candidates to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the impact of cultures, cultural identities, and linguistic backgrounds on the education of children and students from First Nations backgrounds.

This subject will enable Teacher Candidates to effect change in working towards improving the educational attainment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and students whilst providing opportunity for all Australian children and students to engage and learn with First Nations cultures, societies and histories, developing respect for First Nations peoples and everything they have achieved.

Teacher Candidates will engage in critical discussions and activities that enable them to reflect on the impacts of settler colonialism, racism and unexamined bias on First Nations educational sovereignties as well as build their understanding and awareness of Indigenous knowledges and strategies for working towards decolonization.

Teacher Candidates will engage with an e-portfolio as a provocation generating analysis and reflection. Teacher Candidates will explore a range of strategies, resources including ICT, and pedagogical approaches that demonstrate knowledge, understanding and respect for First Nations histories, cultures and languages. Teacher Candidates will identify the key components necessary to provide a culturally responsive classroom to encourage the participation and support of First Nations children and students. A broad range of strategies that support children and students’ wellbeing and safety are explored including strategies for engaging parents/carers in the educative process.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, Teacher Candidates should be able to:

• Apply knowledge of and respect for First Nations histories, cultures and languages by including Indigenous perspectives and curriculum content in teaching.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the learning strengths and needs of First Nations learners with consideration of culture, cultural identities and linguistic backgrounds to support inclusive student participation and engagement.
• Identify how a range of teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches can be adapted to meet the needs of individual children and students in educational contexts and support positive educational experiences for Indigenous students, families and communities.
• Examine a range of challenges and achievements related to learning and teaching of First Nations children and students and inclusion of First Nations histories and cultures in education spaces, and apply this reflexivity to the specific work of teaching.
• Critically evaluate a range of resources that engage children and students in the learning of and respect for First Nations histories and cultures, and develop anti-racist practices that support people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Use the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes to show contextual applications for educators and teachers and centre/school sites that promote student safety, wellbeing and full participation of First Nations children and students.

Generic skills