Embedding Indigenous Perspectives into Science to support implementation of the Australian Curriculum Joe Sambono, Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment Presentation at Yamaiyamarna Paitya | Teachers are deadly! 2012 national MATSITI conference, July 9-11, Tarndanya (Adelaide), 9-11 July. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative.

1. Embedding Indigenous
perspectives into
resources to support
implementation of the
Australian Curriculum -
Science.

2. Joe Sambono
Principal Project Officer
Indigenous Schooling Support Unit –CSQ
Department of Education, Training and Employment
joseph.sambono@dete.qld.gov.au
C2C P-10
Science

3. Why embed Indigenous histories and
cultures into curriculum?
• ACARA:The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priority
provides opportunities for all learners to deepen their
knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s
oldest continuous living cultures. This knowledge and
understanding will enrich their ability to participate
positively in the ongoing development of Australia.
• Reconciliation
• Positive identities
• Hidden histories/facts
• Greater educational outcomes for Indigenous students

4. Barriers to embedding
• Many established educators are products
of a system that has not acknowledged or
taught them about Indigenous Australians
• Major knowledge gaps exist in our
educators…us too. We can’t know all.
• Subject snobbery and gatekeeping
• We are still recovering from past
mandates.

5. Science as an Indigenous
perspective/context
• Debate
• Parallels often accepted easier than
perspectives.
• More education and awareness of Indigenous
knowledge will in time change erroneous views
• Things are changing…Indigenous ways are
progressively being recognised more and
more….

6. TEK is becoming more regarded by scientists and is gaining traction and
recognition as science knowledge.
Applied ecology/ Restoration ecology are fields of science that are being
utilised more and more with the realisation that the earths environments
are in distress.
Applied and restorative ecology rely heavily on the TEK held by indigenous
groups when formulating better land management practices.
Our technological advancements have separated us further and further
from the land. This has massive ramifications. No doubt we will be
looking at how Indigenous groups of the world lived sustainably more
and more.
I believe it is here that we will see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
science and the ways traditional knowledge and western scientific
knowledge can be complementary.
Jan 2012 ecological management and restoration special issue on entirely
on indigenous land and sea management.

8. Cross-Curriculum Priority
ACARA also recognise the significance of Indigenous
Science Knowledge and have included it as one of three
cross-curriculum PRIORITIES
The Australian Curriculum: science values Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. It
acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples have longstanding scientific knowledge
traditions.

9. ACARA state that this cross-curriculum priority will
ensure the following:
•Students will have opportunities to learn that Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples have developed knowledge about
the world through observation, using all the senses; through
prediction and hypothesis; through testing (trial and error); and
through making generalisations within specific contexts. These
scientific methods have been practised and transmitted from one
generation to the next. Students will develop an understanding that
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have particular ways of
knowing the world and continue to be innovative in providing significant
contributions to development in science. They will investigate
examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander science and the
ways traditional knowledge and western scientific knowledge can
be complementary.

10. Limitations
• Although ACARA recognise importance of
Indigenous science ACARA has limitations
• We need to battle low representation-more
can be done
• ACARA within the Australian curriculum
have used a flag (i.e. hand print) to denote
which content descriptors include an
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander history
or culture

12. Science Science as a human Science enquiry
Understandings endeavor skills
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15. How can we do more?
• I believe it is in finding Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander cultures and
histories that are relevant to as many of
the content descriptors as possible

16. Answering the content descriptors

20. What does a lesson look like that contains
an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
history or culture?
Four quick examples
2.Lesson
3.Assessment
4.Activity
5.Resource

21. Lesson example
• Year 10
• Responding to Global Issues — Ethics
and Human Action
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
histories and cultures
Students will discuss Aboriginal peoples and
Torres strait island people’s knowledge
about environmental management and
climate change.

22. Lesson example summary
• This lesson is not focusing on an
Indigenous perspective, it focuses on the
lesson context – the global issue of
carbon dioxide and how humans are
working to reduce it.
• In delivering this information we have
been able to successfully embed an
Indigenous perspective without it coming
across as tokenistic or piecemeal

23. Assessment example
• Year 4
• Materials and their purpose — How Indigenous peoples
of the world use natural materials
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and
cultures
Students will:
• access Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’
knowledge about the use of natural materials due to the
properties of these materials
• access how this knowledge influences the subsequent
use and manipulation of natural materials

24. Assessment example summary
• This lesson uses an Indigenous context to
provide students with the opportunity to see first
hand how Indigenous Australians have been
working scientifically for thousands of years.
• It also shows how Indigenous Australians
possess great scientific understandings that
enable them to produce paints that look
spectacular and able to stick to surfaces for
thousands of years
• This example also shows that CCPs can be
included as an assessable element

25. Activity example
• Year 2
• Exploring pushes and pulls —
Exploring pushes and pulls of
familiar objects
• Making a mammandur

26. Activity example summary
Through using this activity students will:
•access Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait
Islander peoples’ knowledge about pushes,
pulls and materials needed to make
traditional spinning toys
•replicate a traditional Aboriginal spinning
toy using contemporary materials.

27. Resource example
• http://vimeopro.com/user7524645/fire-by-frictio
• Year 9
• Exploring combustion — Introducing
bushfire chemistry
• Students will develop an understanding of
traditional Aboriginal peoples and Torres
Strait Islander peoples’ knowledge of
combustion processes

28. Thanks for listening!!!