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Incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives in the Australian early childhood education setting (Refer to Annotated Note 1)

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Incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives in the Australian early childhood education setting (Refer to Annotated Note 1)

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This is part of the push to decolonise the curriculum in all aspects and levels of the Australian education system, from early childhood education all the way to higher education in Australia. Hook (2012).

There has been a push and emphasis by the industry, the government as well as society as a whole on introducing children in the early childhood setting to Indigenous and Aboriginal perspectives and culture so that they can increase their awareness of the First Australians and understand the origins of this country. This is also to correct past wrongs and injustices as well as the erasure and exclusion of Australia's First Nations in the past.

Personally, I have experienced how different centres have approached these two pedagogical issues.

( Refer to Annotated Note 1)

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Analysing through the lens of sociocultural theories (Refer to Annotated Note 2)

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Analysing through the lens of sociocultural theories (Refer to Annotated Note 2)

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Personally, I believe that both pedagogical issues can be best analysed through the lens of sociocultural theory, especially what Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky has developed.

In Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, children/ the learner develop cognitive functions through interactions with a more knowledgeable other. Another important aspect of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory is the Zone of proximal development, which is the difference between the child's current actual achievement level and his/her potential achievement level through collaboration and guidance with a more knowledgeable other.

In both pedagogical issues identified above, the sociocultural learning theory can be applied in real teaching practise and I believe is directly applicable to the effective transmission of both Indigenous perspectives and climate awareness. ( Refer to Annotated Note 2)

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An Analysis of how the Indigenous community is defined in Australia (Refer to Annotated Note 4)

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An Analysis of how the Indigenous community is defined in Australia (Refer to Annotated Note 4)

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Another key point towards incorporating Indigenous perspectives is understanding the past of present of how the Indigenous community is defined in Australia. It has a complicated history filled with discrimination and persecution but also that of resistance and hope.

Shay and Lampert (2020) lays out in detail how the Indigenous people of Australia define their own community and community engagement as well as how colonial legacies and definitions continue to affect community and education policies to this day. ( Refer to Annotated Note 4)

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Working with and Learning from Country (Refer to Annotated Note 3)

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Working with and Learning from Country (Refer to Annotated Note 3)

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Indigenous Australian understanding of "country" and how humans exist and the role we play in the natural environment and the universe around us is drastically different from the Western perspective.

Instead of focusing on tokenistic expressions, as educators facing the pedagogical issue of how to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into an early childhood education setting, we first need to understand in detail how Indigenous people understand the world around them and the essence of their culture. This should be the priority and foundation before any concrete action can be made.

Working with and learning from Country: decentering human authority (Country, B. et al, 2015) is a very good source of reference in which a detailed explanation is made in academic terms for educators to understand how the Yolgnu people in the Northern Territory understand the world and what we can learn from them. ( Refer to Annotated Note 3).

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Learning from our neighbour New Zealand-incorporating Maori perspectives on place and environment (Refer to Annotated Note 5)

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Learning from our neighbour New Zealand-incorporating Maori perspectives on place and environment (Refer to Annotated Note 5)

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New Zealand is viewed as Australia's closest neighbour and brotherly nation. It is known for being a pioneer for incorporating both indigenous Maori worldview and protection of nature by combining world class policy together with Maori knowledge and participation.

As educators in the Australian early childhood education space, learning from the New Zealand early childhood curriculum of Te Whariki has been highly recommended for its comprehensive inclusion of indigenous language, culture and perspectives. It can be argued that New Zealand has definitely led the way in their educational approach, and Australia has a lot to learn from them.

Panelli and Tipa (2007) lays out how Maoris view the environment and their sense of place as well as how that influences Maori behaviour and understanding towards nature. ( Refer to Annotated Note 5)

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Future outlook and intersectional link to sociocultural theory

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Future outlook and intersectional link to sociocultural theory

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Combining the analysis of both pedagogical issues, we can see that both the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives as well as including environmental awareness and climate education are linked intersectionally.

In the future, both pedagogical issues can be approached through a sociocultural theory lens in the classroom. Children through interaction with and the guidance of a more knowledgeable other can acquire a better understanding of both Indigenous knowledge and climate awareness, which is key in their future.

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Having worked in the Australian early childhood education sector since last year, I have identified two particular pedagogical issues that I have personal experience with and are close to my heart. I believe that both issues are very urgent questions in the Australian education sector- incorporation of Indigenous and Aboriginal perspectives into the classrooms of early childhood education in Australia, as well as the inclusion of awareness of the environment and climate change in an early childhood education setting.

I have seen action in person on how educators in the industry have engaged and grappled with both of these pedagogical issues and therefore I believe I am qualified enough to identify and analyse them in this assignment.

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Including environmental and climate awareness in Australian early childhood education

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Including environmental and climate awareness in Australian early childhood education

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Climate change is a pressing issue of our time and the time to take action is now in order to mitigate the effects and impacts of climate change.

In an early childhood education setting in Australia, the inclusion of environmental awareness and climate change education is key to ensuring that future generations have an understanding of what is facing them and is equipped with skills for them to take action for their own future.

Specifically, state governments such as the Victorian and NSW Education Departments in Australia have printed guidelines and action guides for schools and early childhood centres to reduce their climate footprint as well as incorporate environmental and climate education in a day to day classroom setting.

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Supporting environment based education (Refer to Annotated Note 6)

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Supporting environment based education (Refer to Annotated Note 6)

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Environment based education is a very effective and beneficial approach in an early childhood education setting in which children can explore nature through play and develop a sense of place and connection with nature. One of the most well known methods of this is known as " bush kinder", in which children led by their educators are encouraged to explore a wild environment and through exploration of these environments, develop an appreciation of nature and Earth.

Different state governments have produced documents and outlines guiding environment based education and other non-governmental organisations have also produced guidelines of best practice ( Refer to Annotated Note 6).