Embedding 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures' between years 7-10 in the Australian Secondary History Curriculum by Adrian Pattinson

Embedding 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures' between years 7-10 in the Australian Secondary History Curriculum by Adrian Pattinson https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp Adrian Pattinson en-us 2016-10-25 10:24:06 UTC 2023-04-22 20:01:57 UTC hello@padlet.com The Melbourne Declaration that guided the construction of Australia’s National Curriculum pledged a commitment to an inclusive curriculum that creates active and informed citizens and prepares Australian students “to compete in the global economy on knowledge and innovation” (MCEETYA 2008 p.4). This distinctly progressive policy document cites the changing nature of the workforce in a rapidly globalised world and highlights a commitment to prioritising “the value of Indigenous cultures, knowledge and skills”, and, “improving educational outcomes for Indigenous youths” which requires engaging Indigenous students in content that is relevant and engaging (p.15).  The contemporary focus of the Melbourne Declaration and its ‘Commitment to Action’ has resulted in the inclusion of three Cross-Curriculum Priorities (CCP) which sit outside the content areas in the Australian Curriculum; ‘Sustainability’, ‘Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia’ and ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures’. The inclusion of the CCP demand pedagogic responses from teachers that may not always be prioritised, this blog is designed to aid teachers and pre-service teachers in embedding Indigenous content and perspectives into years 7-10 of the Australian History Curriculum.  apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133197011 2016-10-26 00:34:23 UTC https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133197011 apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133198259 2016-10-26 00:46:42 UTC https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133198259 apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133198425 2016-10-26 00:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133198425 apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133237302 2016-10-26 07:07:45 UTC https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133237302 apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133543908 A close investigation of the History syllabus for years 7-10 in the Australian Curriculum shows a considerable dearth of Indigenous content and perspectives in what is a crucial period of intellectual and social development in students’ lives. The Australian Curriculum is structured so that a large portion of Indigenous content is presented during the primary school years; of this material, Lowe and Yunkaporta found that a vast majority fell at the lowest level of Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive development that calls for students to ‘identify’, ‘recall’, ‘recognise’, ‘research’, ‘investigate’ and ‘classify’ (2013, p.7). The skewed nature of how and when Indigenous content and perspectives are taught lead to two acute implications for Australian students; firstly, students are introduced to sophisticated issues of colonisation and subjugation at an age when they are incapable of properly comprehending their meanings or consequences. Secondly, Australian students may have their instruction of Indigenous content and perspectives drop off completely once they commence secondary school. The History syllabus between years 7-10 thus provides an example of how prescribed content within the curriculum can easily be prioritised over the embedding of ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures’.

Quite simply, the onus lays directly with each individual History teacher to work Indigenous content and perspectives into a curriculum that has a heavy focus on international history, migration and nationhood. It is conceivable that an Australian secondary student could arrive at the beginning of year 11 without studying any material addressing the rich and complex history of Australia’s first peoples in secondary school. In order to assist Australian History teachers to embed ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures’ as a CCP into their classes this blog features links to useful resources teachers may choose to employ in appropriate areas of the History curriculum.

]]> 2016-10-27 08:06:06 UTC https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133543908 apattinson1 https://padlet.com/apattinson1/9axp6ecw3gkp/wish/133544345 Human migration to Australia- Year 7

http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/154244/archaeology-and-macassan-visitors-to-australia

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/migration-to-australia/

http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/1876011/first-footprints

Making a nation- year 9

http://www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians/ - First Australians documentary series SBS

http://questgarden.com/158/99/1/130505210455/index.htm- First Australians- Making headlines!

http://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/lessons/viewLesson/White-Australia-Then-and-Now.105- White Australian policy

http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/154288/school-and-stories-on-the-durack-station - White Australia policy

http://www.outreacheducation.sa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Changing-Worlds-Teacher-Resource-FINAL.pdf - The effects of contact

https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/myall-creek-massacre-1838#toc7 – Myall Creek Massacre

WW1, WW2- Year 10

http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/527249/honouring-indigenous-defence-personnel