The resource is excellent in terms of its ease for students to navigate. The resource is likely suited to lower secondary year levels (7-9) rather than higher levels, due to the briefness of a lot of the content explored. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learning for students focuses a lot on identity, giving insightful video explanations of ways of life for the Wadawurrung people in the area. The resource is great in achieving the Cross-curriculum requirements by incorporating the First Nations people’s impact on the well-known Australian historical event of the gold rush. 

 

The resource has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining a lot of traditional practices which helps the resources relevance and accuracy of the learning being explored. However, within the resource their does not appear to be an acknowledgment of country included, as well as a lot of the language used in the videos is in past tense. In accordance with AITSL (2017) standard 1.4, teachers should be wary of these missing elements in the resource when navigating the website and designing lessons for a diverse classroom. 

 

In accordance with AITSL standard 1.4, teachers when instructing students to use this resource, need to be aware that some content may be sensitive, particularly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (AITSL 2017). The website provides a welcome to country and a content warning. The resource is presented in a well-balanced way, showing diverse aspects and representations on the process of reconciliation around the 1967 referendum. 

This resource is very appropriate for classrooms as it uses relevant primary resources and several different perspectives and accounts of knowledge. Teachers should be able to successfully demonstrate an understanding of the website as AITSL standard 2.4 requires graduate teachers to be able to talk about and promote learning of reconciliation in Australia (AITSL 2017). The resource is enriched with diverse learning opportunities for students to gather an understanding of what the 1967 referendum meant to the daily lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The resource would best be suited for Primary school classes. Students in levels 3-6 would be able to successfully navigate the website independently due to the ease of access to the resource. Particularly in levels 3-4 of the Victorian Curriculum, students are expected to begin recognising significant days in Australian History and what impacts they had (VCAA 2017). The website being so enriched with content, allows students when navigating to be able to develop an understanding of the impact that non-indigenous Australians have had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders life as a whole. 

 

The resource is very well balanced with input from Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and groups, aiming to integrate a lot of diverse learning techniques (NSW Department of Education 2019). The resource includes an acknowledgement of country and provides a content warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers of the inclusion of deceased persons images and voices. In compliance with AITSL standard 1.4, teachers need to be aware of these warnings when choosing to use this resource in a classroom which effect certain students (AITSL 2017). 

 

This resource as well as explaining excellent approaches to teaching, provides a number of detailed unit ideas that teachers can use for their planning. Offering examples for Indigenous learning to take place in the classroom through Literacy, Maths and a range of subjects. This resource is perfect for teachers in adhering to the Australian cross curriculum requirements. Students engaging in this learning satisfy the curriculum requirements of seeing a different style of learning through the way of life and thinking that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do (Australian Curriculum 2018).

 

The effect of schools embedding strategies from this resource into their curriculum planning, helps students to learn processes that have formed Indigenous people’s identities. Students will learn to not only understand how these learning approaches work, but be able to use them for themselves, developing an appreciation by students and teachers of the sophistication of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander systems and processes (NSW Department of Education 2019). Overall, this resource is very complete and gives both teachers and students a range of respected pedagogical approaches that have being used in education for a long time. 

 

Immediately when opening the website, a message in respect to the traditional custodians of the land is given to viewers. Through this message they have integrated a focus on science in relation to the resource, respecting the first scientists for passing on knowledge and learnings through this website for the purpose of educating. A content warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views is also presented.  Teachers need to be aware of what students they have in their class before applying the use of this resource, in accordance with AITSL teaching standard 1.4 (AITSL 2017).  

Overall this resource is excellent for teachers in linking science learnings through to the ways of life and identity that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have had over time in their discoveries. Teachers can use the many recommended texts to devise sequences of learning for students, connected to especially the Victorian Curriculum. Content code for levels 7 and 8 ‘VCSSU089’ is relevant to this resource in having students conduct investigations (VCAA 2017). These ideas can help students identify Indigenous scientific learning strategies, then comparing their ways to the technological advancements of today. 

 

 

 

·      ABC 2019, Right Wrongs - On May 27, 1967, Australians voted in a referendum to change how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were referred to in the Constitution. How far have we come since 1967?, Abc.net.au.

·      Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2018, Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Histories and Cultures, Australian Curriculum, viewed 4 September 2022, <https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures/>.

·      Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL] (2017), Australian professional standards for teachers, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

·      Deadly Science 2021, DeadlyScience, DeadlyScience, viewed 6 October 2022, <https://deadlyscience.org.au/>.

·      NSW Department of Education 2019, 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning, 8 Ways, viewed 6 October 2022, <https://www.8ways.online/>.

·      Sovereign Hill Education n.d., Hidden Histories: The Wadawurrung People, Hidden Histories - The Wadawurrung People, viewed 5 October 2022, <https://sovereignhillhiddenhistories.com.au/menu>.

·      Sovereign Hill.net n.d., Hidden Histories Secondary Teaching Kit, Sovereign Hill, viewed 5 October 2022, <https://sovereignhill.com.au/hidden-histories-secondary-teaching-kit#:~:text=Hidden%20Histories%3A%20The%20Wadawurrung%20People%20is%20a%20website%20featuring%20a>.

·      VCAA 2017, Content description VCHHK076 - Victorian Curriculum, victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au.

·      VCAA 2017, Content description VCSSU89 - Victorian Curriculum, victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au.