Holly Turner

11521803

Assessment 1 Report

Today,IndigenousstudentsaremarginalisedinourmainstreamWesternschoolingsystem,dueto
commitmentstotheirculture,theirparentsviewsofschool,andthedifficultyoflearninginand
aboutaculturethatisnottheirown.
Inanefforttoovercomethismarginalisation,strategiescanbeimplementedintheclassroomto
introducetheIndigenouscultureandcommunity,andtomakelearningrelevant,andlessdifficult
forAboriginalstudents.AsstudieshavefoundIndigenousstudentstolearnthroughtrailanderror,
contextspecificactivities,andlearningbydoing,handsonactivities,thatexplicitlyhaveapurpose,
shouldcontinuallybeincludedintheclassroom(Harrison,2011).Handsonactivitiesacttoengage
students,andasIndigenousstudentslearnbydoing,ratherthantheory,itallowsthemtolearnina
waythatisfamiliartothem(Harrison,2011).
AfurtherstrategythatcanbeimplementedistorepresentIndigenouscultureintheclassroom,such
asallowingmembersoftheircommunitytocomeintospeakortakepartinactivities,andteaching
IndigenousAustralianhistoryalongsidenonIndigenoushistory.Indigenouslanguage,artand
culturalsymbolscanalsobedisplayedaroundtheclassroomtomakeIndigenousstudentsfeelmore
comfortable.
Indigenousstudentsshouldalsobeofferedchoiceandfreedomintheirlearning.Astheyarefroma
backgroundthatisdifferentthantheirnonIndigenouspeers,theymaynotbefamiliarwith
technologiesusedbyotherstudents,orhavethesameexperiencesofreadingandwritinginthe
home.Toensureallstudentscanlearninamannerthattheyarecomfortablewith,allowthemto
experienceusingarangeofmaterials,andtechnologies,andofferalternativeassessmentstrategies
thatacttobenefitthem.
ThehistoryofIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenousAustraliansaredefinedbyeachother,
andhaveaffectedanddeterminedIndigenousAustralianslives.Inanefforttoimprovethe
educationofIndigenousstudents,strategiesneedtobeimplementedthatofferthemasafeand
EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies

Holly Turner

11521803

Assessment 1 Report

familiarenvironment,welcometheirculture,andsetactivitiesandassessmentsthataimtoallowthe
studentstosucceedtothebestoftheirabilities.
References
Harrison, N. (2011). Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education (2nd Edition). Melbourne:
Australia, Oxford University Press

EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies