Fostering Critical Thinkers

Ngarrngga Position Paper

Critical thinking is an essential skill for Australian students, enabling innovation, complex problem solving and discernment in a world of misinformation. In our third paper, Fostering Critical Thinkers, Ngarrngga advocates that including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and perspectives in curriculum enables educators to support the next generation of Australians to engage with the complexities of Australia’s shared history and develop their critical thinking skills.

This is the third paper in the Weaving our Stories project.

Read the paper here.

Our calls to action

• We challenge educators, educational leaders, and educational institutions, from early childhood centres to universities, to critically examine their curricula, teaching practices, and institutional cultures to identify and address any biases, stereotypes, or marginalisation of Indigenous perspectives and knowledges, as well as identify opportunities to strengthen this work.

• We urge the Australian government and education authorities to provide adequate funding and resources to support initiatives, which aim to amplify Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives in education.

• We call upon governments and educational policymakers to prioritise the meaningful integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and knowledges into the national curriculum across all subject areas and grade levels.

• We encourage all Australians, regardless of their background, to engage with and learn about the histories, cultures, and knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This can be achieved through attending cultural events, reading works by Indigenous authors, and seeking out opportunities for respectful dialogue and knowledge-sharing.

About Weaving our Stories

The Weaving our Stories project highlights the significance of incorporating Indigenous Knowledges into Australian education and includes a series of position papers as well as additional materials to support educators and educational leadership to effectively advocate for the integration of Indigenous Knowledges in their teaching and learning.

Learn more about the project here.