Reframing Curriculum with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives

What if curriculum design could support significant knowledge shifts by changing the perspective through which young people engage with learning?

There are clear professional obligations for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures that are articulated in the Alice Springs (Mpartnwe) Education Declaration, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, in the Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0) and throughout the Australian Curriculum.

The Early Years Learning Framework’s (V2.0) vision for children’s learning states that:

All children are active and informed members of their communities with knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

In the Australian Curriculum, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority functions as a conceptual throughline across all curriculum learning areas, that is, a curriculum for all students, across all learning areas and all years of schooling.

What is a ‘perspective’?

A perspective is a lens through which we make sense of the world. Perspectives can be unique, represent diverse views and change according to context; importantly, multiple perspectives can coexist and different perspectives can be held simultaneously.

There is a genuine opportunity to consider diverse ways of knowing, being and doing, and explore the world through different lenses.

For example, in Woiwurrung language, autumn is the time of luk (Eel season) in March. Rather than a label for a season, teaching Indigenous perspectives can reflect ecological knowledge, cultural practices and connection with Country.

Global perspectives are about understanding identity and awareness of self in the broader context of family, community and the world we live in. Local perspectives can extend to understanding our deep interconnections as global citizens through learning about culture, sustainability, worldviews, social justice and peace.

Whose perspective?

A helpful entry point is to ask, ‘What perspectives are missing?’ Curriculum design can unintentionally limit perspectives by prioritising dominant views. However, by being intentional and incorporating Indigenous perspectives, we broaden exposure to the knowledge and experiences young people can access. This supports deep learning, critical thinking, questioning and engaging respectfully with diverse views.

Acknowledging curriculum tensions

While Indigenous Knowledge systems are relational and interconnected, the school curriculum is organised into discrete learning areas. This challenges curriculum interpretation and design, which can fragment knowledge if Indigenous perspectives are slotted into learning areas without drawing connections.

In the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, the aim is not to limit it to simply adding cultural content or scheduling cultural activities, such as excursions and events.

The following examples and categorisation reflect curriculum structures rather than Indigenous worldviews, but there is an opportunity in classrooms to acknowledge and respect the interconnectedness of Indigenous knowledges. This moves beyond using isolated facts and artefacts, helping learners see how knowledge, place, identify and community are woven together.

We can remain faithful to curriculum expectations and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives by treating learning areas as entry points, not bounded, discrete knowledge areas. We can draw explicit connections across learning areas by demonstrating the curriculum connections and the broader nature of knowledge.

Local connections

Local connections begin with Country. What connections can you make to local histories, languages and stories connected to the centre or school site in the community? Student can learn through these local stories, not just about them.

• Who are the Traditional Custodians and local language groups, and what are their cultural and community practices?

• What are our local plants, animals and natural features, and how are they interconnected?

• How do we experience local seasonal changes?

• What local histories and stories are connected to this place?

Examples

The examples below use the learning area structures of the curriculum because that is how planning, assessment and reporting occurs; however, these example also intentionally highlight the interconnectedness of Indigenous knowledges.

When exploring a local seasonal calendar, students might investigate ecological changes in their environment and explore plant knowledge related to food, medicine and resources (science). They can investigate patterns in nature, geometric patterns in artworks and represent seasonal patterns using graphs (maths).

Learners can investigate and create artworks using knowledge of the seasons and how local colour palette and patterns change (Arts) and explore oral histories or stories connected to those seasons (English/Humanities). They can learn about the Traditional Custodians and local language groups (learn some traditional local words related to the seasons and what they mean). Play local, traditional games and experience how our natural environment is important for our health and wellbeing (Health and PE).

Sharing stories is an important way to incorporate Indigenous voices in the curriculum. There is an increasing availability of picture story books, novels and other texts written by Indigenous authors that provide different perspectives. Learning can also occur through oral histories and engagement with local community members.

Professional Learning

But there is an important component to incorporating Indigenous perspectives that involves teachers and educators being provided with opportunities to access and participate in high quality professional learning. When exploring perspectives, a new way of thinking emerges that considers culture, worldviews and knowledge systems in the way that curriculum is designed and taught. Time, resources and spaces need to be created to support teachers with new knowledge and pedagogies that complement teaching different perspectives.

Perspective taking is unavoidable when designing curriculum. We need to consider what perspectives are currently influencing curricular decisions and how can these can be broadened to incorporate and acknowledge Indigenous perspectives, as required by the EYLF V2.0 and Australian Curriculum.

The Ngarrngga resources contain many more ideas, resources and practical guidance to support teacher in embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. Australia is home to world’s longest surviving continuing culture, which offers a significant curriculum opportunity to engage respectfully and learn more deeply from these knowledges and systems.

Contributor Bio

A/Prof Natasha Ziebell

Associate Professor Natasha Ziebell is a Senior Lecturer at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. She has worked extensively in designing and implementing initial teacher education programs and professional learning programs for teachers. Her teaching and research focuses on how curriculum and assessment are designed and implemented to cater for all students.

Learn more about A/Prof Ziebell’s work here.