Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Unit

Synopsis

This Unit will explore Indigenous and non-Western traditional education for both children and adults within a global perspective. It will support you to expand your understanding of Indigenous cultures and consider Indigenous and local forms of education alongside the provision of mainstream schooling by nation states.
The two foci of this Unit are: first, to introduce you to education programs which have successfully engaged with learners from Indigenous and traditionally oriented societies and achieved improvements in their education outcomes, and second, to situate mainstream provision of Indigenous Education within a global context.
Of critical importance will be an examination of the positioning of Indigenous and traditional education systems within the nation state, the impact of colonisation, issues pertaining to the retention and maintenance of Indigenous and traditional knowledge through education, and the role of international organisations in protecting, preserving and maintaining Indigenous and traditional education systems.
By using your teaching experiences, an extensive national and international literature, an array of teaching and learning resources, and your capacity for critical analysis, you will be able to develop skills and insights into how you can engage learners from Indigenous and traditional communities and create successful academic partnerships that improve academic outcomes.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this Unit students should:

1. have an understanding of the terms 'Indigenous', 'local', 'Traditional' and 'Traditional Owner' as they pertain to education;
2. be able to explore the role of education in nation building and the place of Indigenous and local non-Western traditional education claims within nation building;
3. become aware of issues pertaining to the retention and maintenance of Indigenous and non-Western traditional knowledge through education;
4. identify the role of international organisations in protecting, preserving and maintaining Indigenous and non-Western traditional education systems; and
5. be able to use this knowledge when developing your pedagogical approach, Indigenous educational content in your area of expertise, appropriate assessment tasks and a robust evaluation framework to improve your professional practice.

Fieldwork

The equivalent of 25 days shared across this unit, Core Education Units and a Core Curriculum Unit. To meet the objectives of this unit it will be important that some of the 25 days be devoted to 'being in the field' with Indigenous communities, building partnerships and generating and supporting collaborative project(s).

Assessment

Assessment task 1: equivalent 2,000 words
Title: Indigenous Education Project or Curriculum Initiative
Assessment task 2: equivalent 2,000 words
Title: Report on traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledges

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Glenn Auld

Contact hours

3 hours (max.) per week.