Undergraduate - UnitEDF2120 - Indigenous issues

This unit explores Indigenous and non-Western traditional education for both students and adults within a local and global perspective and supports students to expand their 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 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 in students' future teaching contexts. Of critical importance are 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. Students use their teaching experiences, an extensive national and international literature, an array of teaching and learning resources, and capacity for critical analysis to develop skills and insights into how to engage learners from Indigenous and traditional communities and create successful academic partnerships that improve academic outcomes.