Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102133

Coordinator Dianne Burrell Opens in new window

Description The subject is only offered to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education program. The subject explores how Aboriginal ways of knowing country, and how tacit Aboriginal cultural knowledge embeds many of the principles of sustainability. Country defines First Nations people’s identity and spirituality globally. The subject provides opportunity of the exploration and development of self and identity in terms of traditional stewardship practices that underpin the practice and principles related to the maintenance of place/country, language, spirituality. The subject builds awareness and understanding about Aboriginal ‘ways of knowing’ and ‘caring’ for Country. The subject provides community engagement opportunities for the exploration of oral traditions, language, writings about nurturing, visiting, talking, singing and feeling ‘sorry’ for Country. It will design a framework whereby as future educators they will be able to use an ecological approach to their teaching of significant global issues such as: sustainable land and energy use, the impact of human society on land and land management, global warming, the concept of self-sustaining systems and valuing sustainable patterns of living. The subject requires students to undertake visits to Environmental Field Studies Centres, the UWS Sustainability Subject and local cultural learning centres to work with Elders.

School Education

Discipline Teacher Education: Primary

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject

Equivalent Subjects EDUC 2010 - Human Society and Its Environment 2

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 1717 Bachelor of Education (Primary) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Identify and outline the features of ‘knowing country’, culture and place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the traditional of stewardship in communities
2. Describe Aboriginal people’s stewardship models in the broader understandings required to support more sustainable patterns of living (consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence).
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sustainability in the developing world and the responses to the challenges of living in them 
4. Assess and develop knowledge of appropriate resources, information and communication technologies, from a range of field and sites visits.
5. Analyse the impact of politics and economics of environmental sustainability on Indigenous people at the global level.

Subject Content

1. Spiritualities and the concept of Country, locally and globally using case studies of First Nations Communities
2. Indigenous people’s stewardship models
3. The concept of sustainability
4. The integration of Indigenous landscapes and sustainability as expressed through community, global and political forums
5. Inquiry approaches to learning, development of cultural knowledge systems related to nature and the environment.
6. The politics and economics of environment and Indigenous people’s sustainability
7. Environmental field study centres, cultural centres, museums, galleries and other learning centres.
8. Knowledge- who owns ‘Aboriginal knowledge’?  Keeping knowledge safe, intellectual cultural property, policies and international law.