What is the project about?
Purpose
The main focus of the Aboriginal Perspectives in Science Project has been the development of teaching-learning resources that might assist Science teachers to develop programs emphasising the Aboriginal and Indigenous cross-curriculum content, dealing with it in culturally appropriate ways and in authentic contexts.
Teachers in schools in four regions of NSW that have significant Aboriginal student enrolments were involved in the project. The teachers worked closely with members of their local Aboriginal communities, organisations and contact people and were supported by Science and Aboriginal Education consultants who acted as mentors, providing feedback and evaluation as the project developed.
The Science 7-10 section of this website is organised into four stories. Each story presents the resources produced by one of the groups involved in the project. The materials include background information for teachers, context-based units of work, teaching sequences, learning and assessment activities and suggested resources that teachers can integrate into their current Stage 4 and/or 5 programs.
Challenges
Challenges that were addressed prior to and during this project included:
- developing collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal communities
- identifying school staff open to developing these partnerships
- actively involving Aboriginal community members in the development and implementation of school-based curriculum
- exploring the nature of Aboriginal knowledge systems
- achieving curriculum standards
- developing culturally and contextually appropriate units of work, teaching-learning and assessment activities
- collecting samples of student work that demonstrate student understanding and achievement of syllabus outcomes.