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Aboriginal knowledges and perspectives in the curriculum 


We respectfully acknowledge the Kaurna, Boandik and Barngarla First Nations Peoples and their Elders past and present, who are the First Nations' Traditional Owners of the lands that are now home to our campuses in Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla.

Aboriginal Peoples are advised this guide may link to resources that contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

Why is this important?

As an educator, it is important you continually critically evaluate any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources you choose to incorporate into the curriculum. This allows you to:

  • Highlight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
  • Promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's lives respectfully
  • Reduce harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • Address racist and stereotypical views 
  • Help redress past harm caused by use of inappropriate resources

Adapted from AIATSIS Guide to evaluating and selecting education resources (p. 3)

Getting started

Using the AIATSIS Guidelines

Key part

What it covers
Reflecting on self (page 8) Critical questions to ask yourself when selecting a resource.

Core questions when evaluating resources (pages 9-10)

Guidance to help you make integrity driven decisions.

Includes three domains:

  • Participating: Indigenous participation in the development of content
  • Positioning: how are indigenous people positioned throughout the resource?
  • Production: making your own curriculum resources

Using the AITSL Standards

Finding teaching resources

How to search the Pedagogies in practice collection

Databases to search

These contain a range of videos and stories from Aboriginal perspectives.

Examples of teaching resources

Openly available resources

The Arts

English

Humanities and Social Sciences

Languages

Mathematics

Science

Technologies

Find relevant theories

To find relevant theoretical papers start by searching the Library collection. Try a basic search, for example: decolonising curriculum, or an Advanced search.

Advanced search example

  1. Add each different concept into a new search field. These are connected using AND.

  1. Add synonyms or alternative keywords using the connector OR to make your search more comprehensive.
  2. To add another concept to your search select +ADD A NEW LINE.

    For example: Aboriginal OR Indigenous OR "First Nations"
     

More search keywords

  • decolonising | decolonisation | diversity | culturally responsive | culturally responsive teaching | culturally responsive pedagogies |  self determination

Databases to search for literature

Some key readings

Suggest a resource

Alternatively contact the Ask the Library service via email.