Two-way community excursions

Aunty Beryl Carmichael on a science excursion with Willyama High School students

A critical component of the Science in Context program is the community excursion. This is an active exercise in which the school science curriculum incorporates Aboriginal community knowledge of the environment into its content and context.

Aboriginal community members are consulted by teachers and students on their expertise and intimate knowledge of particular historical, cultural and physical aspects of the environment. This process encourages a two-way sharing of knowledge that encompasses both Western and Aboriginal bases of knowledge and understanding.

Each of the schools held a two-way learning community excursion. Records of these excursions will soon be posted on this site.

The Science in Context program was inspired by 'Both ways' education at Yirrkala Community Education Centre in the Northern Territory, Australia (see Both ways on the Living Knowledge Project website).