Welcome to Science in Context
The Science in Context: schools working with Aboriginal communities (SiC) program, developed by the NSW Department of Education, is a strategic response to the identified need for teachers to utilise appropriate teaching and learning strategies for Aboriginal students in science and to develop curriculum materials that are connected to the lives of Aboriginal students. This website has been developed as a part of the Living Knowledge project.
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The Science in Context program recognises that all students need to incorporate an Aboriginal community perspective into the science syllabus to strengthen and maintain Aboriginal identity and culture.
The SiC program is incumbent on schools valuing and drawing upon the knowledge and understandings within their local Aboriginal community. The Science in Context program is an opportunity for schools and teachers to develop strategies to make science more meaningful and relevant for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students and will lead to improved outcomes for Aboriginal students. This web site outlines the Science in Context: schools working with Aboriginal communities program and provides some answers for schools starting Aboriginal community perspective programs in Years 7–10 Science.
The Science in Context program is a response to the need to support teachers of science in planning and teaching Aboriginal community perspectives in the new NSW Science Stages 4 & 5 syllabus (2003). It recognises that students need to engage in the learning of Aboriginal community knowledge to strengthen and maintain Aboriginal identity and culture. Five schools participated in the program. The project requires schools to value and draw upon the knowledge and understandings within their local Aboriginal community.The site includes sample teaching and learning units developed and trialled by the participating schools, student work samples, photographs and video and audio interviews.Teaching and learning units to support the NSW Science 7–10 syllabus (2003) were developed by: Kempsey High School, Doonside Technology High, Warren Central School, Vincentia High School and Willyama High School. The units were based on aspects of local Aboriginal community knowledge in the communities communities were: Broken Hill, Warren, Ulladulla, Penrith and Kempsey.