Where to start?

1. Understand why incorporating Indigenous perspectives is important in science and other areas
By introducing Indigenous perspectives into your teaching your students will develop:
- an increased respect and understanding of other cultures
- an ability to think more broadly when exploring social and environmental problems
- an awareness of the relationship between people and their environment
- an understanding of Australia's Indigenous history

Today Indigenous perspectives are also a compulsory part of many education curriculums across Australia, including science. Read the Common questions to explore the relationship between Indigenous knowledge and science further.

2. Involve Aboriginal people
Aboriginal people are the best equipped and most appropriate people to teach Indigenous knowledge. Wherever possible you should seek to involve your local Aboriginal community in education programs that involve Indigenous perspectives. See the 'Science in Context' and 'Both ways' education programs for examples of how to do this and read the NSW DET guideline protocols to assist you.

You can incorporate Indigenous perspectives into your teaching whatever the circumstances of your school and local Aboriginal community. Use the 'Learning sites' on this website to access media resources that will bring an Aboriginal voice into your classroom. Again read the Guideline protocols to assist you.

 

3. Use the teacher support materials
As a part of the Living Knowledge project the New South Wales Department of Education and The Australian National Maritime Museum are developing Teacher support materials to use with the 'Learning sites' on this website.

 

4. Explore the background and research section of this website
The Living Knowledge project involved a research component looking at a comparison between Indigenous Knowledge systems and Western Science. Explore the Select bibliography for more in-depth materials and references.