Nurturing Relationships Within a Space Created by “Indigenous Ways of Knowing”: a Case Study

Abstract

A strong educator-learner relationship is continually identified as the most significant form of involvement affecting the student experience. Yet, within the current dominant higher-educational context, student-faculty interactions are also identified as an area in need of improvement. This paper explores the educator-learner relationship within a space created by “Indigenous pedagogy” and epistemology through a case study conducted with undergraduate students at The University of Western Australia. Within this context distinctions such as “inside” and “outside” the classroom are seen to inhibit interconnectedness within a holistic system of knowing. Extensive qualitative enquiry in the form of observations, non-Indigenous and Indigenous student focus groups and faculty interviews, informed a descriptive case study of the unit offered through the University of Western Australia titled “Aboriginal Ways of Knowing”. It was found that this space, as Indigenised, offered students the opportunity to connect spiritually and personally with themselves, one another and their educators. Furthermore, in reading this space as an “interface” between Western and Indigenous systems of knowing, a productive tension emerged in emulation of what Indigenous people experience throughout their daily lives. This research contributes to a growing body of literature indicating the potential of Indigenous pedagogy and epistemologies within the tertiary context.

Rethinking Majors in Australian Indigenous Studies

“…As in higher education teaching and learning generally, a range of pedagogical approaches are recruited in the effort to pursue decolonising goals in teaching and learning in Indigenous Studies. Some academics have discussed pedagogies for all students (with an emphasis on their value for non-Indigenous students) based on Indigenous epistemologies (e.g., Biermann & Townsend-Cross, 2008; Brown, 2010; Edwards & Hewitson, 2008; Sheehan, 2004). Others have utilised Critical Theories as pedagogy and variously prescribed critical pedagogy (e.g., Lumby & McGloin, 2009) and anti-racist pedagogy (e.g., Hart, 2003) for Indigenous Studies classrooms.…”

Aboriginal Community Engagement in Primary Schooling: Promoting Learning through a Cross-Cultural Lens

“…Additionally, Paris (2012) highlights the need for a culturally sustaining pedagogy in teaching and learning, for example through the land and the native plants. This concept extends Brown's (2010) work, which indicates socially validated learning experiences can be made from both "inside" and "outside" the classroom as an "opportunity to connect spiritually and personally with themselves, with one another, their educators and the land" (p.15).…”

Designing an Australian Indigenous Studies curriculum for the twenty-first century: Nakata's ‘cultural interface’, standpoints and working beyond binaries

“…For example, Williamson and Dalal (2007) assert that Indigenous pedagogies are, by definition, founded on 'respect', sharing, negotiation and listening (p. 56). This bears a close resemblance to Biermann and Townsend-Cross' (2008) claim that Indigenous pedagogies encapsulate the principles of 'respect', 'relatedness', 'inclusivity', 'reciprocity' and 'nurturance' (p. 150), and Brown's (2010) view that Indigenous pedagogies are 'holistic' and 'spiritual' (p. 16). Although we do not underestimate the profundity of affective learning in Indigenous Studies, what we see here are attempts to construct all 'Indigenous' pedagogies in what amounts to perfect terms, while simultaneously implying that all 'western' pedagogies are disrespectful, unsharing and imperialistic.…”