Introduction

3Rs provides pedagogical and cultural resources to support faculties and schools of Education to review, revise, refresh and strengthen existing units of study to help graduates become better Indigenous educators.

The 3Rs unit of study (course) outline is available for incorporation or adaptation in university teacher education courses.

The 3Rs suite of unit modules and resources is intended to be used by teacher educators in flexible ways.

The modules and resources contained within this unit can be used to provide teaching and assessment ideas to assist the development of  learning experiences for initial teacher education students.

The three modules are constructed around supporting the graduate career stage of Focus Areas 1.4 and 2.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:

  • Focus Area 1.4 – Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
  • Focus Area 2.4 – Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The materials provided on this website comprise three separate but connected modules:

  1. Know yourself: Know your world – an underpinning module to explore cultures and values
  2. Know your students – teaching Indigenous students (Focus Area 1.4)
  3. Know what you teach – teaching about Indigenous cultures and reconciliation for all students (Focus Area 2.4)

Rationale

As a nation Australia values the central role of education in building a democratic, equitable and just society—a society that is prosperous, cohesive and culturally diverse, and that values Australia’s Indigenous cultures as a key part of the nation’s history, present and future.

Universities in Australia are responsible for educating professionals who will shape the culture and practices of the future. These professionals have the power to make social change, including influencing societal attitudes and the extent to which all Australians are included in society.

Through their practice teachers have an opportunity to both break down the barriers contributing to the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by many Indigenous Australians, and to increase all Australians’ understandings about Indigenous histories and cultures.

It is therefore imperative that graduate teachers gain a respectful understanding and knowledge of Indigenous cultures, histories and contemporary contexts, and that they acquire culturally appropriate skills and strategies to work in partnership with Indigenous communities.

Further information

Indigenous curriculum and pedagogy (Charles Sturt University)

Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies)


Related content

Melbourne Declaration

Values and education policy

Activity: Explore moral and ethical considerations and values underpinning Australian education policies.

Read More

Focus Areas 1.4 and 2.4

3Rs topics and resources are aligned with the Graduate career stage of Focus Areas 1.4 and 2.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

3Rs materials aim to include the required graduate teacher knowledge and skills:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and history
  • teaching strategies
  • Inclusion priorities, policies and resources

 

Focus Area 1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Graduate

Proficient

Highly Accomplished

Lead

Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. Design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Provide advice and support colleagues in the implementation of effective teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using knowledge of and support from community representatives. Develop teaching programs that support equitable and ongoing participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by engaging in collaborative relationships with community representatives and parents/carers.

 

Focus Area 2.4: Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

Graduate

Proficient

Highly Accomplished

Lead

Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. Provide opportunities for students to develop understanding of and
respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Support colleagues with providing opportunities for students to develop understanding of and
respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Lead initiatives to assist colleagues with opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.

Rationale

As a nation Australia values the central role of education in building a democratic, equitable and just society—a society that is prosperous, cohesive and culturally diverse, and that values Australia’s Indigenous cultures as a key part of the nation’s history, present and future.

Universities in Australia are responsible for educating professionals who will shape the culture and practices of the future. These professionals have the power to make social change, including influencing societal attitudes and the extent to which all Australians are included in society.

Through their practice teachers have an opportunity to both break down the barriers contributing to the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by many Indigenous Australians, and to increase all Australians’ understandings about Indigenous histories and cultures.

It is therefore imperative that graduate teachers gain a respectful understanding and knowledge of Indigenous cultures, histories and contemporary contexts, and that they acquire culturally appropriate skills and strategies to work in partnership with Indigenous communities.

Further information

Indigenous curriculum and pedagogy (Charles Sturt University)

Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies)


Related content

Melbourne Declaration

Values and education policy

Activity: Explore moral and ethical considerations and values underpinning Australian education policies.

Read More

3Rs Feedback

Feedback on 3Rs content and pedagogy

Please send feedback on cultural content, pedagogy, usability or other suggestions to feedback@nullrrr.edu.au.

We are also interested in hearing from schools and faculties of Education interested in trialling the unit outline resources in 2016. Contact Ms Anne Szadura from Australian Council of Deans of Education at projectmanager@nullacde.edu.au for more details.

Feedback on specific pages or activities can also be entered by the suggestions field at the bottom of this page or at the end of each Topic. Your name and other details will not appear on the live 3Rs site.


In late 2016, management of the 3Rs project and associated resources will be transferred to the Australian Council of Deans of Education.

Underpinning research

The 3Rs project has been guided and underpinned by research and evidence, including the following:

 

Learning the Lessons? Pre-Service Teacher Preparation for Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

A report prepared by QUT Indigenous Studies Research Network for the Division of Indigenous Education and Training Futures — Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment, in relation to the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education — Improving Teaching’ project.

Download report »

Moreton-Robinson, A, Singh, D, Kolopenuk, J, & Robinson, A 2012, Learning the lessons?: Pre- Service Teacher Preparation for Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students, QUT Indigenous Studies Research Network, viewed 5 September 2016, <https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/learning-the-lessons-pre-service-teacher-preparation-for-teaching-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-studentsfb0e8891b1e86477b58fff00006709da.pdf>.


Excerpt from coverWhat Works. The Work Program. Stepping up: What works in pre-service teacher education

The What Works materials give teacher educators and teachers access to a vast number of people who are engaged in improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. The materials present important examples of strategies that have led to success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and are based on real people in real places. Above all, the What Works materials can be adapted successfully for use in a variety of locations and situations.

Download report »

Price, K & Hughes, P (eds) 2009, Stepping up: What works in pre-service teacher education, National Curriculum Services and the Australian Curriculum Services Association, viewed 23 August 2016, <http://www.whatworks.edu.au/upload/1251164046741_file_SteppingUp.pdf>.


3Rs focus group findings

As part of the 3Rs project, a series of focus groups were conducted in April 2013. These focus groups captured the perceptions of initial teacher education students during or immediately after their study. All participants were non-Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are captured elsewhere in the project.)

3Rs focus group findings »

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

The greatest resource in Australian schools is our teachers.
They account for the vast majority of expenditure in school education and have the greatest impact on student learning…
(Jensen 2010)

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers contribute to the professionalism of teaching and raise the status of the profession, from graduate to lead teacher.

Seven standards outline what teachers should know and be able to do. They are grouped into three domains of teaching:

  • Professional Knowledge (includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Focus Area 1.4)
  • Professional Practice (includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Focus Area 2.4) and
  • Professional Engagement.


Phases of teacher career development

Australian Professional Standards for TeachersThis diagram provides an overview of the career development phases of the Professional Standards from Graduate to Lead Teacher.

Further information about the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is available on the AITSL website.

References

Jensen, B 2010 What teachers want: Better teacher management, Grattan Institute, p. 5, viewed 18 August 2016, 
<http://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/033_report_what_teachers_want.pdf>

Cultural protocols

Central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ value system is respect.

An informed and developed understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the promotion of reconciliation can be demonstrated through embracing correct protocols and conventions.

Respect was critical throughout history among Indigenous Australians, and the best demonstration of it was to acknowledge the people and country/place being visited, when entering another nation. This practice has continued today and is respectfully taken up by non-Indigenous people and organisations. Only those who belong to the country/place being visited, however, can provide a ‘welcome to country’ and the local community will nominate an appropriate person to provide this welcome.

Acknowledgement of Country

There are no hard and fast protocols or wording for an Acknowledgement of Country, though often a statement may take the following form:

I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the traditional lands of the (appropriate group) people, and pay my respect to elders both past and present.

Local communities will advise local protocols and conventions, as well as identifying who are the Elders and respected people to consult.


Related content

Sydney New Years Eve

Welcome to Country

A 'Welcome to Country' is a practice in which an Indigenous custodian or Elder from a particular traditional area in Australia welcomes people to their land through speech, ceremony or music.

Read More

Using 3Rs

The 3Rs suite of unit modules and resources is intended to be used by teacher educators in flexible ways, such as:

  • Making 3Rs content, activities and assessment tasks available for students
  • Working through content and activities in the 3Rs modules as a professional learning opportunity for education faculty.
  • Reviewing the range of teacher education and school resources and how these may be incorporated in university units of study.
  • Utilising the 3Rs glossary of terms and related definitions, links and activities.

The suite of resources can be presented in the form of a professional learning opportunity, enabling university faculty staff to reflect on a range of learning and cultural approaches and activities for their students. Following is a summary of survey responses from faculty staff in 2014.


3Rs use: Initial Teacher Education Survey, 2014

In 2014, staff in schools and faculties of education reported how they were using 3Rs resources:

ite-survey

Introduction

3Rs provides pedagogical and cultural resources to support faculties and schools of Education to review, revise, refresh and strengthen existing units of study to help graduates become better Indigenous educators.

The 3Rs unit of study (course) outline is available for incorporation or adaptation in university teacher education courses.

The 3Rs suite of unit modules and resources is intended to be used by teacher educators in flexible ways.

The modules and resources contained within this unit can be used to provide teaching and assessment ideas to assist the development of  learning experiences for initial teacher education students.

The three modules are constructed around supporting the graduate career stage of Focus Areas 1.4 and 2.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:

  • Focus Area 1.4 – Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
  • Focus Area 2.4 – Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The materials provided on this website comprise three separate but connected modules:

  1. Know yourself: Know your world – an underpinning module to explore cultures and values
  2. Know your students – teaching Indigenous students (Focus Area 1.4)
  3. Know what you teach – teaching about Indigenous cultures and reconciliation for all students (Focus Area 2.4)