Research Teaching and Learning

Emily Joseph 17727017

Assessment 1 Indigenous Learners Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Multicultural and diverse classrooms are becoming commonly seen throughout all of
Australia. The diversity of students learning requirements and engagement can
provide complexity for teachers. Teachers must introduce culturally relevant
pedagogy to ensure engagement and effective teaching can occur. Lewthwaite et al.
(2015) identifies research conducted where the voices of Aboriginal students and
community members isolate teaching practices that influence Aboriginal student
engagement and learning. Recommendations present in this article have been
applied to a lesson activity from the Key Learning Area (KLA) of Science. There is the
potential to lead from the particular concept to engage and involve Indigenous
learners. These inclusions to the learning activity will be identified by drawing from
the article presented by Lewthwaite et al. (2015) and also supplementary literature
also highlighting the importance of inclusion of Indigenous learners.

The achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students is steadily

increasing (Lewthwaite et al., 2015). This perpetuating inequity within the education
system has resulted in a series of outcomes priorities and reforms to reduce the
disadvantage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (COAG, 2009). J.
Hattie (2003) identifies that the pedagogies used by a teacher will provide variance
in a particular students achievement. Therefore it is essential for teachers to
engage in dialogue with students and understand to engage particular students.
This can be achieved within the classroom by introducing culturally relevant
pedagogy and incorporating Indigenous teachings with national curriculum and
state syllabus requirements.
The inclusion of culturally relevant pedagogy can be integrated across all learning
areas and in conjunction with most teaching activities. The Key Learning Area (KLA)
of Science will be used as an example. The subject of Science by the very nature
explains scientific understandings by use of observations, scientific models and
theories within the context of everyday life. A lack of engagement in science can be
problematic, however a students intensity engagement will be dictated by their
individual context (Woods-McConney, Oliver, McConney, Maor, & Schibeci, 2013).
Culturally relevant pedagogies are essential to develop meaningful learning
experiences and engagement, and must be combined in all teaching practices.

The theoretical framework provides a clear foundation which is built upon in the
research conducted by Lewthwaite et al. (2015). The article defines the research
conducted as using the amalgamation of the cultural knowledge, prior experiences,
frames of reference and performance styles of students in linking learning with
effective teaching practices (Lewthwaite et al., 2015, pg 5). While there have been
supplementary studies with a similar research proposal and physical location,
Lewthwaite et al. have chosen to focus upon the communities perspective, changes
to teaching practices and the effects of these changes at classroom level. A
research project identified within this article highlights the importance of using the

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students voice to become the foundation for teaching practice, which can be used
to develop an Effective Teaching Profile (Bishop, Berryman, Tiakiwai, & Richardson,
2003). Teachers are encouraged to work to a dynamic and synergistic relationships
between home and community culture and the culture present within the school
and classrooms (Ladson-Billings, 2004). Culturally responsive classroom allows
students to reflect, validate and promote their individual culture within the school
without fear of victimization.
This research project focused on the development of Catholic education teachers in
cultural competence. The schools which were examined were situated within
Northern Queensland, specifically the Townsville area. The Queensland Catholic
Education Commission identified that there is concern regarding inequity in
education performance especially amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
community. The methodology of participatory action research (PAR) informed this
research project (Gall, 2015). The study involved teachers, students, parents,
administrators and supporting Elders to provide as samples for this research.
Questions were asked to these individuals regarding: teaching experiences
regarding formal and informal contexts, what teachers did to help them to learn,
what they would change about their teachers teaching capacity, characteristics of
good teachers both in a formal and informal setting and what they would like their
teacher to know about their/their child and their learning (Lewthwaite et al., 2015).
The open coding process of understanding the transcripts, which were generated
from conversation between researchers and researched, involved identifying the
breath of comment and the significant means concerning to effective teaching.
The findings of this research have been organized into themes categories. Within
this section the participations comments have privilege over authors commentary
allowing the prominent view to be the participants. The theme categories been subdivided into the parent voices and student voices. The underlying comments given
by parents and carers pertained to systemic issues within education. Effective
teaching must acknowledge Indigenous history as an integral initial phase in
alternating current systemic practices. The variability between home and school
culture compels students to, as referred to by Lewthwaite et al. (2015), codeswitch. This can result in identity crises and reduction in student proficiency.
Parents are aware of the invisible mechanism in influencing school change and
altering existing protocols (Cherkaoui, 2005; Lewthwaite et al., 2015). Parents
highlight their want for the education system to hold alternative viewpoints
regarding Indigenous students and the communities they represent (Lewthwaite et
al., 2015, pg 12). This assumption that Aboriginal culture is lesser and therefore
not heavily focused upon mirrors the concept of deficit thinking (Bishop et al.,
2003). Student overall comments highlighted the tangible expression of their issues
in teaching practices. Positive relationships within classrooms builds respect
between the individual and teacher. The lack of these relationships in the dominant
discourse surrounding an effective teacher is cause for change. Knowledge of the
students interest, age and literacy capacity can allow teachers to orientate
students towards learning resources which are appropriate for the individual rather
than generic choices made upon assumptions. Students within the study highlight

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the importance of teaching having that knowledge of students which presented a
more differentiated and accommodating classroom.
Lewthwite et al. article provides a framework for culturally responsive pedagogy.
The importance of how a teacher unfolds and priorities learning in highlighted.
Drawing from the comments provided by parents and students identify the
significance of a teachers beliefs and understanding their students. A detailed
description is provided, which should be used by practicing and pre-service
teachers, that recognizes essential characteristics based upon the previously
mentioned themes. Examples of these categories illustrated in table form include
(Lewthwaite et al., 2015); what are my beliefs, values and understandings? What
characteristics of relationships contribute to learning? How can building cultural
bridges facilitate learning? In which ways do I differentiate my teaching to
accommodate student diversity? How does the school context in which I teach
assist learning? Each of these questions are provide with a corresponding detailed
response. This invaluable resource should be used when planning, conducting and
reflecting upon teaching practices. The importance of explicit instruction, modelling,
proximity and feedback is stressed in the advocacy of culturally responsive teaching
practices. Hattie (2009) mirrors these findings listing feedback and clear quality
instruction as direct influences on a students ability to learn. This research study
provided voices from the community to raise concerns and has allowed reflection on
current educational and schooling practices. The narrative accounts provide from
students, parents and members of the community have been used to pose
questions regarding protocol within mainstream classroom.

Fire Triangle Model Year 8

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This lesson activity has been taken from a lesson plan created by Daly (2016) for
Cool Australia. The learning activity is aimed at year 8 students as part of Stage 4
Physical World Unit. It has been formatted to clearly identify the learning goals,
curriculum content and specific teaching and learning activity. The major goal of this
learning activity is to allow students to understand and communicate the elements
needed to create and sustain fire. Students also learn steps in safety surrounding
experimental procedure, specifically fire. It is essential to ensure that all learning
activities key focus is meeting curriculum requirements. This particular learning
activity states the learning content within the Australian curriculum. The learning
activity directly addresses the learning goals of the lesson. The teacher begins the
activity with an explanation and class discussion on the three requirements to
create and maintain fire. The learning activity shifts to the student using previous
knowledge to create their own experiment. Students are then, once experimental
design has received feedback, required to perform their experiment and record
results in a provided experimental design table.
The learning goals and curriculum content is clearly defined, however the learning
activity provides an extremely basic description of the tasks required to be
completed by students. The straightforward description provides opportunity for
alteration to occur from the issues highlighted by Lewthwaite et al. (2015). The
lesson activity can be revised too incorporate a more culturally responsive
pedagogy. Lewthwaite et al. (2015) indicates that students engage with topics when
teachers create positive relationships with their students, by trying to understand
their interests, abilities and provide an accommodating classroom. This lesson
activity can be slightly altered to increase the knowledge of Indigenous culture of all
students. The teacher ideally would have a sound knowledge and understanding of
Indigenous culture and the ability to interweave with curriculum requirements. If the
teacher has a lack of knowledge regarding Indigenous culture they will not be able
to provide students with cultural relevant pedagogy and will completely engage all
students.

A major revision of the lesson activity should occur to support student engagement
and increase Indigenous cultural relevance. The lesson activity has been divided
into three separate tasks. Each tasks uses the skills and knowledge of the previous
to build upon that foundation. The first tasks involves students investigating the fire
triangle then a class discussion surrounding the key components of creating and
maintain fire. This task encourages positive dialogue and consequently a positive
relationship to be formed between student and teacher. This is clearly defined by
the students examined in Lewthwaite et al. (2015) study, as key to a respectful
classroom environment. Allowing students to form discussions, theories and ideas
either done individually or as a collaborative learning can also increase engagement
(Jrvel, 2013). The first tasks provides an environment where student voices can
be heard, and by doing so promoting an effective teaching practice.
The second and third learning task build upon foundation knowledge gained from
class discussion to use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to

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Emily Joseph 17727017
evaluate claims (ACARA, 2016, pg 28). Language patterns of classrooms strongly
influence student engagement and learning. The dialogical communication patterns
used in both activities promote by J. Hattie and Yates (2013) notion of visible
learning. Students prefer teachers to under-talk than over-talk (Lewthwaite et al.,
2015), which is signified by allowing students to work with minimal teacher
assistance in the creation of the experiment. A revision that should be made in
accordance with Lewthwaite et al. (2015) article is specifying that the experimental
design task is to be completed in groups. Being alone is learning was identified as
negative traits of univocal classrooms (Lewthwaite et al., 2015). Allowing students
to collaboratively undertake this task within a group will allow for a team spirit to
emerge and also potentially encourage diverse relationships with other students.
The major revision that must be made to this learning activity is to have a more
holistic focus on cultural identity. An additional content requirement, however not
prerequisite, is to describe the scientific principles used in some traditional
technologies used and developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
(BOSTES, 2016, pg 48). This outline should be used to broaden and deepen
students' skills, knowledge and understanding in Stage 4 curriculum (BOSTES,
2016, pg 48). Within the discussion in task 1 the teacher should mention how and
why traditionally the Indigenous community has used fire as a regeneration method
for centuries. While meeting syllabus requirements the teacher should link all
discussions back to the Indigenous cultural link. An additional task must be added
presenting to the students specifically how and why the Indigenous people use fire
as tool to generate the bush. The parents interviewed in Lewthwaite et al. (2015)
research indicate they want the school community to hold alternative points of view
for the Indigenous students while also affirming cultural identity by providing a more
holistic focus towards education. The revision presented meets this want by having
traditional Indigenous culture to be the focus of the learning activity. The themes
highlighted by students voices regard building cultural bridges to promote learning
and accommodating student diversity is clearly projected in the revision previously
indicated.

A multitude of connections can be made by analyzing a research article then

applying recommendation to a specific lesson activity. The article highlights the
importance of diverse student engagement and understanding the requirements of
an effective teacher. Although the article was not KLA specific the issues that it
emphasized can applied to any teaching activity. The revisions of the presented
lesson activity allows for engagement and cultural relevant pedagogies to occur.

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References
ACARA. (2016). Science, Year 8 - Science Inquiry Skills, Evaluating - ACSIS234.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.
Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Tiakiwai, S., & Richardson, C. (2003). Te Ktahitanga: The
experiences of Year 9 and 10 Mori students in mainstream classrooms.
Report to the Ministry of Education. Wellington, New Zealand.
BOSTES. (2016). Science k-10 Syllabus. NSW Government: Board of Studies
Teaching and Educational Standards.
Cherkaoui, M. (2005). Invisible Codes: Essays on Generative Mechanism: Bardwell
Press.
COAG. (2009). National Indigenous Reform Agreement (Closing the Gap): Council of
Australian Governments.
Daly, J. (2016). The Fire Triangle Model - Year 8. Retrieved from
http://www.coolaustralia.org/activity/cool-burning-fire-triangle-experimentyear-8/
Gall, J. P. (2015). Applying educational research : how to read, do, and use research
to solve problems of practice (Custom edition. ed.): Sydney, N.S.W. : Pearson,
2015.
Hattie. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of 800+ meta-analyses on achievement.
Abingdon: Routledge.
Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers make a difference: what is the research evidence? :
Australian Council for Educational Research Melbourne.
Hattie, J., & Yates, G. C. (2013). Visible learning and the science of how we learn:
Routledge.
Jrvel, S. (2013). Affective Learning Together: social and emotional dimensions of
collaborative Learning: Routledge.
Ladson-Billings, G. (2004). Just what is critical race theory and whats it doing in a
nice field like education. The RoutledgeFalmer reader in multicultural
education, 49-67.
Lewthwaite, B., Osborne, B., Lloyd, N., Llewellyn, L., Boon, H., Webber, T., . . . Wills,
J. (2015). Seeking a pedagogy of difference: What aboriginal students and
their parents in north Queensland say about teaching and their learning.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 40(5), 132.
Woods-McConney, A., Oliver, M. C., McConney, A., Maor, D., & Schibeci, R. (2013).
Science engagement and literacy: A retrospective analysis for indigenous and
non-indigenous students in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Research in
Science Education, 43(1), 233-252.