Reaching Across the Divide (RAD): Aboriginal Elders and Academics working together to improve student and staff cultural capability outcomes

Authors

  • Louise Hansen University
  • Percy Hansen University
  • Joanna Corbett University
  • Antonia Hendrick University
  • Trudi Marchant University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2020.23

Keywords:

Aboriginal Elders, cultural responsiveness, decolonising curriculum, Indigenous pedagogy, transformative practice, yarning

Abstract

Abstract

This article, written by Aboriginal Nyoongar Elders, Louise and Percy Hansen and Joanna Corbett in collaboration with two Wadjella (white) academics, details the design and delivery of The Reaching Across the Divide: Aboriginal Elders and Academics working together project (RAD) which aimed to develop student cultural capabilities. It is encouraging that many Australian universities aim at embedding Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing yet there remains little information on how to do this. RAD, guided by a Nyoongar framework for engagement, the Minditj Kaart-Moorditj Kaart Framework, provides one example. RAD developed student and staff capabilities, through building trusting, committed relationships, and promoting systems change. The results highlight how co-creating to embed Indigenous pedagogy through yarning and oral storying (Hansen & Corbett, 2017; Hansen, 2017) produces transformative learning outcomes which also meet key national, local and professional directives.

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Published

2020-09-18

How to Cite

Hansen, L., Hansen, P., Corbett, J., Hendrick, A., & Marchant, T. (2020). Reaching Across the Divide (RAD): Aboriginal Elders and Academics working together to improve student and staff cultural capability outcomes. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50(2), 284–292. https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2020.23

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Section

Articles