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This article explores the contextualising of local Aboriginal animal stories with the zoology curriculum in Queensland at one independent high school, where students’ learning potential often remains untapped. Contextualisation, encompasses heritage, cultural knowledge, country and Linnaean zoology taxonomy to form a culturally responsive pedagogy that supports students’ learning and pride in their heritage. To illustrate how students can learn in culturally responsive ways, a sinuous path encompassing six phases for collecting local faunal stories was necessary, prior to delivering the Linnaean zoology taxonomy. Elders’ animal stories were documented and then contextualised into classificatory materials to integrate local faunal knowledge. Drawing on an Indigenist Research Framework including storytelling, talking circles, interviewing and Action Research methodology, transcribing, retranscribing and restorying was used to explore the effect of a culturally responsive approach on students’ culture, and knowledge of local fauna. Findings indicated that the local animal stories became the foundation for the development of a First Classification of Animal Kingdom chart from the non-Aboriginal animal knowledge tradition which tapped into students’ learning potential through elders’ stories about local culture. Real-life storytelling on country is preferable as such contexts provide meaningful learning for students, rather than in decontextualised classroom spaces.

Abstract Background There is a compelling case for strengthening the strategies for assessment of competencies adopted in vocational and education training programs in Australia. A review of assessment in nationally recognised Vocation and Education Training (VET) courses identified a number of critical issues associated with competency assessment. For example, trainers were identified as having difficulties with interpretation, implementation and assessment of the competencies. Trainers are often viewed as capable of training diverse groups of learners, despite the fact that they may not possess in-depth knowledge of the competencies. Methods These issues gave rise to trialling three assessment strategies: diagnostic, scenario and simulated assessment in a project that investigated the teaching and learning of numeracy in Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses with high Indigenous student enrolments. The study adopted a mixed methods design participatory collaborative action research and community research to develop a series of case studies. Teachers/trainers/teacher aides (N = 39) and students (N = 231) participated in the project. Nine courses and seven sites were the focus of the study. Results The results highlighted the outcomes of using three different assessment approaches to draw inferences about students’ competencies in VET courses. Whilst the CDAT diagnostic assessment did indicate the difficulties that students had in specific areas of maths, it also brought to light some students’ difficulties with reading and comprehension and understanding what the questions were asking. The use of the scenario-based assessment was trialled because of trainers indicating that scenarios were an effective way of assessing students, however this approach proved to a challenge for students. Students who experienced challenges with reading and comprehension found the text scenarios difficult to read and understand, limiting their opportunities to demonstrate their competencies. The simulated assessment allowed for students to demonstrate their understanding of mathematics, for example, surface area, applying what they had learned to a context such as a model. Conclusions The trial of the assessment approaches and their relationship to mathematics learning and training courses proved to be effective for the teachers, trainers and students. In doing so, the trial supports the literature about adopting a holistic approach to assessing competency as it provides a more comprehensive view of students’ capabilities.

Abstract This research article addresses an important issue related to how teachers can support Aboriginal secondary school students' learning of science. Drawn from a larger project that investigated the study of vertebrates using Queensland Indigenous knowledges and Montessori Linnaean materials to engage Indigenous secondary school students, this article focuses on the three-staged lessons from that study. Using an Action Research approach and working with participants from one secondary high school in regional Queensland with a high Indigenous population, there were several important findings. First, the materials and the three-staged lessons generated interest in learning Eurocentric science knowledge. Second, repetition, freedom and unhurried inclusion of foreign science knowledges strengthened students' Aboriginal personal identity as well as identities as science learners. Third, privileging of local Aboriginal knowledge and animal language gave rise to meaningful and contextualised Linnaean lessons and culturally responsive practices.

This paper reports on an Action Research project that investigated the integration of Aboriginal and Western knowledge into science learning in a Montessori classroom in regional Queensland, Australia. Drawing on the local knowledge of fauna of community members, the study explored the teaching of science to 12-year 8–9 students in an Aboriginal independent high school in Queensland. The overall study covered 83 lessons that included an initial Short-beaked echidna study. It applied thematic analysis to data to explore the effect of this integrated approach on students’ pride in heritage, cultural knowledge, learning and the Linnaean zoology taxonomy. Results revealed that the contextualisation of Aboriginal and Western science knowledge strengthened students’ Aboriginal personal identity as well as identities as science learners and status of local Aboriginal knowledge.

This article focuses on the funds of knowledge that are mathematical in nature and how they might be used to support parents and children with their learning of mathematics that is taught and learned in the early years of school. Funds of knowledges are those that have been historically and culturally accumulated into a body of knowledge and skills essential for people's functioning and wellbeing. Drawing on community research design, where the process of learning is owned and framed by the community and its people, a consultative meeting was held to discuss the pilot project.

Abstract A one-year mathematics project that focused on measurement was conducted with six Torres Strait Islander schools and communities. Its key focus was to contextualise the teaching and learning of measurement within the students' culture, communities and home languages. Six teachers and two teacher aides participated in the project. This paper reports on the findings from the teachers' and teacher aides' survey questionnaire used in the first Professional Development session to identify: a) teachers' experience of teaching in the Torres Strait Islands, b) teachers' beliefs about effective ways to teach Torres Strait Islander students, and c) contexualising measurement within Torres Strait Islander culture, communities and home languages. A wide range of differing levels of knowledge and understanding about how to contextualise measurement to support student learning were identified and analysed. For example, an Indigenous teacher claimed that mathematics and the environment are relational, that is, they are not discrete and in isolation from one another, rather they interconnect with mathematical ideas emerging from the environment of the Torres Strait communities.