Extending the boundaries of non-Indigenous science to embrace the cultural curriculum by creating a living compendium of practice

Authors

  • Rebecca Cross School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science The University of Sydney
  • Rosanne Quinnell School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science The University of Sydney
  • Paul Rhodes The University of Sydney
  • Glenda Wardle The University of Sydney
  • Tina Bell The University of Sydney
  • Alice Motion The University of Sydney
  • Tom Hubble The University of Sydney
  • Zsuzsanna Dancso The University of Sydney
  • Dominic Murphy The University of Sydney
  • Jaime Gongora Jaime Gongora Sydney School of Veterinary Science Faculty of Science

Keywords:

non-Indigenous science, Indigenous knowledge systems, curriculum transformation, cultural competence, critical science

Abstract

BACKGROUND Embedding cultural competence (CC) into science curricula is key to the University of Sydney’s commitment to producing students with skills and knowledge to work in cross-cultural settings. Within the Faculty of Science, there are eight disciplinary schools who have, to some extent, endeavoured to introduce CC into their delivery and content to ensure students achieve this graduate outcome. Cultural competence inclusion was initiated by the Wingara Mura-Bunga Barrabugu program, with a focus on integration of Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) into non-Indigenous science. PLAN In 2018, we initiated a CC compendium to act as a bridging space between academics, to share content and explore collaborations laterally across the faculty. ACTIONS This paper documents the process of interviewing academic staff and collating the compendium by gathering teaching materials and CC teaching approaches, highlighting the points of highest resonance within each discipline. Academics are using creative and innovative ways to extend their disciplinary boundaries, are embracing personal and professional growth by taking on this challenge and are carving out new pathways in science. REFLECTION These boundary-pushing efforts are however, marginal, and are largely being introduced by non-Indigenous academics, which raises questions about IKS inclusion as a pathway for generating CC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the Wingara Mura-Bunga Barrabugu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Services for funds for this project.

Author Biographies

  • Rebecca Cross, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science The University of Sydney
    Lecturer School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science The University of Sydney
  • Rosanne Quinnell, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science The University of Sydney
    Associate Professor School of Life and Environmental Sciences
  • Paul Rhodes, The University of Sydney
    School of Psychology Faculty of Science
  • Glenda Wardle, The University of Sydney
    School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science
  • Tina Bell, The University of Sydney
    School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science
  • Alice Motion, The University of Sydney
    School of Chemistry Faculty of Science
  • Tom Hubble, The University of Sydney
    School of Geosciences Faculty of Science
  • Zsuzsanna Dancso, The University of Sydney
    School of Mathematics and Statistics Faculty of Science
  • Dominic Murphy, The University of Sydney
    History and Philosophy of Science Faculty of Science
  • Jaime Gongora, Jaime Gongora Sydney School of Veterinary Science Faculty of Science
    Associate Professor in Wildlife and Animal Genetics and Genomics Associate Dean Indigenous Strategy

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Published

2019-09-26