The Pedagogy of Indigenous Knowledge Sharing through Creative and Cultural Practices

Understand Indigenous artmaking as knowledge sharing to reflect on your professional practice and engage learners in innovative ways.

This course follows a learning pathway that engages participants in understanding Indigenous artmaking as knowledge sharing, informed by praxial concepts such as place, people, story, community, and diplomacy.

Focused on Indigenous knowledge sharing through creative works, predominantly from northern Australia, the course aims to develop participants' understanding of Australian Indigenous arts and their role in communicating knowledge, with a focus on applications in the education sector. 

Australian Indigenous creative and cultural practices are presented as holistic ways of teaching and knowing about place and environment, people and community, language and communication, flora and fauna. The course gives primacy to Indigenous voices, exploring the creative works of First Nations' artists, designers, musicians, performers, and storytellers, with case studies from the Northern Territory. 

The course is designed to empower educators in any discipline and level to enhance the learning of their students by broadening strategies and incorporating Indigenous perspectives into teaching practices. It addresses the national Australian curriculum's call for teachers to embed First Nations' perspectives, offering ways for teachers to connect with Indigenous materials and collaborate with Indigenous community stakeholders. 

Educators will gain strategies to teach students in innovative ways, improving engagement and retention. Overall, the course provides an immersive experience for educators, researchers, teaching artists, and professionals interested in integrating Indigenous knowledge and creative practices into their work. 

The course is suitable for educators seeking professional development at various educational levels, from pre-school to tertiary. A digital-badged certificate is provided on successful completion. Participants can use the course as credit towards postgraduate study in Education, Indigenous Studies, the Arts and Humanities.

Delivery description

Entry requirements

Students should have a degree and/or experience equivalent with AQF7. This course is ideal for professional development in the education sector.

Professional development and pathways

• This course is ideal for educators seeking professional development, whether working in pre-school, primary, secondary or tertiary level.
• A digital-badged certificate is provided on successful completion.
• The course is credit-bearing, worth 20 credits at postgraduate level, and involves up to 300 nominal hours of study.
• The course can be used as credit towards postgraduate study in Education, Indigenous studies or the Arts and Humanities.

Optional on-country learning experience

This course connects to an optional field trip which will be arranged for interested students: those studying at the Casuarina campus and external students able to travel to Darwin in the Northern Territory for an in-person on-country learning experience. 

When and Where 

Note: The dates/locations may be subject to change. 

Intensive 4 (INT-4) – Darwin Region / Tiwi Island

Unit delivered from Casuarina campus, with several short field trips around Casuarina Beach, Adelaide River and (possibly) to the Tiwi Islands. Students will have the opportunity to engage with Larrakia Elders and artists as well with creative and cultural practices of the Tiwi Islands.

• Dates: TBA
• Travel from Charles Darwin University Casuarina Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory. 
• All camping equipment, transport and meals are provided while in Kakadu. 
• University Students: On-country field trip $850 (est.) in addition to the short course or unit fee.
• General Public Participants: POA 

Intensive 5 (INT-5) – Kakadu

This unit involves a field trip to explore the unique ecology of Kakadu National Park. Students will be introduced to the Indigenous culture, through storytelling, language and creative practices of the Kakadu traditional owners. 

• Dates: TBA
• Travel is by bus with camping in tents. 
• Travel from Charles Darwin University Casuarina Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory. 
• All camping equipment, transport and meals are provided while in Kakadu. 
• University Students: On-country field trip $600 (est.) in addition to the short course or unit fee.
• General Public Participants: POA