Research Article

Embedding Indigenous Perspectives in Teaching School Science

Subhashni Devi Appanna^a1 c1

^a1 Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Abstract

Some Indigenous students are at risk of academic failure and science teachers have a role in salvaging these equally able students. This article firstly elucidates the research entailed in Indigenous science education in Australia and beyond. Secondly, it reviews the cultural and language barriers when learning science, faced by middle and senior year students of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Finally, it outlines the effective strategies that science teachers could adopt to better engage these students in learning school science. In summary, the article will highlight the need for teachers to realise the importance of crossing borders from teachers' school science culture to students' culture. This holds implications for teaching practice and teacher identity in today's classroom.

Keywords

• cultural and language barriers;
• school science;
• crossing borders;
• academic failure

Correspondence:

^c1 Address for Correspondence: Subhashni Devi Appanna, School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia. E-mail: subhashni.appanna@connect.qut.edu.au

Subhashni Appanna is a pre-service teacher (majoring in Chemistry and Biology) graduating in December 2011, and a research assistant, both at Faculty of Education, Maths, Science and Technology Education at the Queensland University of Technology (Kelvin Grove campus). She is currently working on an ARC Project: Emotional Transitions: Exploring Professional Transitions of Science Teachers. She received a Masters in Marine Science from the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji and taught Biology at USP for five years. She is also a volunteer resident scientist working with early years and primary school students on projects focused on environmental ecology and biodiversity with special emphasis on scientific literacy and numeracy and information and communication technology competence.