4D: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing

What is the difference between Western and Indigenous ways of knowing?

Western culture teaches students how to learn separately from daily life; Indigenous culture connects learning to life, time, place, ancestry, and spirit.

What is a multimodal system of knowledge?

Knowledge and skills that are based on interconnected social, physical, and spiritual understandings, and in turn, inform survival and contribute to a strong sense of identity

What is country?

Country encompasses both geographical boundaries and the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual connections to and within it.

What is story sharing in Indigenous learning?

Learning through continually sharing stories, songs, and personal narratives, known as yarning, connecting experience across past, present, and future.

What are learning maps in Indigenous learning?

A visual plan for learners to follow, using storylines (spoken or sung) and images to indicate a learning path.

What does non-verbal learning involve?

Using kinaesthetic approaches like seeing, thinking, acting, miming, making, and sharing without words through dance, gestures, and facial expressions.

What role do symbols and images play in Indigenous learning?

Understanding and keeping knowledge through art, drawing, and metaphor.

What are land links in Indigenous learning?

Learning that draws from nature and the living landscape, emphasizing relationships with place.

What does non-linear learning mean in Indigenous education?

Learning phases occur in any order that suits the learner, encouraging innovation and interdisciplinary thinking.

What is deconstruct/reconstruct learning?

A learning process where students observe a whole concept first, then break it down into parts to understand steps and skills.

What are community links in Indigenous learning?

Applying new knowledge to help the community (mob), based on local values and real-life needs.