EDU80012_Assessment 2 1
Teaching Period 1, 2017
EDU80012 Understanding Indigenous Education and Perspectives
Assessment 2: Essay Word limit: 2000 words (+/- 10%) Weighting: 40%
Due date: Friday April 28, 2017 - 5:00pm (AEST) Week 8
Assessment context
During this unit, you have been challenged to think deeply about Indigenous knowledge and
perspectives. Through this process, you may have been challenged, confronted or had your ideas
and beliefs reinforced. You should now be able to argue a point of view from an informed position.
This assessment task requires you to consider your stance on Indigenous education and develop
an argument that will convince your reader that your perspective is researched and well-reasoned.
These are skills teachers use every day in their classroom practice.
Related learning outcomes
This task is assessing your ability to meet the following unit learning objectives:
1. Recognise the continuous contributions of Indigenous people and culture in Australian society.
2. Assess the impact of historical and contemporary events and issues on current educational
contexts for Indigenous people.
3. Analyse how Indigenous education and perspectives aligns with teachers’ professional role as
advocates for children and their families.
Assessment details
This essay has two parts and will be based on the materials and content from the first 8 weeks of
the unit.
PART A – 1200 words
Consider and discuss the following statement:
Colonisation, past education policies, exclusion and misrepresentation have resulted in many non-
Indigenous Australians leaving school with limited understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
people and culture.
Within this discussion, you should:
1. Identify and critically analyse the evolution of Indigenous education in Australia. Include
reference to the colonisation and misrepresentation of Indigenous knowledge, early education
policies and practices, the silent apartheid, cultural interface theory and the Australian Curriculum.
2. Critically analyse the impact of these key aspects on both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians, referencing key readings from the first eight weeks of the unit.
EDU80012_Assessment 2 2
PART B – 800 words
Conclude the essay by providing justification for the teaching and learning of Indigenous
Australian knowledge and perspectives in secondary education. Refer to the main points
discussed in PART A to support your argument.
Assessment criteria
Your essay will be assessed on your ability to:
• Identify and explain the key Indigenous education practices and policies listed in the essay
topic
• Critically analyse how past education practices have affected both Indigenous and non-
Indigenous Australians
• Critically reflect on the implications of these practices for educators
• Justify, with supporting evidence, the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives
in the secondary curriculum
Essay writing tips
• It is essential to use the supporting readings, required text and resources to support your
discussion. Further marks will be awarded for breadth of research.
• Refer to the assessment rubric to ensure you have understood the expectations of the
assessment and how it will be marked
• This is an academic essay and your ideas can be included if they are supported by
appropriate references
• Make sure you acknowledge all sources used to develop your ideas, both in your essay and
including them in the reference list at the end of your essay. Citing references adds strength
to your arguments and avoids plagiarism
