Effective learning experiences for ICT Curriculum Indigenisation

In 2017, all Australian universities committed to ensuring all students engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural content. Information and communication technology (ICT) curricula across Australia have been slow to engage in the processes of curriculum indigenisation which focus on embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives throughout a course. This study uses an action-research approach to explore the effectiveness of a series of learning experiences employed within an ICT curriculum to develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness. Using three measurable constructs of student engagement the study concludes that the learning experiences are effective in engaging students, though improvements are necessary for students to develop the depth of awareness required to influence societal change on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage. The findings are a major contribution on how to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and perspectives within an ICT curriculum.