Disrupting Western Norms and Making Space for Indigenous knowledges in the Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching

Abstract

This paper explores the transformative experiences of participants in the redesigned Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching (GCULT). The program was redesigned by a small team of educators with a key focus on Indigenising the GCULT curriculum and serving as a model for program participants to do the same. Graduate Certificates have previously been found to be transformative for educators in Higher Education (Patfield et al. 2022). We utilised this platform to encourage transformation of participants to engage in these decolonial practices.

The redesign process itself drew upon Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing, through yarning, challenging western norms within the higher education system, and continual critical self-reflection. Western norms were disrupted through providing alternative forms of engagement in learning and assessment. In addition, Indigenous knowledges and perspectives were intentionally integrated throughout the curriculum to serve as a model for educators across the university.

We (two educators involved in the redesign) engaged in decolonial reflexivity throughout the redesign process and in writing this paper. Applying action research, we examined participants’ reflections and feedback on the program to identify key themes related to Indigenous knowledges. The findings indicate that participants were engaging in a process of decolonising themselves and recognising ways to Indigenise the curriculum.