Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
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Teacher Resources
'What does 'Jukurrpa' ('dreamtime', 'the dreaming') mean? A semantic
and conceptual journey of discovery' (Wierzbicka & Goddard 2015)
Julia Mastripolito
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This article explores and explains the concept of dreamtime or the dreaming,
known as Jukurrpa. It is done in a way that is simple to understand, using crosstranslational words. This resource is crucial for teachers to deliver content that
holds such importance in the Indigenous Australian culture. To be able to deliver
content accurately, sensitively and with a good understanding of the topic
teachers need to understand the true meaning of the dreaming. By
understanding the complexities of dreamtime the teacher will be able to use this
information to meet the requirement of the content descriptor by discussing how
Indigenous Australians passed on their knowledge about how things in their
world came to be. In this way students are able to make sense of their world and
help future generations understand their culture and context. This research is
quite current, being published in 2015, therefore the concepts and terms should
be up to date and contextually correct. The in-depth explorations required in the
TELSTAR (QSCC, 2000) model of inquiry will demand that students are able to
obtain knowledge from different sources. The knowledge that they gain from the
teacher is their first resource and so the information delivered needs to be
accurate. This resource enables the creation of unique and correct learning
experiences through having a good understanding of the true meaning of what
dreaming is and how it is a significant part of the Indigenous culture that should
be cherished and continued.
Julia Mastripolito
110066420
Student Resources
YouTube: Wayambeh the turtle
Uploaded in February 2012 this video depicts the story of Wayambeh and how he
became the first long neck turtle. Being just under 3 minutes long, this video is a
great resource to engage students and introduce them to dreamtime stories. It is
important that in a constructivist classroom students are engaged and interested
in their own learning (Reynolds, 2014).While dreamtime stories are thousands of
years old, having them remastered into YouTube clips reaches the younger
generation in a way that they can understand and enjoy. This YouTube clip is
suitable for all ages as it uses simple language that tells the story in an
interesting way using colourful animation. While this resource does not show
dreamtime stories in their original form, which is through oral storytelling, it
presents the information in a way that is engaging to junior primary students.
The resource opens up opportunities to discuss the modes of delivery of
dreamtime stories and how they have changed and developed over time.
Having this resource is a good start to introduce the topic of the dreamtime in
the Tune In phase of the TELSTAR (QSCC, 2000) inquiry model. From here the
class can discuss what the dreamtime is and how it is important to Indigenous
Australians. The story shows how Indigenous Australians believe turtles were
created and how they became turtles in the first place. Dreamtime stories like
this one show the relationship between Indigenous Australians, animals and the
land, this will be an important aspect to focus on as it encompasses the HASS
value of ecological sustainability (QSCC, 2000).
Julia Mastripolito
110066420
The inquiry process is one that encourages a deep understanding through rich
exploration and discovery. It is important that the complex subject of HASS uses
inquiry to allow students to form a sound understanding of the subject. The
TELSTAR (QSCC, 2000) model of inquiry uses this acronym to symbolise the
Julia Mastripolito
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phases of the inquiry process. This resource describes how using the TELSTAR
model is used to teach HASS to enrich the learning process. Each aspect of the
model is important and should not be rushed. The first aspect Tune In is
described as being very important in that students construct their own meaning
and current understandings. As students move on to the next phases of inquiry;
Explore and Look students discover their feelings towards the topic as well as
the viewpoints and feelings of others. This is essential when focusing on how
information about the past is delivered allowing students to compare how
different people and cultural groups could pass on information differently. In the
Sort phase students are able to group information into what they know, what is
credible, accurate and relevant. When moving on to the Test and Act phases
students come to draw conclusions from their explorations while understanding
the importance of the passing on of information about the past. The reflection
stage of the process allows students to look back on what they have learnt and
see how their perceptions have changed. The TELSTAR model is quite complex
but can be simplified for younger students by focusing on key aspects. The
process allows students to develop metacognitive capabilities that inform their
own thinking and learning. To encourage students to develop critical thinking
through inquiry, students need to be made aware of the stages they are working
through. Therefore posters could be made that allows teachers to explain to
students where they are up to, what they are doing and where they are going.
Julia Mastripolito
110066420
References
Al-Jafar, A & Buzzelli, C 2004, 'The art of storytelling for cross cultural
understanding', International Journal of Early Childhood, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 35-48.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2015, F-10
Curriculum, Humanities and Social Sciences, viewed 30 November 2015,
<http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-socialsciences/hass/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#page=2>
Australian Government 2015, The Dreaming, viewed 30 November 2015,
<http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/dreaming>.
Edwards, I 1989, Papa and the Olden Days, Black Dog Books, Australia.
Fiford, J 2011, 'Finding quality resources', Ethos, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 7-11.
Gordon, K 2000, Inquiry Approaches in Primary Studies of Society and
Environment Key Learning Area, Occasional Paper for the Queensland School
Curriculum Council.
Peter Muraay Djeripi Mulcahy 2015, Dreamtime Paintings and Stories, viewed 30
November 2015, <http://www.aboriginalaustralianart.com/dreamtime_art.php>.
RedPixelsAnimation 2012, Dreamtime Stories Wayambeh the Turtle, video,
YouTube, 13 February, viewed 30 November 2015,
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpzDvpZ0hMg>.
Reynolds, R 2014, Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences in the Primary
School , 3rd edition , Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, Victoria .
Wierzbicka, A & Goddard, C 2015, 'What does 'Jukurrpa' ('dreamtime', 'the
dreaming') mean? A semantic and conceptual journey of discovery', Australian
Aboriginal Studies, no. 1, pp. 43-65.
Queensland School Curriculum Council, 2000, Studies of Society and
Environment, Year 1 to 10 Syllabus, viewed 2 December 2015, <
https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/publications/reports-papers/qscc>.