Whose voices? Whose knowledge? Children and young people’s learning about climate change through local spaces and indigenous knowledge systems

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article reflects on collaborative research undertaken in Dawkins Park Reserve, NSW, Australia. The aim of the collaboration was to develop a local Indigenous cultural and educational outdoor precinct. Participants involved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous teachers and primary (Year 6) and secondary (Year 7) school students from three government schools and one catholic school. Fostering student knowledge of, and stewardship about, the reserve’s ecological biodiversity specific to climate change effects over time was the desired outcome. In this article, we share the successes and key challenges of using this park as a case study for outdoor learning as a case study for outdoor learning about climate change in an authentic, localised setting, and the contributions of Indigenous cultural and scientific knowledge to the development of the students’ understanding. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were undertaken with 174 students, while seven teachers engaged in focus group discussions. Quantitative data supported the significant increase in learning enjoyment outside the classroom and improved understanding of climate change at a local level. Conversely, departmental policy and COVID were identified as constraints for regular off-campus learning.