Indigenous Cultural Competence Research Articles

Teacher Reflections on Assessing Indigenous Cultural Competency in a Criminal Justice Subject Through Interactive Oral Assessment

Teacher Reflections on Assessing Indigenous Cultural Competency in a Criminal Justice Subject Through Interactive Oral Assessment

Teacher Reflections on Assessing Indigenous Cultural Competency in a Criminal Justice Subject Through Interactive Oral Assessment

Universities in countries with a history of colonisation of First Peoples (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) are pivoting to including cultural perspectives and knowledge systems in curricula, supported by a raft of new policies. For criminal justice professions, the legacy of colonisation has shaped justice systems and First Peoples’ experiences of justice. Recommendations for the profession to better address these legacies include embedding First Peoples’ perspectives and knowledge systems in undergraduate degrees. This paper reports on the development and design of a new assessment of embedded Indigenous content in a criminal justice subject. As experience in developing and deploying an assessment of these skills and knowledge is still relatively new in many institutions, educators may find this paper of interest when developing their assessment.

An Assessment of the Indigenous Cultural Competence Self-efficacy Among Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

An Assessment of the Indigenous Cultural Competence Self-efficacy Among Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

Understanding Indigenous peoples experiences to inform recommendations for improving cultural safety and care in radiation therapy centres in Alberta, Canada

IntroductionRates of common cancers are continuously increasing among Indigenous peoples and are above the incidence rates of non-Indigenous Canadians. When considering the intersecting social determinants of health such as culture, geography, funding, and access to basic health services, these all contribute to the unique cancer burden faced by Indigenous people. Indigenous patients sometimes feel alienated by the word “cancer”, intimidated in the oncology setting and often avoid or delay seeking care, bypass screening and preventative care, and cease prescribed treatment before it is finished. Providing culturally competent, safe care to improve Indigenous health outcomes have been suggested and prioritized in health care systems across Canada. MethodsUsing an Indigenous methodology, sharing circles were held in Northern Alberta, Canada. Five Indigenous survivors of cancer and two Indigenous caregivers shared their experiences with oncology treatment in the radiation therapy centre. Results were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted. ResultsThis resulted in four main themes (1) historical and cultural understandings (2) reduce systemic harm by having dedicated Indigenous staff, cultural competency, and Indigenous specific supports (3) meaningful time commitment and relationship building (4) importance of kinship and Indigenous-centred, family-and-patient-centred care. These themes fed into the development of nine recommendations for policy and decision makers to improve cultural safety in the Alberta radiation therapy centres. ConclusionSupport for Indigenous patients and caregivers is essential to improve care in the radiation therapy centres. The findings from this work will support recommendations for health decision and policy makers within radiation therapy centres, which may be transferable to other centres within oncology and health.

Navigating intercultural competence at home

A globalised world brings diversity into the classroom and internationalisation to higher education, where intercultural competence comes to the fore. Accommodating interculturality, however, extends beyond the international student cohort and includes heterogeneous domestic cultures, including Indigenous cultures. In the Australian context, historically Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced limited access to culturally appropriate health, social and educational services. Accordingly, higher education institutions can be vehicles of change in this regard. More specifically, just as many higher education providers have moved towards internationalised curriculum, there is increasing evidence and intention to introduce Indigenised curriculum where respective educators delivering indigenised curricula need to be culturally competent. Institutions therefore, are offering cultural training programs for educators delivering Indigenised curricula, where recognition of Indigenous cultural competence amongst educators would be useful. Yet, the review presented in this paper demonstrates a gap in literature regarding measurement of cultural and intercultural competence in the context of Australian higher education. To that end, an instrument specifically designed to measure educator intercultural competence in Australia as related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is proposed. This instrument will enable higher education institutions to document educator Indigenous cultural competence, demonstrate the intercultural skills of their educational staff and continuously improve intercultural competency within the institution.

Embodied Politics: Indigenous Migrant Activism, Cultural Competency and Health Promotion in California By Rebecca J.Hester, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.2022. 208 pp.

Embodied Politics: Indigenous Migrant Activism, Cultural Competency and Health Promotion in California By Rebecca J.Hester, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.2022. 208 pp.

Is indigenisation a social justice risk? Exploring indigenisation of social work in Africa through the lens of universalism versus relativism of social work ethics and values

With the indigenisation of social work gathering momentum, the lens of universalism and relativism can highlight some critical social justice concerns. Sociocultural beliefs around human rights and gender equality, reproductive health and traditional fostering, among others, pose unprecedented dilemmas for social workers in Africa and indigenous societies globally. Furthermore, the blind pursuit of indigenisation can reinforce discriminatory and oppressive beliefs and practices. To rectify this, developing ethical decision-making screens and additional research promoting indigenous cultural competency within the social justice goal of social work is needed.

Students as co-creators of an Aboriginal & Torres Strait heritage garden and interactive maps

Over the last decade in response to the Universities Australia National Best Practice Framework for Indigenous Cultural Competency (2011), Australian Higher Education curricula have become increasingly permeable to First Nations ways of knowing being and doing. Online Campus Floras ("Turning campus grounds into botanical learning and teaching spaces,"Quinnell, The University of Sydney, 2020) can offer valuable teaching resources for biology and for experiential place-based learning beyond biology (e.g., in ecology, human geography, storytelling) as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage walking trails (Muecke & Eadie, 2020), and as portals to translate intergenerational knowledge by offering cultural, experiential learning for everyone (Muecke & Eadie, 2020). Partnerships between schools, two Australian universities (one in Brisbane and one in Sydney) and respectful working practices with First Nations knowledge holders in use of co-designed citizenship science projects to create, curate and disseminate location and information about Indigenous Knowings in plants by incorporating learning objects (photos, videos) derived from observations of campus flora at a university in Brisbane, Queensland, is the first of its kind to create a distinctive learning environment celebrating co-creation alongside Indigenous Knowings in curriculum via use of technology. The value of outdoor learning in the context of First Nations’ cultural connections to the living worlds is well-documented, with most botanical gardens and universities offering Aboriginal heritage trails (e.g., Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology("RMIT Keelbundoora scarred trees and heritage trail," 2020), Murdoch University ("Murdoch University: Ngoolak, Poolgala and Koorloo Walk Trail," 2020), Monash University ("Monash University:Aboriginal Trail," 2020)), The University of Sydney (“Patyegarang Language Trail, 2016). In addition, citizen science approaches offered the means for students and knowledge experts to collaborate in an online environment whilst working outdoors (e.g., Pettit et al., 2014; Struwe et al., 2014). Citizen science applications like iNaturalist App, resolve the challenges for collaborators (students and knowledge experts) when unable to physically meet due to remote locations and COVID-19 restrictions, to meet online and work in equal partnership to develop their digital literacies and resources. Here, First Nations plant knowledge was gathered in partnership from an external Indigenous plants/garden local consultant for Brisbane with students from our school collaborators via regular guidance and consultation. Learning objects (i.e. plants, yarning circles, native beehives) were crafted into a virtual educational tour using an online mapping system iNaturalist App to facilitate blended learning experiences. Students follow up by participating in development of appropriate inclusion of this information in the curriculum. Use of these online resources can widen participation outcomes and deeply embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into school and university curricula leading to preservation and promotion of Indigenous Knowings both to a national and international audience. Permission to disseminate and share this information as a teaching resource between First Nations, participating schools and the two participating universities was secured. Implications for further practice include co-creation and development of online Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander heritage walking trails at other universities, linking to local and national botanical gardens and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resource websites.

Addressing Inequities in Kidney Care for Indigenous People in Canada.

Addressing Inequities in Kidney Care for Indigenous People in Canada.

Pedagogy matters: Positive steps towards Indigenous cultural competency in a pre-service teacher cohort

The present study aimed to empirically evaluate the knowledges, attitudes and perspectives of pre-service teachers towards Indigenous peoples, and to identify relationships between student learning experiences and student knowledges, attitudes and preparedness to work with Indigenous peoples, at one Australian university. The project was part of a broader mixed-methods study utilising an Indigenous Graduate Attribute evaluation instrument developed by Indigenous scholars at another Australian university, hence we also present construct validation of the instrument for the present sample. The project identified that students entered the units with positive attitudes towards Indigenous peoples and knowledges and found value in their learning. Students reported that the units facilitated authentic engagement with Indigenous standpoints even though some educators were non-Indigenous. Visible pedagogical and content decisions such as Indigenous leadership in the course, collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, professionally relevant learning opportunities, and engaging with Indigenous perspectives through assessment were all identified to be related to positive experiences of learning.

Embedding Indigenous cultural competencies within a digital media and communication context in Australian higher education

ABSTRACT In 2011, Universities Australia published a best practice framework to support the Australian higher education sector to build Indigenous cultural competency institutionally, support Indigenous students and staf,f and to develop the Indigenous cultural competencies of students through curriculum and learning outcomes. For many institutions, this has resulted in the development of Indigenous graduate attributes aimed at building the Indigenous cultural competencies of all students, including non-Indigenous students, with specific Indigenous cultural competencies embedded as learning outcomes within discipline programmes. To date, there has been limited discussion of the embedding of Indigenous cultural competencies within practice-based Australian media and communication programmes such as journalism, film and video production or digital media. This article presents a case study on the embedding of an Indigenous Graduate Attribute within a digital media programme in 2018 and 2019, with an objective of building Indigenous cultural competencies in relation to students’ digital media practice. This case study discusses the development of a set of integrated teaching and learning activities and an assessment foregrounding Indigenous content and principles and protocols designed to equip students with cultural competencies that can be applied to their future professional media practice. While the case study is specific, it has relevance to the ongoing discussion of embedding Indigenous competencies into media and communication programmes more broadly.

The role of Teachers’ Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Competencies in Enhancing Students’ Engagement and Learning Outcomes

Grounded in constructivism and considering the context of literature studies, the current research examines the direct and indirect impact of students’ perception of their teachers’ indigenous knowledge and cultural competencies on their learning outcomes via an underlying mechanism of student engagement. The current study aims to provide insightful recommendations for academicians and school administrative bodies to provide necessary teacher training and development facilities so they can better transfer their knowledge to the students. Furthermore, the current study brings several theoretical and practical advances in the context of literature studies. Utilizing a time-lagged quantitative research design, data were collected from the 536 literature students from the higher educational institutions of Indonesia. Moreover, data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in SmartPLS3 software. The results revealed that students’ perception of their teachers’ indigenous knowledge and cultural competency positively influences their learning outcomes in terms of cognitive, social, and interpersonal skills. Besides, no significant differences were found between the impact of teachers' indigenous knowledge and cultural competencies on students learning outcomes reflecting the utmost importance of both study constructs in enhancing students’ abilities. Moreover, results also revealed the significant mediatory role of students' engagement between their perceptions of teachers’ indigenous knowledge and cultural competencies to enhance their learning outcomes.

Accrediting Indigenous Australian Content and Cultural Competency Within the Bachelor of Laws

The most recent version of the Council of Australian Law Deans Law School Standards calls for embedding Indigenous cultural competence in Australian law degrees as a matter of best practice. To support this work Universities Australia has produced several reports that establish a best practice framework for Indigenous cultural competence, which is reinforced by the Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy 2017-2020. Universities and law schools have a responsibility to drive this change, to be reflective, and to contribute to an expanding community of practice on Indigenous cultural competence in legal education. This paper explores how Charles Sturt University embedded Indigenous cultural competency across core curriculum content of the Bachelor of Laws. The authors provide a detailed explanation of the course pedagogical mapping and specific subject content that was submitted for institutional accreditation.

Culturally safe dementia care: Building nursing capacity to care for First Nation Elders with memory loss.

Nursing staff require culturally relevant and dementia-specific education to care for the increasing number of First Nation Elders experiencing memory loss. The culturally safe dementia care (CSDC) research team, composed of researchers, decision makers and Secwepemc Elders, was formed to address this. To increase the capacity of nurses to care for First Nations Elders with memory loss in a culturally safe way. Our community-based research used purposive sampling and mixed methods to create, implement and evaluate an education programme for nurses. Thirty-four Elders from six Secwepemc communities participated in roundtables to share views and stories of dementia and nursing care. These data were used to create four teaching stories for the storytelling sessions and talking circles with Elders which, together with the Indigenous Cultural Competency (ICC) training, comprised the CSDC education programme. Thirty-eight nurses (healthcare aides, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses) working in Central British Columbia began the CSDC study and 15 nurses took part in the education programme, evaluated the storytelling session and completed the three pre- and post-measures (Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ), ICC knowledge quiz and self-assessment, and Care Plans). The pre- and post-tests were scored, and the data were analysed statistically. The data from the roundtables and talking circles were analysed thematically through a collaborative process. The scores for the ADQ Hope sub-scale, the ICC knowledge quiz and the Care Plans increased from pre- to post-test. All nurse participants judged the storytelling session to be effective and their learning outcomes reflected culturally safe dementia care. This programme can improve the knowledge, skills and values of nurses to provide culturally safe dementia care.

Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj: a learning pathway to foster better Indigenous cultural competence in Canadian health research

ObjectiveIn Canada, Indigenous people experience racism across diverse settings, including within the health sector. This has negatively impacted both the quality of care that Indigenous people receive as well as how research related to Indigenous populations is conducted. Therefore, an Indigenous-led council at a kidney research network, in partnership with other key stakeholders, sought to create a learning pathway that aims to distill the racism that Indigenous people face, and build cultural competence, within the health sector.ParticipantsThe learning pathway was designed for researchers, health care providers, patient partners and administrators.SettingVarious components of the pathway are established trainings in healthcare and research settings at provincial and national levels. Provincially, some components are implemented in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.InterventionThe pathway, called Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj (meaning “White Horse” in Anishinaabemowin), involves six key steps: a culturally tailored blanket exercise that walks participants through the history of local Indigenous Nations/peoples; a more detailed online training program (San’yas); a series of webinars on Indigenous research ethics and protocols; an educational booklet about engaging Knowledge Keepers in research, as well as sharing details about their traditional knowledge and culture; two certification programs about Indigenous ownership of data; and a “book club,” wherein the conversation of racism—and the goal for finding solutions—is continually discussed.OutcomesWabishki Bizhiko Skaanj is working to build cultural competence in the Canadian health sector.ImplicationsThis learning pathway has the potential to address racial disparities across the country and improve health outcomes for Indigenous peoples.

Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj: A Learning Pathway to Foster Better Indigenous Cultural Competence Within Canadian Kidney Research

Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj: A Learning Pathway to Foster Better Indigenous Cultural Competence Within Canadian Kidney Research

Situating Race in Cultural Competency Training: A Site of Self-Revelation

Indigenous cross-cultural training has been around since the 1980s. It is often seen as a way to increase the skills and competency of staff engaged in providing service to Indigenous clients and customers, teaching Indigenous students within universities and schools, or working with Indigenous communities (Fredericks and Bargallie, “Indigenous”; “Which Way”). In this article we demonstrate how such training often exposes power, whiteness, and concepts of an Indigenous “other”. We highlight how cross-cultural training programs can potentially provide a setting in which non-Indigenous participants can develop a deeper realisation of how their understandings of the “other” are formed and enacted within a “white” social setting. Revealing whiteness as a racial construct enables people to see race, and “know what racism is, what it is not and what it does” (Bargallie, 262). Training participants can use such revelations to develop their racial literacy and anti-racist praxis (Bargallie), which when implemented have the capacity to transform inequitable power differentials in their work with Indigenous peoples and organisations.

The ‘Within’ Journey: Assessment of the Online Indigenous Australian Cultural Competence Training Programme at Charles Sturt University

This paper explores the impact of self-reflective processes of staff at Charles Sturt University (CSU) while undertaking an online Indigenous Cultural Competency Program (ICCP). The ICCP was designed for completion by all university staff to enhance their knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories and contemporary realities. Staff were requirement to complete and submit answers to an online quiz, and a written reflection on their learning. This paper reflects on the responses of 64 volunteers and indicates large positive shifts are self-reported knowledge and understanding. The reflective texts of staff provide a rich source of information on the ‘journey within’. In-depth thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) identified three key themes: evaluation, the mapped learning journey and the personal learning journey. The participant feedback, not only pointed to the cognitive, attitudinal and emotional impact of the content and pedagogical approach of the programme, but also identified barriers and issues for programmes aimed at complex change in a contested space. Our programme assessment relied on self-reported individual perception that surfaced hidden assumptions about Indigenous cultural competency (Kumas-Tan¸ Beagan, Loppie, MacLeod, & Frank, 2007). We acknowledge in the longer term a range of comprehensive outcome measures are needed.

An Indigenous cultural competence model for dentistry education.

Reorientation of education for health professionals is necessary to support future health workforce in meeting population needs. Dental graduates must be competent to effectively communicate with patients, their families and other health professionals involved in their care, regardless of social or cultural background. Indigenous people in Australia experience significant oral health disparities compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Cultural competence has evolved as the leading model to equip future clinicians to deliver culturally safe care. A case study conducted at the University of Sydney School of Dentistry examined the integration of Indigenous cultural competence into dental curricula using four data sources: a systematic review identifying intervention strategies to improve cultural competence; an online survey to provide a baseline analysis of Indigenous curricula practices; and two in-depth interview studies with academics and students to determine barriers and enablers to increasing Indigenous cultural competence among dental students. As a result, an Indigenous cultural model was developed for dentistry education, recognising three major constituents being critical to achieving cultural competence among dental students. Indigenous cultural competence in dentistry education requires stringent governance, adequate faculty resources and effective educational strategies, in order to increase students' knowledge, understanding and skills to achieve a minimum cultural competence standard upon graduation.

Yarning shares knowledge: Wiradyuri storytelling, cultural immersion and video reflection

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on the design and teaching of a capstone law subject that is aimed at developing Indigenous cultural competency in future lawyers. The discussion covers the translation of Wiradyuri traditions of oral storytelling into a video reflection assessment task for law students who undertook a cultural immersion experience with Wiradyuri Elders in rural NSW as part of their law studies. We examine two foundational spaces through personal reflection. Firstly, the space for relational learning through the authentic engagement with Indigenous cultural narratives to deepen academic and student knowledge about traditional cultural practices and Indigenous legal systems. Secondly, we discuss how Indigenous self-determination and authentic relationships with Indigenous peoples can influence practices of social justice in legal education. We refer to specific place-based learning initiatives that highlight the strength and diversity of cultural traditions and bring to the forefront some of the contemporary social realities of Indigenous people in Australia today. Thus, connecting the development of knowledge to respectful partnerships of collaboration and validating the power of authentic learning experiences to influence meaningful engagement with Indigenous peoples at a local level. Finally, we reflect on the capacity for reflective analysis linked to this on-Country learning, both for students and academics, to impact on the development of legal professional identity in nascent lawyers, and thus impact on the profession at large.