The Indigenous Knowledges Hub is designed to be a landing space for resources dedicated to the decolonising and Indigenising work occurring at Swinburne.
The Hub has 6 areas, with the option to expand and add new areas as they come about.
Area 1) Focuses on Reconciliation at Swinburne. The digital documents in this area provide resources on Reconciliation at Swinburne, including our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and our university vision for reconciliation at Swinburne.
Area 2) Focuses on Teaching and Learning. It has four sub-areas:
Area 2.1 focuses on decolonising and Indigenising unit curricular. The digital documents in this area provide advice and resources dedicated to the reviewing and removing of colonial or non-appropriate materials and the adding of Indigenous-focused knowledges, teaching topics and scholarship, to unit curricula in each school. This includes providing key scholarship and topic areas within discipline areas to help guide teaching staff as they begin this process. This area also provides advice on incorporating Acknowledgment pages within Canvas units, and the reviewing of course/unit statements and course/unit outcomes. Area. 2.2 Focuses on building confidence among teaching staff to teach from, and with, Indigenous standpoints. This is an important area, as often teaching staff are not reluctant to review their curricular because they do not wish to decolonise or Indigenise, often they are just unsure of how to do so appropriately, and are worried they will get it wrong. This area provides digital documents on how to understand the cultural space, on common errors teachers make when beginning to embed Indigenous Knowledges into their curriculums / teaching practice and how to avoid these, and resources on how to build confidence in teaching from and with Indigenous standpoints. Area 2.3 Provides resources on appropriate methods of engaging Indigenous industry experts. This is a key learning area at Swinburne, as we have very few Indigenous academics, often teaching staff will outsource an Indigenous industry expert. This area provides digital documents on best practice, including: remuneration; recording of lectures, and protecting the cultural safety of Indigenous guests. Area 2.4 Provides resources on Indigenous Studies at Swinburne and provides useful links to relevant areas.
Area 3) Provides resources on the Moondani Toombadool Centre. The MTC is responsible for all Indigenous matters at Swinburne, including governance, culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, teaching and learning, and research. Providing staff access to this area, allows for wider engagement with Indigenous matters in all areas.
Area 4) Provides resources on Indigenous Student Services at Swinburne. While this area falls under the MTC portfolio, it is important to showcase the work being done in this space with its own area to make it more visible to wider Swinburne audiences.
Area 5) Focuses on Co-Ground at Yarrwinbu, which is the Social Enterprise café operating within the new Indigenous space on campus Yarrwinbu (‘enjoy’). Providing resources on the way we are Indigenising campus spaces is important, as it shows the collective work being done across the university, which influences and impacts teaching and learning.
Area 6) Provides a space for additional miscellaneous resources on Indigenous matters that may be helpful for Swinburne staff.
