The Aboriginal Education K-12 Resource Guide, Volume 2
This Australian document provides guidelines for selecting and using aboriginal resources in K-12 classrooms, as wells as reviews of many potential resources. The guidelines in particular may be of interest to educators in the United States, and teachers may find the reviewed resources useful. While specific to native Australians, the content of the resource reviews contain familiar native peoples themes, such as the forced relocation of young children away from their parents. Unlike the guidelines from British Columbia, Canada, these guidelines do not mandate only “authentic native voices”; instead they focus on inclusion, balance, the diversity of aboriginal Australian cultures, and shared history. This document is large, approximately 8 MB and 180 pages.
This Australian publication comprises three different sections: (1) background information about the guide; (2) guidance for the evaluation and selection of materials to be used in aboriginal studies in New South Wales; and (2) an annotated bibliography of resources, including reviews by aboriginal and non-aboriginal educators. The purposes are stated well, although repetitive at times, and the primary purpose is to help teachers evaluate, find, and use appropriate classroom materials for teaching aboriginal studies. The goals are effectively met and the content is plausible and useful. Teachers in the United states are likely to find that many of the materials can be effectively integrated into their curriculum in light of themes similar to those experienced by American Indians. Communications quality is excellent throughout, although with some content overlap. Evidence of effectiveness is not provided, but as with similar publications, the high quality of the content implies a positive effect on learning.