Publications

Module 2

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Workshop Outline
• Materials Required
• Further Reading
• Activities
• Overhead Transparancies
• Resources
• Readings

'Best Practice' in Coastal and Marine Studies

INTRODUCTION

This module builds upon the understanding of the nature, scope and objectives of coastal and marine studies developed in Module 1. It combines these understandings with participants' previous experiences as teachers or students to help identify principles of 'best practice' for teaching in this area. These principles relate to forms of curriculum organisation, content selection, teaching and learning methods, selection of resources, links with the community, preservice teacher education and continuing professional development. As such, the module presents an introduction to the themes of later modules in this series.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this workshop are:

• to develop an understanding of the concept of 'best practice' in education;
• to identify principles of 'best practice' in teaching coastal and marine studies and to organise them into a coherent, pedagogical framework;
• to recognise the critical importance of incorporating indigenous perspectives in a 'best practice' framework; and
• to evaluate examples of teaching coastal and marine studies against this framework.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

There are five activities in this workshop:

1. Introduction to the activity
   This activity is an icebreaker where participants share their ideas about 'best practice' in education and, in particular, in coastal and marine studies. The objectives of the workshop are also introduced here.
2. Defining 'Best Practice'
   Participants develop a Best Practice Framework for coastal and marine studies in this activity and compare it to a sample framework developed from research in fourteen schools across Australia.
3. Guidelines for Including Aboriginality in Environmental Education
   This activity encourages the involvement of Aboriginal community members, educators and/or resource managers in ensuring that Aboriginal perspectives are incorporated into 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies.
4. Windows on Classrooms and Schools
   Two options are provided for this activity. In the first option, six lessons on coastal and marine studies themes are evaluated against the Best Practice Framework developed in previous activities. Where time is available for extensive reading in the workshop, the second option uses the Best Practice Framework to analyse three school programmes in coastal and marine studies .
5. Conclusion
   The workshop ends with participants making a personal inventory of their skills in implementing a Best Practice Framework for coastal and marine studies.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

A. Provided

Overhead Transparencies
OHT 1:	Overview of Workshop
OHT 2:	Sharing Ideas on ''Best Practice'
OHT 3:	Sample Best Practice Framework
OHT 4:	Guidelines for Including Aboriginal Perspectives
OHT 5:	Analysing Coastal and Marine Studies, Activities and Programmes
Resources
Resource 1:	Some Aims, Characteristics and Objectives of 'Best Practice'
Resource 2:	Windows on Coastal and Marine Studies Lessons
Resource 3:	Windows on Coastal and Marine Studies Programmes
Readings
Reading 1:	Guidelines for Including Aboriginality in Environmental Education

B. To be obtained

Activity 2:	One photocopy of Resource 1 for each group of 3-4 participants (cut up into slips and placed into an envelope); one sheet of chart paper per group; pens; glue.
Activity 3:	Invite Aboriginal participation in the workshop, especially for this activity, e.g. members of a local Aboriginal community, Aboriginal educational advisers, or Aboriginal officers in natural resource management agencies (see Reading 1).
Activity 4:	A video excerpt of an example of 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies might be shown as an alternative to one of the six 'windows' or to introduce the activity. One good example is Freshwater, available from Streamwatch, Corporate Communications Unit, Water Board, 115-123 Bathurst Street, Sydney, NSW.

FURTHER READING

Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories (1996) Coast and Marine Schools Project, Stage 1 - Part 3: Identification of Best Practice, Final Report, Canberra.

Fien, J., Gerber, R. and Wilson, P. (1989) The Geography Teacher's Guide to the Classroom (2nd edition), Macmillan, Melbourne.

Hassard, J. (1990) Science Experiences: Cooperative Learning and the Teaching of Science, Addison-Wesley, Menlo Park.

Naish, M., Rawling, E. and Hart, C. (1987) The Contribution of a Curriculum Project to 16-19 Education, Longman, Essex.

Slater, F. (1993) Learning Through Geography, Title No. 7 in the Pathways in Geography Series, National Council for Geographic Education, Pennsylvania.

Trowbridge, L. and Bybee, R. (1990) Becoming a Secondary School Science Teacher (5th edition), Merrill, Columbus.

ACTIVITIES

1. Introduction

This is an icebreaker in which participants work in pairs to share their perceptions of 'best practice' and then report their discussion to a new pair of participants. The activity develops skills of active listening and encourages participants to work with others they do not know.

• Display OHT 1 which presents an overview of the workshop.
• Explain how these activities are designed to build on the understandings of the nature, scope and purpose of coastal and marine studies, especially the ways in which this can contribute to education for ecologically sustainable development developed in Module 1.
• Ask each participant to locate a person he/she does not know (or does not know very well) and to arrange their chairs so that they are sitting relatively close to each other, face-to-face, for a conversation.
• Ask one person in each pair to volunteer to be an 'active listener'. Briefly review the principles of active listening - good eye contact, open posture, smiles and nods, etc.
• The 'speaker' in each pair is to think briefly, then speak for three minutes on the topic of 'best practice in coastal and marine studies'. OHT 2 provides some guidelines.
• After the three minutes, ask the 'speakers' and 'active listeners' to swap roles and repeat the process.
• Ask each pair to join another to make a group of four and invite each person in the group, in turn, to report to the group on what he/she learnt about 'best practice' from his/her partner while being an 'active listener'.
• Ask each group of four to decide on one key point from their discussions that they think would be of value to the whole group.
• Hear group reports of these 'key points', making a list on an OHT, board or chart of these important points. These points will be used again in the conclusion.

2. Defining Best Practice

• Introduce the activity by reminding participants of the nature, scope and purpose of coastal and marine studies which were explored in Module 1. You may like to use some of the OHTs from Module 1 as reminders.
• Explain that the term 'best practice' has two aspects within schools. These are:

Therefore, there are two sides to the question, 'What is 'best practice'?' The first response and field activities.' Theld be 'What and how teachers are teaching in their courses, prog second is 'What learning outcomes students are gaining from doing these courses, programmes and field activities.'

• Make the point that a variety of teaching and learning strategies can contribute to 'best practice' and that what counts as 'best practice' will vary between teachers, schools and regions depending on local contexts and influences.
• Explain that this activity requires participants to work in groups to design a poster which outlines a framework for describing 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies.

Preparation

• Photocopy Resource 1 so that there is one copy per group of 3-4 participants.
• Cut out group sets of the small slips from Resource 1 and place each set in an envelope.
• Obtain sets of pens, chart paper, paste, etc. for each group.

Running the Activity

• Give each group an envelope containing a set of slips of paper (Resource 1) and a sheet of chart paper, pens and paste.
• Ask participants to firstly divide the slips from their envelope into two groups - 'heading' slips and 'note point' slips.
• Ask the participants to discuss the 'heading' slips in the envelope, and then to categorise the 'note point' slips under each of the 'heading' slips. Encourage groups to add extra note points and examples as they believe appropriate.
• Ask the groups to arrange the 'heading' and 'note point' slips into a diagram (or concept map) in order to show the relationship between the different aspects of 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies.
• Ask participants to lay out and glue the groups of slips on the chart paper in such a way as to show the relationships between the ideas. The pens can be used to draw boxes, lines, arrows or anything else that helps explain the group's views on what a Best Practice Framework for coastal and marine studies would be like.

Debriefing

• Ask the groups to display and present a brief report that outlines the Best Practice Framework that they have developed.
• Show OHT 3 (and hand out a copy) to each participant. Explain that this is a sample Best Practice Framework that was developed after interviews with coastal and marine studies teachers in fourteen schools across Australia. Briefly discuss this example with the group noting points that are on Resource 1 but which are not on OHT 3, and adding any extra points of their own.
• Ask each group to revise its Best Practice Framework to take account of the discussion of various frameworks developed by the other groups and OHT 3.

3. Guidelines For Including Aboriginality In Environmental Education

The Best Practice Framework on OHT 3 developed from the case studies in fourteen schools did not emphasise Aboriginal perspectives on the coast and sea. Sadly, this is not unusual, as indigenous perspectives do tend to be a neglected dimension of environmental education in general. However, no discussion of 'best practice' can ignore this very important dimension.

• Reading 1 provides a set of suggestions, organised as five principles (OHT 4) for helping overcome this omission. Copies should be provided to all participants.
• However, by far the best way of addressing this issue is to invite Aboriginal participation in the workshop (see Principle 1), especially from the local community, Aboriginal educational advisers, or Aboriginal officers in natural resource management agencies.
• Divide participants into five groups and allocate one principle per group. Allow 10-15 minutes for discussion on including Aboriginality in environmental education in schools and then hear group reports.

4. Windows On Classrooms and Schools

This activity requires participants to apply their Best Practice Frameworks to the evaluation of several examples of coastal and marine studies in practice. Two options are provided for this activity, according to the length of time available. The first option examines six classroom settings, while the second option investigates three school programmes and should only be undertaken if there is time for extensive reading.

• Distribute copies of either Resource 2 containing descriptions of six sample coastal and marine lessons and/or activities or Resource 3 which includes a more detailed description of three school programmes, to each group.
• Ask the groups to read the descriptions and to answer the following questions (on OHT 5 and also listed on Resources 2 and 3):

• Participants briefly report back to the whole group on their discussions and answers to the questions.

5. Conclusion

• Refer participants to the list of key points recorded on an OHT, white board or chart paper from Activity 1. These are the points participants thought were very important at the start of the workshop.
• Ask them whether they would like to add additional points about 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies after experiencing the workshop.
• Ask each group to select the three points that they believe are most important and justify their selections.
• Ask participants to identify the skills they will need to be able to integrate these three points into their teaching.

OHT 1

Overview of Workshop

1. Introduction
2. Defining 'Best Practice'
3. Guidelines for including Aboriginality in Environmental Education
4. Windows on Classrooms and Schools
5. Conclusion

OHT 2

Sharing Ideas on 'Best Practice'

1. We have to think more about 'best practice' in education because ..........
2. I think that the idea of 'best practice' in coastal and marine studies ought to refer to.............
3. One of the best examples of 'best practice' in teaching coastal and marine studies I have seen was when ............

OHT 3

Sample Best Practice Framework

OHT 4

Guidelines for Including Aboriginal Perspectives

1. Speaking for Country - Contacting the Right People
2. Invisibility - Making Local Links with Aboriginal People
3. What is Real? - Defining Aboriginality
4. Owning Information - Showing Respect
5. Different Roles as Educators

OHT 5

Analysing Coastal and Marine Studies Activities and Programmes

1. How do the lessons/programmes relate to your Best Practice Framework (or to the one in OHT 3)?
2. Which of the six lessons/three programmes would you most like to teach? Why?
3. Are any of the six lessons/three programmes not really 'good' examples of coastal and marine studies? Why?
4. How do each of the examples help students learn for a sustainable environment?
5. What distinctive skills did the teachers in the examples need to make these activities a success?

Resource 1

Some Aims, Characteristics And Objectives Of Best Practice

Resource 2

Windows On Coastal And Marine Studies Lessons

Read Through The 'Windows' And Then Answer The Following Questions, Through Discussions With Your Group:

• How do the lessons relate to your best practice framework?
• Which of the six lessons would you most like to teach? Why?
• Are any of the six lessons not really 'good' examples coastal and marine studies? Why?
• How do the lessons help students learn for a sustainable environment?
• What distinctive skills did the teachers in the six lessons need to make these activities a success?

Window 1

The classroom is empty as the students are outside working on a large art mural depicting the local coastal and marine environment. The mural is approximately six metres by four metres and features the beach to the deep sea marine life. All classes in the school from Years 1 - 7 are involved in work on the mural.

Window 2

A Year 3 class is collating the data they have collected from a crab survey the previous day. The data is being collated to show the number of crabs, the distribution of crabs and other evidence of crabs. After collating the data and drawing appropriate conclusions the students will prepare posters that show the importance of the crabs in the ecosystem.

Window 3

Year 8 students are entering data into the global 'Save the Beaches' programme through the Internet. The class surveyed an area of their local beach to sample pollution and analyse human impacts on the area as part of an Adopt-a-Beach scheme.

Window 4

The class is away on camp. Year 3 and 4 students are at a coastal camp site and are involved in a number of activities in an environment that many have not seen before. Some children have spent the afternoon looking for life in rock pools. Another group has been involved in a litter survey on the beach. This group is now classifying the litter and discussing where it might come from and the effect it has on coastal and marine organisms.

Window 5

In this classroom the students are reading a Fisheries Department booklet on commercial fishing. Their teacher has asked them to make a list of fishing methods used by commercial fishers and to list the species of fish caught for commercial consumption. One group of students is fascinated by a picture of the range of fish caught by a trawler. They notice sharks and many small fish are included in the catch. They have decided to find out more about the effects of trawling on non-target species and on the marine ecosystem.

Window 6

This classroom looks like a Council Chamber. Students are at the end of a four week study of coastal management. They are presenting their findings on a proposed local marina development in the form of a local council meeting. Students have worked in groups to research the opinions of various interest groups in their community about the proposed marina. They are now involved in a role play of the process by which the local council will decide on the issue. Councillor Alistair, the 'real' mayor has agreed to chair the simulated council meeting.

Resource 3

Windows on Coastal and Marine Studies Programmes

Source: Adapted from Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories (1996) Coast and Marine Schools Project, Stage 1 - Part 3: Identification of Best Practice, Final Report, Canberra.

Read through the 'windows' and then answer the following questions, through discussions with your group:

• How do the programmes relate to your best practice framework?
• Which of the three programmes would you most like to be involved with? Why?
• Are any of the three programmes not really 'good' examples of coastal and marine studies? Why?
• How do the programmes help to students learn for a sustainable environment?
• What distinctive skills did the teachers in the three programmes need to make these activities a success?

Programme 1: Caring for the Coast

School:

Kingscote Area School

Duration:

2 weeks.

Grades of Students Involved:

The whole primary school is involved from Reception to Year 7.

Number of Students Involved:

350 students

Curriculum Area of Programme:

This programme is implemented through Studies of Society and Environment and incorporates Aboriginal Studies as part of its focus.

What is this programme about?

All primary school students attend an extensive excursion that requires the students to interact with their local estuary salt marsh habitat at Cygnet River, a 20 minute walk from the school. All levels of students attend the excursion on different days and then participate in follow up activities at the school. Activities done on the excursion encompass a number of curriculum areas including poetry, sketching and scientific investigation. All activities require the students to use each of their senses, and at times particular senses are highlighted such as in a guided blind-folded walk along a rope.

Eventually, more coastal and marine issues are integrated into the students' secondary studies at this school through the geography course which incorporates units of work relating to coastal and marine issues. Again students participate in another excursion on Kangaroo Island that examines the physical elements and human impacts.

What are the general aims of the programme?

By visiting the Cygnet River Estuary the students are able to heighten their awareness of the coastal areas of Kangaroo Island and look at conservation issues. The students are shown aspects of the area, the importance of the area is highlighted and reasons explored for looking after it.

What types of activities are involved in the programme?

The excursion requires the students to participate in bird watching, micro-species investigation, sketching, documenting animal and plant species adaptations, and discussions on environmental protection issues. The students' use of their senses was also included in the day's activities.

What do you believe is the most valuable aspect of the programme and why?

Getting the students involved in their own environment allows them to connect and develop an association with it, which will promote a sense of responsibility which may lead to the students having a role to play with its protection in the future.

What resources do you believe are important to your programme?

A major assistance to this project was Bill Prime from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He contributed to the activities and explanations of the environment. Local knowledge and having access to people who are familiar with the environment were also beneficial to the project. Technical equipment used was simple though effective. Written resources and coastal activities were useful teaching aids which were adapted to our own environment.

Programme 2: Marine Studies

School:

Star of the Sea School

Duration:

This is an ongoing process that varies throughout each year level.

Grades of Students Involved:

Students from Reception up to Year 7 are involved.

Number of Students Involved:

400 students

Curriculum Area:

A marine studies programme is linked directly to the Statements and Profile documents, particularly for Science and Studies of Society and Environment.

What are your programmes about?

Presently the school has been heavily involved in sea week activities and has initiated many marine studies projects which include: the creation of a large art mural depicting three levels of coastal and marine environments. The mural, which stands approximately six by four metres in size, involved the participation of every class in the school and features the beach and deep sea marine life. The school has also created a sand dune profile within the school grounds. This sand dune profile, which extends over 100 metres, replicates the types of vegetation found in sand dunes and uses native plants. The students have also developed an 'explanation board' to accompany this sand dune area providing student directed learning activities which in turn promotes the coastal environment. At the same time the school participates in a sand dune area ownership programme where students from the school are responsible for the planting and maintenance of a sand dune area close to the school. A salt water aquarium which houses marine life from the St Vincent's Gulf (e.g. sea snails, sea stars and anemone) represents the temperate zone of sea life found in South Australian waters.

This school is also on the eve of setting up a Marine Discovery Centre with computers, models, hands-on activities, aquarium, nature trails, modern equipment and experiments. This will be initially set up in an existing classroom and then transferred to a house adjacent to the school.

What are the general aims of the programme?

The aim of the programme and the Marine Discovery Centre is to empower students to take action to protect the coastal and marine environment. Other educational outcomes include: increasing awareness of the pressures on natural resources; increasing understanding of the natural environment; and increasing appreciation of the natural systems. It is also important to promote a respect for the environment which may result in decreasing the detrimental impacts of humans on the environment through such programmes.

What types of activities are involved in the programme?

One of the main foci of this school is sand dunes. The school has recently been nominated as a Landcare Focus School. Students also participate in the Adopt-A-Beach global programme and share their information about the pollution status of a local beach with schools from all around the world through the Internet. World Environment Day is also celebrated by the school.

What do you believe is the most valuable aspect of the programme and why?

The programme develops enthusiasm in the students. The Marine Discovery Centre will provide primary students in South Australia with access to meaningful and exciting learning opportunities in marine education. It is also an excellent way to promote and educate all members of the community about our fragile coastline. The Centre's activities will be linked closely with Aboriginal people and their relationship with the coast.

What resources do you believe are important to your programme?

An essential part of developing marine programmes and the Marine Discovery Centre is the support of local community groups and Council, government departments, school staff and other interstate Marine Discovery Centres. Financial support and technical guidance are invaluable. The facilities such as the house, aquarium tanks and computer hardware and software are provided through funding by the previously mentioned groups and Fishcare. The project also needed to be developed gradually and not implemented all at once.

Programme 3: 'Tailor Sampling' and Gifted and Talented Programme

School:

Carnarvon Senior High School

Duration:

This is an ongoing programme.

Grades of Students Involved:

Mainly Years 11 and 12

Number of Students Involved:

Presently 40 students are involved. Eventually all students will be involved.

Curriculum Area:

This programme is implemented in the science curriculum.

What is this programme about?

This marine studies programme involves senior and junior students sampling fish in the inshore fishing communities of Shark Bay. The main emphasis of this project is to locate and monitor juvenile Tailor Fish, as scientific data about the growth and abundance of this species in waters north of the 23rd parallel is non-existent.

All students involved in this programme participate in fish sampling procedures. There are four sites where data and fish samples are collected within the Carnvaron District. At these sites students are responsible for collecting data of the physical environment as well as identifying a range of variables at each of the locations. Students work in groups of 3-4 and are assigned particular fish species to monitor. This information is recorded on data sheets at the sites.

This is done over three days every month at each of the sites. On average 25 senior students and two teachers or 15 'Gifted and Talented' students and one teacher assist in this data collection.

Fish and algae samples are collected using a seine net. If the catch is small the length and weight of the fish species is measured at the site and recorded on a separate biological data sheet. Usually the fish sampled are too numerous and need to be returned to the school, vacuum frozen, labelled and stored in a freezer until more time becomes available to measure and weigh each species during class time.

When class time is available the students defrost their assigned fish species and record the length and weight of each fish. The fish species need to be identified using dichotomous keys. Any unknown specimens are identified by the Curator of Fisheries at the Western Australian Museum. When all sites are finished, the students enter their findings into a computer using Excel spread sheets and graphically represent each site's data. The information is saved on each student's disc for the full year. These discs are all gathered and kept together at school with the original data sheets.

What are the general aims of the programme?

These programmes encourage students to participate in scientific research directly related to their community. Student awareness of fish species and marine ecosystems of their region is increased through their participation in the data collection and research. Other skills such as team work, communication and the students technical abilities improve throughout the programme.

What types of activities are involved in the programme?

Activities included in this programme involve compilations of environmental data and survey methods such as water temperature readings, turbidity readings, depth measurements, salinity readings and river width readings.

The programme also includes collecting, bagging and labelling the data, such as lengths and weights of sample fish. Cleaning the equipment is also an essential part of the programme.

The last stage of this programme involves entering the research information into the schools' computers. Providing a graphic representation of the information assists the students in the analysing process. The gathered information is regularly presented in a report format. Later the raw data as well as the students' reports are sent to the fisheries department in Perth.

What do you believe is the most valuable aspect of the programme and why?

Hands-on experience with the local coastal and marine environment on a regular basis is an important component of the programme. This experience is enhanced by the range of skills the participating students develop during the classroom activities.

The students' self-esteem is improved if they are contributing to an important study of their local environment. This programme encourages responsibility towards their local community and their surrounding environment.

What resources do you believe are important to your programme?

Access to the ocean is one of the most important factors of this programme. Support from administration and other staff members provides the flexibility needed to develop an adequate timetable structure and use of computer rooms. Another imperative for the success of the programme was the real need for it to exist. The Fisheries Department had gaps in its information about Tailor Fish in the Carnarvon waters. As this district supports a large recreational fishing contingent, there was a need to supply the Fisheries Department with the relevant information about the fish species of the area. As a result the students could be made aware of the significance of the research and its impact on the community.

The reference materials gathered from people doing similar research in regions were a valuable resource. Similarly the written material from the Fisheries Department, such as the data sheets and fish identification dichotomous keys, were important to the programme. The contribution made by the staff at the Western Australian Museum, in the classification and identification of fish species is also a valuable part of the programme.

Reading 1

Guidelines for Including Aboriginality in Environmental Education

Source: Swartz, J., Craig, L. and Walker, L. (1997) Guidelines for Including Aboriginal Perspectives, Draft Paper, TAFE ATSI Curriculum Consortium, Cairns.

A number of concerns need to be considered when working with Aboriginal people, including issues such as ownership of cultural information, cultural sensitivity (in cross-cultural communication) and cultural equity (respecting western and indigenous knowledge equally). These key elements will dramatically affect the success of the programmes you choose to conduct. Following are five basic premises that we think non-indigenous educators should keep in mind when incorporating cultural aspects into environmental education programmes.

1. Speaking for country - Contacting the right people

Many non-indigenous people do not recognise the diversity of cultures that exist within Aboriginal Australia. They wrongly assume that one Aboriginal person can speak for all Aboriginal people. This is not the case - different Aboriginal people have connections to particular places or country. Therefore in your area (rural or urban), there are Aboriginal people who have traditional links to that area.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you speak to the right people for the right 'country' when planning your environmental education programme. If you want to include Aboriginal learnings/perspective in your education programme that are directly related to the area (eg a visit to a coastal park or reserve) you will need to contact the traditional people. If you are in a major developed urban area, the traditional people may not be present or there may be Aboriginal people relocated from other areas. You need to obtain advice from your local Land Council or Aboriginal Corporation or community group about the best person to contact about your needs. They can tell you if there are traditional people present for the area or can suggest other Aboriginal people who, although they cannot speak for the country concerned, can still assist you in providing a general Aboriginal perspective for your programme.

2. Invisibility - Making local links with Aboriginal people

Aboriginal people are not invisible but sometimes non-Aboriginal people behave as if they were! Utilising the community for environmental education is considered best practice but it is sadly too rarely applied to the Aboriginal sector of the community, especially in large urban centres.

As educators, you need to make personal connection with local Aboriginal people. They are there - they are not invisible - and they can offer the chance for ongoing involvement in your education programme. It is important that your students benefit from personal interaction with Aboriginal people instead of second-hand information from a book. Do not reach for Kakadu Man from the bookshelf; contact your local Aboriginal group/corporation for appropriate people to get personally involved in your programme. The richness of their experiences as Aboriginal people in contemporary society, the unique indigenous perspective to challenge non-indigenous world views and assumptions; and their special connections to the environment can be an invaluable addition to your programme.

3. What is real? - Defining Aboriginality

Non-Aboriginal people mostly do not recognise that Aboriginal people are as varied as non-indigenous people. When thinking of an image of an Aboriginal Australian, they think of someone like 'Kakadu Man' - Big Bill Neidjie (a Gagadju Elder from the Northern Territory) - as a 'typical' or 'real' Aboriginal person.

Without being disrespectful to Mr Neidjie - he is not the face of Aboriginal Australia; he is the face of a Gagadju Elder. This traditional stereotype does not acknowledge the diversity of people who define themselves as Aboriginal people. Aboriginality is not found in appearances; rather it is based on spirituality. Such a definition forces us to not only look at many different Aboriginal faces such as Cathy Freeman, Noel Pearson, Mal Maninga and Lois O'Donaghue .... but also beyond those faces and to understand what it means to identify as an Aboriginal person in today's society.

So how can educators address this issue? Traditional stereotypes should be challenged rather than reinforced. Attempt to link up with Aboriginal people living contemporary lifestyles in your own area and seek to involve them in your education programme. In this way students will learn firstly that real Aboriginal people exist (in a range of guises) and come to appreciate the diverse cultures that exist within Aboriginal society as part of a living contemporary culture.

4. Owning information - Showing respect

Indigenous information is owned by indigenous people similar to the way that an idea has copyright attached. Cultural copyright has become an increasingly heated issue as Aboriginal people assert their sole rights to cultural information. It is no longer acceptable for non-indigenous people to inappropriately use or refer to Aboriginal information without the prior consent of Aboriginal people.

Non-indigenous people are mostly not aware of the responsibilities that are associated with owning cultural information. In indigenous societies, information and knowledge are not commodities that are freely accessible to everyone. Particular people can speak for certain areas; and different information can be given to different people. For example, some information will only be shared with indigenous people when they are ready to receive it; some information is gender-specific; and non-indigenous people are likely to only ever hear very general information of no special significance. Therefore the cultural information shared with you depends on who you are.

This idea that information carries certain responsibilities can be a difficult concept for non-indigenous people to grasp. It is therefore important for educators to remain respectful and acknowledge that they cannot obtain and use cultural information without prior consent from the relevant people.

When contacting Aboriginal people to become involved in your education programme, do not expect to be given information to use in your teaching. That is not why you have contacted them. Rather, your request should be 'What would you like to teach non-indigenous people about this place/about your culture and how can we best do it?' The solution should ensure that Aboriginal people remain involved and in control of the educational process. This may mean that you invite them to speak to your students or to become involved in a more on-going manner in your programme or simply that they are present when you visit their country.

5. Your role as educators will be different

Including indigenous learnings into your education programme changes your role as an educator. Assuming all goes according to plan, and you have made contact with appropriate Aboriginal people, and they have indicated willingness to help your students to understand more about the world from an Aboriginal perspective, how will you determine your role? By accepting that you are not the expert, you immediately show respect and pave the way for a productive working relationship with Aboriginal people. You will need first to develop trust and understanding based on mutual respect and a shared interest in promoting the value of indigenous knowledge and views to your students.

Depending on your situation, Aboriginal people or community may be happy to present talks and discussion sessions, conduct dance, language, art and craft workshops, lead cultural walks or demonstrate cultural skills. Others may prefer to share certain information with you that you can incorporate into your environmental education programmes. Whatever the outcome, at all times you will need to be aware of your responsibility to facilitate the process in a way that is culturally-appropriate and achieves the best outcomes for promoting and valuing Aboriginality to your students.