The University of Sydney Teaching Colloquium 2012
Community Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT) Session
Showcasing Inspirational programs
TITLE:
Partnerships with local Indigenous community agencies: Do service learning
opportunities enhance sociocultural understanding and competence of Human
Movement Health Education (HMHE) pre-service teachers?
FACILITATOR:
Dr Wayne Cotton
CONTACT DETAILS: wayne.cotton@sydney.edu.au
1.
Briefly describe your community engaged learning and teaching (CELT) program
This teaching and learning project emulated a service learning model, with the main
aim of the project being to create partnerships with local Indigenous community
agencies and local high schools. The development of a successful partnership not only
fostered positive relationships between the university and local communities. It also
allowed for pre-service teachers to have an authentic learning experience where they
were able to practice teaching in a real world situation.
2.
Highlight the key learning outcomes for the students and the benefits for the
community
Initial results suggest that by creating a mutually respected partnership with local
Indigenous community agencies and local high schools opportunities for pre-service
teachers can be successfully created which deepen a students knowledge and
understanding of Indigenous youth, their health and their community.
3.
Summarise the outcomes that have been measured or reported. Include student
and community feedback.
Key themes to emerge from student’s reflections of the experience included: Preservice teachers appreciated the cultural differences within the community and were
able to use this information to enhance their learning; teachers need to
challenge/change existing stereotypes; and that teachers should encourage nonindigenous students to be culturally inclusive.
4.
Discuss the key ISSUE for your CELT program.
Issue 1: What principles and approaches have you used to create strategic
partnerships? Strategic partnerships take time to develop and rarely evolve to an
effective level without planning and work by all partners. Having an understanding of
the barriers to collaboration and the main contentious issues that regularly appear in
university-community partnerships, as outlined by Casey & James (2004), prior to the
commencement of the project was an advantage. Promoting open communication and
sharing of expectations and concerns throughout the project aided in fostering positive
relationships.
5.
Provide tips for others wanting to engage in CELT projects?
A crucial ingredient in the success of this project was the planned and continued
communication between all partners, including university staff and students and
community agencies and schools. This process minimized confusion and enabled the
partnerships to flourish.