The first steps on the journey towards curriculum reconciliation in science, medicine and health education

ABSTRACT

This article will describe an approach to curriculum reconciliation that aspires to be the first step towards recognising that Indigenous ways of knowing have equal value and status as the dominant institutional systems of knowledge. Specifically, curriculum reconciliation is considered in the context of building knowledge-based relationships between disciplinary knowledges and the relevant Indigenous knowledges in science, medicine and health. Approaches to cultural education in the tertiary sector will be explored and consideration will be given to the particular challenges inherent in science, medicine and health education for curriculum reconciliation. The constraints of academic systems, as evidenced in the literature, will be acknowledged with the aim to provide guidance for curriculum reconciliation in science, medicine and health education that endeavours to establish the intrinsic value of Aboriginal knowledge relative to Country, to be understood alongside, not as an alternative to, or in opposition to, ‘Western’ scientific and/or medical knowledge.

KEYWORDS:

• Community engagement
• Indigenous education
• professional development
• reflective practice
• student learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).