Indigenous1 perspectives on connected and networked learning: towards holistic connectedness pedagogies

Abstract

Historically, the value of connectedness in learning and work extends much farther back than the emergence of professions and digitally-mediated networks. Connectedness, as an intricate network of moral, spiritual and communal responsibilities, is at the core of Indigenous culture, pedagogy and occupation. Acknowledging this, the University of Canberra (UC) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategic Plan 2017_2021 espouses embedding of Indigenous ways of knowing, learning and connecting to underpin curriculum across the university, thereby conceivably enriching the experience of Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students alike. This chapter reports the piloting of Tyson Yunkaporta’s 8 Ways of Learning in three subject units to identify ways of productively blending contemporary university pedagogies and topologies with Indigenous ones, at the cultural interface. The outcomes indicated sufficient benefits to proceed confidently to a second phase, and introduced new factors for consideration in that phase.