1. Strengths-based teaching in Indigenous health – what it looks like in practice
Leanne Coombe, Lisa Fitzgerald & Alison Nelson

2. Acknowledgement
We would like to pay our respect to the Māori peoples of Aotearoa
and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia
the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which we stand, and of our homeland.

3. Need for change
“Due to the ongoing inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people there is a need, from a human rights perspective, to develop curriculum that will adequately address the specific inequities that are uncommon among other population groups within Australia.”
(Public Health Indigenous Leadership in Education Network, 2017)

4. Historical context Drivers PHILE Network project profile raising
Review of UQ MPH recommendations
Key policy drivers in Australia
Poor student evaluations of Indigenous health specific courses
Process
Securing grant funding for integration
Curriculum mapping of MPH
Integration and scaffolding of content across core and Indigenous health specific courses

5. Curriculum frameworks
Public Health
Foundation Competencies for Public Health Graduates in Australia (CAPHIA, 2016)
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Public Health Curriculum Framework (PHILE Network, 2017)
Other
CDAMS Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework (Phillips, 2004)
National Best Practice Framework for Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities
(Universities Australia, 2011)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (Department of Health, 2014)

6. Strengths-based approach
Shift from the deficit-based pathological medical model
Focus on solutions, empowerment, self determination, resilience and membership
Asset based community development
Attributes, resources and knowledge achieve health realization
Positive psychology
Affirming networks, strengths assessment and application, skill development
Cultural safety
Acknowledging and respecting diverse worldviews
Service learning
Collaborative partnerships

7. INDH courses – the case study
Undergraduate (core) and postgraduate (elective) students
~ 230 students in total (UG ~ 220, PG ~ 9)
2 hour joint lectures
Separate UG tutorials / PG workshops
6 ‘core’ teaching staff
4-5 guest lecturers

8. Course outline Understanding Determinants of Indigenous Health
History of Indigenous Australia – Pre and Post Invasion
History of Healthcare for Indigenous Australians – the lived experience
Policy, Government and Political Influences
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identities
Indigenous Health is a Human Right
Space, Place and Country
Social and Cultural Connection
Education, Employment and Welfare
How do we Close the Gap?
Working in Indigenous health
Community-based Intervention Case Studies & Panel Discussion
Reflection on the Journey

9. Course features Students Community Teachers Pedagogical Approaches
Cultural Security
Community of Practice

10. Collaborative teaching team Diverse student cohort
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Non-Indigenous (Australian and New Zealander) academics
Custodial knowledge holders
Public health practitioners
Health service providers
Pedagogical experts
Curriculum designers
Diverse student cohort
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Indigenous students from other nations
Non-Indigenous Australian students
International students
First year undergraduate students
Final year postgraduate students
Dual degree students
Health practitioners
Community membership
Student community
Teaching team community
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
Health service network

11. Pedagogical approaches
Indigenous ways of knowing and learning
Pedagogy of discomfort
Process of unlearning
Reflexive practice
Active teaching and learning
Experiential learning
Group based learning
Formative feedback
Scaffolded curriculum

12. Cultural security Introduced the journey concept
Cultural safety training incorporated up front
Elder ‘lead role’ in teaching team
Teachers modelling partnership and learning
Encouraging respectful engagement
Collective responsibility
Solution focused

13. Community of practice Teaching partnerships –knowledge sharing
Non-Indigenous teachers and students - learning together
Students peer mentoring – PG teaching UG students
Indigenous public health IS best practice

14. Thank you Presenters: Dr Lisa Fitzgerald l.fitzgerald@sph.uq.edu.asu
Dr Leanne Coombe
Partners:
UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
ATSIS Unit
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health