Study Guide
Introduction
The first part of this staff development program is a self-directed, but guided exploration of resources that introduce the central topics of the course. The materials examine in detail the cross cultural engagement interface and explore ways of working together that are more productive and respectful at a personal and institutional level.
This investigation moves through the following topics:
- A review of issues of culture, race and identity
- Indigenous visions of land, landscapes and NCRM
- Indigenous engagement in NCRM in Australia today
- The business of working together
- Rethinking NCRM: beyond easy answers
It is by engagement with the diversity and complexity of issues surrounding history, culture, social, economic and political arrangements and the current NCRM agenda that we can extend understanding and capability in terms of Indigenous engagement in the professional domain.
The theme of working together runs through the program and provides the focus for the workshop. ‘Working together’ requires not just knowledge of the Other, but also a deep self-understanding and a keen appreciation of the socio-cultural context within which resource management operates. Indeed, cross cultural learning involves reflective practice on a personal as well as theoretical level. To this end you are invited to use a reflective journal as a learning device to record, order and refine your thoughts. This is particularly recommended if you wish to use this staff development program as credit in a graduate program. As well, you are encouraged to participate in online discussion where you can share your ideas, listen to others and deepen your understandings.
Using a reflective journal
Reflective journals are well documented as a professional development device that offers a way to systematically and reflectively analyse professional experience. We suggest you keep a reflective journal as you progress through the staff development program. Your journal enables you to respond to the issues that arise in a systematic and productive way from:
- your study of the resources
- participation in online discussion
- your professional domain and workplace
Your journal is a personal and private resource, and does not need to be refined or polished writing . Rather it is a place where you record your thoughts, insights, frustrations, opinions, ideas, reflections and feelings about course materials, critical incidents, issues and controversies. In particular your journal could include:
- summaries, notes and reflections on course resources
- documentation and review of critical incidents relating to cross-cultural engagement from your own professional domain, including how you felt, how you handled the situation and the particular implications for the NCRM professional role and/or for professional development
- A record of and reflection on relevant information from journals, texts, newspapers, conferences, television, departmental bulletins and conversations
Use your journal to explore below the surface of issues , to ask questions and to extend personal experience to broader professional concerns . Reflective journals work best as an ongoing exercise that is best undertaken in small bites on a regular basis.
You might like to begin your journal before you start reading the course materials by reflecting on your expectations of the course, why you’re doing it, and your own attitudes and beliefs about culture and cross cultural engagement.
Participating in online discussion
Online discussion is a central aspect of the course. This is an opportunity to share your ideas, hear what others have to say, and discuss key concepts.
There are a number of discussion topics linked to the readings and it is anticipated that you will participate in each of these. As well, there is opportunity for you to initiate discussion on relevant topics, to pose questions and share materials.
The Discussion Log is actually a ‘blog’ or weblog which just means that it’s a webpage that you can add to and edit. Entries to the blog are called ‘posts’ or ‘articles’. Blogs presents an ongoing chronicle of information and allow you to both post ‘articles’ and to comment on other people’s posts.
You can link to the Discussion Log from the course materials by clicking any of the ‘discussion’ icons on the right hand side of the page. Or you can click on the ‘discussion’ link on the navigation bar on the top right hand side of the pages. You will need to be connected online first. The discussion log will open in a new window so you can continue to access the course materials.
We’ve chosen this type of communication for the course because of the following features:
- Posts are displayed chronologically so you immediately see the most recent additions.
- You can read the posts without having to click on a link.
- The ‘log’ is searchable which means that you can view the posts in a variety of ways. For example you can search by author, or topic, or date, or whatever.
- You can include links to websites in the text of your post.
- You can attach files
and images.
- The blog maintains an archive of articles/posts. This means that we can maintain an ongoing compilation of discussion over time.
We’ll be interested to hear what you think about the discussion log at the evaluation stage at the end of the course.
The link below takes you to a guide on how to use the Log. Please take a little time to familiarise yourself with how it works before you start the course. It may be useful to print out the guide so you can refer to it as you work through the steps.
You can link to the discussion log from the course site by clicking any of the ‘discussion’ icons on the right hand side of the page. Or you can click on the ‘discussion’ link on the navigation bar on the top right hand side of the site. You will need to be connected online first.
Readings and resources
There are three types of readings and resources included in this course:
- Required readings:
it is expected that you will read all of these resources. Required readings
readings are in three forms:
- on the CD in pdf format
(Get Adobe Reader)
- links to websites and online pdf documents (you will need to be online to access these)
- chapters from the textbook
- Highly recommended:
these are central readings, and it is hoped that you will read many or most of these. These readings are supplied in the formats noted above.
- Extended reading:
these references are provided so that you can follow up areas you are interested in. Links to web sites are included, but you will need to be online to open the sites.
Workshop preparation
Please complete all the required readings and exercises of Topics 1-5 before attending the workshop. As well, please either read the pre-workshop reading before the workshop, or bring it along with you.
As well, please remember to bring to the workshop: the following workshop preparation activities.
Also, don’t forget your reflective journal so that you can continue entries while at the workshop.
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