CULTURAL COMPETENCE AT WORK

Rationale

Learning about Aboriginal people, culture, history and community though cultural immersion - Learning from Country experiences - will
help course participants to get a better understanding for different cultures and to appreciate diversity. These experiences and the theory will
help to build a stronger cultural competence, which will help to appreciate diversity and build an inclusive workplace. This course is
focusing on the Aboriginal culture but can also include the Torres Strait Islander culture. The Mind diversity and inclusion framework was
used to draw inspiration from for what workplaces are focusing on when they work with diversity and inclusion.

Objectives
Exploring a new culture in this course or working together with people from a different culture (if the Aboriginal culture is already known to
you) will foster self-reflection, critical cultural consciousness, build new knowledge, improve your understanding for different cultures and
start the journey toward cultural competence. It will benefit you no matter which culture you are from.
Target learners
The target learners for this course is employees and employers from different companies. It is important that everyone in an organization can
access the information for it to have a good impact on the work community. Both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people can participate.
Companies of different sizes in different industries can participate in the program. No prior knowledge is required to attend.

Pedagogical approaches and content design

The different types of teaching vary during the course to support learning in the best possible way.

 Lectures – theory and concepts will be presented.

 Discussions – in class, pairs and groups. Group and pair work enable participants to discuss and share experiences, gain new
perspectives and learn from others. It will also help to understand that there are different ways of thinking and perceiving things.
 Workshops – different activities to anchor the theory to everyday life and implement new knowledge to the workplace/situations at
work.
 Learning from Country experiences - a valuable way of getting to know more about Aboriginal people, Country, history and
culture.
 Reflection – it is important for the course participants to have time to reflect. Most of the reflection will be done when they are
writing their learning journals.

Using experiential learning course participants will get an opportunity to experience different aspect of the culture first-hand. By
reflecting on the experiences afterwards, they will achieve a greater learning. It is also important for the instructor to have critical
 cultural consciousness that impact the teaching. A challenge for the instructor is to create a safe and open-minded atmosphere so course
participants feel that they can ask anything and discuss issues they find interesting.

Timeframe
The 10-hour duration of this course has been divided into two parts. The course is planned like this because the target learners are working,
and it is not convenient for them to take several days off. The two lessons will be held with one week apart to give the learners time to reflect
on their learning in between the lessons.

Unit Outline Unit duration

This unit of study is about cultural competence, diversity and inclusion. Focus is on exploring, experiencing and 10 hours
reflecting on different cultures. Through a range of different activities: lectures, Learning from Country experiences,
discussions and workshops course participants will learn about Aboriginal people, culture, Country, history and
community. All these experiences will help to appreciate and understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and
will build up cultural competence, which is an important skill to have.

Key concepts Why does this learning matter?

On completion of the course, the course participants should be
able to:
 Understand the diversity of Aboriginal people and their
culture
 Understand and explain inclusion and diversity
 Reflect on one’s own cultural beliefs, values,
assumptions and attitudes
 Develop and work on their cultural competence and
apply it in practice
The learning matters because:
 Learning about the Aboriginal culture will help the students with
understanding and appreciating diversity
 Workplace diversity and inclusion have several different benefits
like: improved employee wellbeing, improved performance,
innovation and retention of talent
 Having cultural competence will not only benefit your colleagues,
but also customers and other people you communicate with

Target outcomes ACARA CCP Links

Connecting Learning from Country with a diversity and Country/Place

inclusion framework. OI.1 – Australia has two distinct Indigenous groups: Aboriginal Peoples
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and within those groups there is
Awareness of: significant diversity.
 Inclusion – creating a sense of belonging for everyone, OI.2 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a
 making everyone feel valued and respected and creating
equal opportunities
 Diversity – raising awareness of different cultures,
recognising the value of difference and acknowledging
that your own culture can vary to others, but still have
the same value.
Cultural competence - participating ethically and respectfully
in personal and professional intercultural situations, being
aware of your own cultural values and their impact on your
worldview, having the ability to think, feel, and act in ways that
acknowledge and respect cultural diversity.
special connection to and responsibility for Country/Place.
Culture
OI.4 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life are
uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing
OI. 6 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples live in Australia as
first peoples of Country or Place and demonstrate resilience in responding
to historic and contemporary impacts of colonisation.
People
OI. 7 – The broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies
encompass a diversity of nations across Australia.

Content Teaching / Learning Experiences

Lesson 1: 5 hours Country & Culture

(travelling time to The
Rocks is not included) Part 1: Introduction (1 hour)

Overview:
Part 1 of this lesson acts as
an introduction to the
course. The themes of the
course will be introduced,
and the practical things will
be discussed.
Part 2 is theory on cultural
competence.
Part 3 is a Learning from
Country experience where
course participants get to
meet an Aboriginal person
and learn from his/her
experiences and knowledge.
Acknowledgement of country: I wish to acknowledge the custodians of this land, the Gadigal people of the
Eora nation and their Elders past and present. I recognize and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs
and relationship with the land. Talk about the meaning of acknowledgement of country.
Previous knowledge and course expectations – participants fill out a form.
Introduction to the course:
 communication of the aims
 presentation of themes and practical things
 appropriate terminology
Course participants discuss in small groups about their different cultures and if they want to share any
examples of how their culture has impacted them in everyday life, in positive or negative ways.
Part 4 is a concluding
discussion and reflection
over today’s themes.
Lesson 2: 5 hours
Overview:
Part 1 is about different
perspectives and
knowledges.
Part 2 is a Learning from
Country experience –
Yarning circle where course
participants get a chance to
Part 2: Cultural competence (1 hour)
 What is cultural competence?
 How do we gain cultural competence?
 Diversity and inclusion
Part 3: Learning from Country experience (2,5 hours)
 What does Learning from Country mean?
We will walk around The Rocks with an Aboriginal person as our guide. He/she will talk about important
events in history to make us understand how it affects Aboriginal people today. We will also get to know more
about the link to nature and country, sustainability and respect for nature.
 History
 Sustainability/living off the land
 Bush tucker
Part 4: Discussion and reflection (0,5 hours)
A concluding discussion and reflection over what we have learnt today and experienced on the Learning from
Country experience. Discussions and reflections will be done in groups of four.
Hand out 3-2-1 slips and encourage course participants to fill them out and return them to the instructor.
People & Community
Part 1: Aboriginal perspectives (1 hour)
We start this lesson by talking more about different ways of knowing, being and doing. It is important to look
at different perspectives, be aware of your own perspective and acknowledge that there is not only one right
way to do things
 Different ways of knowing, being and doing
 8 Aboriginal ways of learning
listen to and talk about
important topics with an Part 2: Yarning Circle (2 hours)
Aboriginal person. An Aboriginal person from the local community will be invited to have a yarning circle with us, where we talk
Part 3 is workshop with about important topics. This is important, both to understand the importance of community, but also to get a
different activities. new perspective on some issues. The course participants get an opportunity to ask questions. Topics will
Part 4 is a concluding include these (but may vary slightly, depending on the person talking)
discussion and reflection
over today’s themes.  Stereotypes
 Media representation
 Racism
 Diversity
 Community
 Respect
 Relationships

Part 3: Workshop (1 hour)

Cultural competence at work – how it affects colleagues and customers

 Work in pairs to discuss why cultural competence is good and how it affects colleagues and customers

Develop a diversity and inclusivity plan for your workplace

 Work in groups of four to discuss diversity and inclusion. Your workplace might already have a plan
for that. Are you aware of it? Regardless of weather you have one or not I want your group to
summarize what you have learnt and to make a draft of a plan for your workplace.

Part 4: Discussion and reflection (1 hour)

A concluding discussion and reflection over what we have learnt and experienced today and during the whole
course. Reflections will be done in pairs and then we will finish with a discussion in the class. Last chance to
raise questions or concerns.

At the end of the session course participants get the opportunity to fill in an electronic feedback form. If they
need more time to think before giving feedback the link will be open for a week after finished course.

Hand out 3-2-1 slips and encourage course participants to fill them out and return them to the instructor.
 Assessment

This unit will be assessed as PASS or FAIL. The required attendance is 100%. When course participants have completed and passed the
course, they will receive a “Cultural Competence Certificate”.

The task: Learning journal

After each of the lessons the course participants will write their own learning journal where they describe what they have learnt and
experienced in the lectures and on the learning from Country experiences. They also reflect over it and describe how the new knowledge
could be applied to their working routines or how it affects their workplace. The students need to reflect on the themes: inclusion, diversity
and cultural competence.

Justify how this task reflects your 10-hour program

This task will allow the instructor to assess if the participants have got a deeper understanding of culture, especially the Aboriginal culture,
cultural competence, and how this impact their understanding of inclusion and diversity at their workplace.

Assessment criteria
To pass the course the learning journal need to include:
 Reflections over acquired knowledge (not only descriptions of the knowledge)
 Include all three themes; inclusion, diversity and cultural competence
 Include thoughts about cultural competence linked to the course participant’s own workplace

Evaluation

The 3-2-1 method will be used as formative evaluation during the course. After each lesson a paper will be handed out and the course
participants can write down their comprehension of the lesson and summarize their learning. Course participants will write down three new
things they have learnt, two things they found interesting or want to learn more about and one question. This will give the instructor an
opportunity to see what the participants have learnt and what needs to be repeated and brought up in the next lessen. It also shows what have
been interesting and what needs improvement for future courses. This method can also help the instructor to understand which improvements
needs to be done in terms of learning material and teaching techniques.
An electronic evaluation form will be used as summative evaluation for the course. All course participants will receive an electronic form at
the end of the course where they can provide feedback and suggestions for an improved course. The link is also available after the course, if
any of the participants want a little more time to think before they evaluate the course. They will evaluate how they perceived the course, if
the goals were clear, if they could achieve the goals and what they learnt. They will also get a chance to evaluate how they perceived the
instructor; if he/she could convey the knowledge and supported the participants in their learning process. Based on the evaluations, the
course can be changed and improved to meet the target outcomes.

By comparing the pre-knowledge to the assessment task and what the course participants have learnt it is possible for the instructor to get an
idea if the target outcomes of the unit were reached. If not, it is possible for the instructor to evaluate the material and learning techniques
used.

Teaching and Learning Resources Professional Development Resources

Appropriate terminology: Cultural competence:

 http://www.flinders.edu.au/staff-development-files/CDIP
%20documents/CDIP%20Toolkit%202015/2_
%20Appropriate%20Terminology,%20Indigenous
%20Australians.pdf
8 Aboriginal ways of learning:
 https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/10974/4/04Bookchapter.pd
f
 http://sydney.edu.au/nccc/teaching/index.shtml
Inspiration for creating introduction material for diversity, inclusion
and cultural competence:
 https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SESA/odi/docu
ments/CultCompGuidebook22-1470.pdf
 http://www.collegeofdirectsupport.com/Content/Sertoma/im
ages/captions/cc/CC00Lesson4.pdf
 https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/Mind_di
versity_and_inclusion_framework.pdf
 http://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/cultural_competence
 http://sydney.edu.au/nccc/
Appropriate terminology:
 http://www.flinders.edu.au/staff-development-files/CDIP
%20documents/CDIP%20Toolkit%202015/2_%20Appropriate
%20Terminology,%20Indigenous%20Australians.pdf
Developing cultural critical consciousness
 Gay, G., & Kirkland, K. (2003). Developing cultural critical
consciousness and self-reflection in preservice teacher
education. Theory Into Practice, 42(3), 181–187.
Development of intercultural competence: a handbook for teachers
 http://incom-vet.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2015/09/3_DEVELOPMENT-OF-
INTERCULTURAL-COMPETENCE.-HANDBOOK-FOR-
TEACHERS-AND-TRAINERS.pdf

Barani - Sydney’s Aboriginal History

 http://www.sydneybarani.com.au/
References:

AC. (2018). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Retrieved the 17.9.2018 from:
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-
cultures/

Akella, D. (2010) Learning together: Kolb's experiential theory and its application. Journal of Management & Organization, 16(1), 100-112.
doi: 10.5172/jmo.16.1.100

Burgess, C. & Cavanagh, P. (2016). Cultural Immersion: Developing a community of practice of teachers and Aboriginal community
members. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 45(1), 48-55. DOI: 10.1017/ jie.2015.33

Gay, G., & Kirkland, K. (2003). Developing cultural critical consciousness and self-reflection in preservice teacher education. Theory Into
Practice, 42(3), 181–187.

Lunds Universitet. (n.d.). Blooms taxonomi för lärandemål (Blooms taxonomy for learning objectives). Retrieved 14.9.2018 from:
http://www.ctr.lu.se/fileadmin/user_upload/ctr/pdf/policy/riktlinjerk-planer/Bloom.pdf

Mind Australia. (n.d.). Mind diversity and inclusion framework. Retrieved 14.9.2018 from:
https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/Mind_diversity_and_inclusion_framework.pdf

National Centre for Cultural Competence (NCCC). (2018). National Centre of Cultural Competence. Retrieved 14.9.2018 from:
http://sydney.edu.au/nccc/