Country-Centric Pedagogies in Initial Teacher Education for Ecological and Social Wellness and Balance
Year: 2026
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First, it highlights the interconnected relationship between Country and Human wellbeing, exploring the holistic and ecocentric perspective on health and wellbeing held by Indigenous Australians, the world’s oldest continuous culture. Second, it emphasises the importance of incorporating this understanding into health discourse by analysing the position of health in Australia’s national curriculum and considering ways to rebalance current schooling practices. Finally, it provides an “ecographic” approach—a story of an emergent realisation of two non-Indigenous teacher educators (Michael and Margie) woven deeply in place. Their approach was to incorporate “Country-centric” health processes into their initial teacher education health units, with the guidance of Country and cultural mentorship from their Indigenous colleagues and mentors (David [Spilly], Benny, and Eli). This approach involved making culturally sensitive and educative modifications to reflect their (Michael and Margie) understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, and being, the significance of caring for Country, and how the Indigenous ethics of Oneness “reciprocal relating” with Country is available to all. These understandings are based upon knowing that is neither new nor complex but requires openness to the knowledge and wisdom held by Country and her Earthkin. This calls for a “coming together” of Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge systems for educational reform by centring Country-centric approaches as one solution for how modern societies might recentre “interdependence.” Thus, it opens new possibilities for how Humans can foster a more holistic understanding of wellbeing that recognises our deep interconnectedness with Country and with each other. This chapter primarily uses the term Indigenous to refer to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples from Australia unless otherwise stated.
Source: Springer eBooks
Institutions: University of Canberra, University of Technology Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7220915084