Indigenous issues in role play

Your name: Amy Cleland

Field or discipline: Social Work and Social Science
Program: BA Social Work
Course: Indigenous Australians and Human Services
Year level: 3
Class size: 50
Activity type: Tutorial, 2 hours

Description: A two-hour tutorial with a role-play exercise depicting the invasion and colonisation of Australia, the displacement of Aboriginal people and communities, and examples of the effects of colonisation and removals on Indigenous health, well-being and social structure/families.

The exercises conducted by an Indigenous academic who reach the script, and a non-indigenous academic, who makes the role of government officials, colonisers etc. The students enact the role of Aboriginal people in various communities across South Australia. This sensitive topic requires accuracy in its delivery to ensure participants understand the purpose and intent of the exercise.

As the tutorials two hours, one hour from the role-play, break, and the remaining time to debrief and discuss the role-play and consider historical documents to reinforce the stories from the role-play. This structure provides valuable space and time for students to process and reflect on what they have learnt, felt, share experiences and reactions and formulate questions for academic staff.

One of the biggest challenges in the field of human and social services is collaboratively working with Indigenous people and groups and working and responding effectively with Indigenous clients. In a symbolic way, this tutorial demonstrates that it can happen and is happening in many sectors in various ways. In this context, non-Indigenous and Indigenous people remembering, learning, and the knowledge in history and past events in order to understand the present and what they may encounter with clients in the field. the overwhelming response from students, indicated during and at the end of the tutorial and following via e-mail sent to the program director, indicate that this format was effective in teaching and learning from this course and engage students in the experience and learning.

Application: This approach would suit programs that require graduates to work in collaboration with Indigenous Australians.

Scenario-based Learning corporate law

Your name: Not provided

Field or discipline: Law
Program: LLB
Course: Corporate Law
Year level: 2 to 3
Class size: 280, divided into 9 tutorial groups
Activity type: tutorial activity

Description: Each tutorial to was in turn divided into groups of five students. the groups of five students represented a particular stakeholder in a corporate law scenario involving an executive remuneration package that depended on cost savings generated by redundancies. The stakeholder groups included 1) the directors, 2) shareholders, 3) creditors, 4) employees, 5) regulators and 6) law reform bodies. The learning exercise was spread over three weeks.

In week 1 students were required to outline the role of their stakeholder group in corporate governance; to explain what corporate governance meant.
In week two students had to outline their stakeholders concerned in regard to the executive the reunion oration proposal and their groups legal rights and responsibilities
in week three groups needed to discuss how Law promoted or protected the group's role in executive remuneration and suggest changes in law reform.

The exercise was assessed formatively and summatively. Formative assessment - each group posted material to group discussion boards for each activity weekly. Groups compared with the answers with answers given by other stakeholders and also received formative feedback from staff. Each group was required to certify the contribution of each group member. Summative assessment consisted of a reflective journal submitted by individual students comprising three compulsory questions and other questions that reflected their role as stakeholders in the exercises.

Learning outcomes of course improves substantially but, SET results were very mixed. This suggests that great effort was required in explaining the rationale and outcomes of exercise to students. Also assessment required greater integration into formal teaching and learning program.

Application: Professional-based scenarios work well in most disciplines.