Wheatbelt Indigenous Integrated Learning Programme Outreach

Ouzman, S. (Invited speaker)

School of Social Sciences

Activity: Service and engagement › Public outreach/ public event

Description

If there is a WIIL, there is a Way! At the end of last term, I had great pleasure in having A/Prof Sven Ouzman from the University of WA.

The Wheatbelt Indigenous Integrative Learning (WIIL) program is designed to identify and support school-nominated Indigenous students with academic talent or potential. With a strong focus on STEM learning and the 4Cs – critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, and communication – the program also weaves in cultural identity and the deep connection between people and Country.

With Sven's expert guidance, students explored science, history, and culture in ways that brought classroom learning to life.
The session began with students sharing stories about themselves before delving into the world of archaeology and mapping. Using maps, they experimented with representing their surroundings, sometimes even breaking traditional cartographic conventions to create their own.
Students then examined historic artefacts from the UWA Archaeology Reference Collection – including a 1900s ginger beer bottle from Northam, a WWII cologne bottle, horseshoes, and glass fragments. They produced detailed scale drawings of their chosen artefacts, revealing both artistic skill and scientific precision.

The program also introduced students to stone tool making, using chert and obsidian – the latter so sharp it is still used in modern surgery. During breaks, many took the initiative to grind seeds into flour or source stones suitable for tools, showing a natural curiosity for experimentation.
In another highlight, students created paints by grinding ochres, charcoal, and kaolin, mixing them with natural binders like egg albumen, sap, and oils. With brushes, sticks, hands, and sometimes whole bodies, they worked together to produce heritage maps representing places and stories important to them.
The day was not just about science or history – it was about connecting knowledge, culture, and creativity. WIIL students left with new skills, stronger confidence, and a deeper appreciation of how culture and STEM learning are interwoven.

Period	28 Aug 2025
Event title	Wheatbelt Indigenous Integrated Learning Programme Outreach
Event type	Community
Location	Northam, Australia, Western AustraliaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	Regional

Keywords

Archaeology
Heritage
Aboriginal
Western Australia
Schools
Ballardong

Documents & Links

If there is a WIIL, there is a Way! At the end of last term, I had great pleasure in having A/Prof Sven Ouzman from the University of WA. The Wheatbelt Indigenous Integrative Learning (WIIL) program is designed to identify and support school-nominated Indigenous students with academic talent or potential. With a strong focus on STEM learning and the 4Cs – critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, and communication – the program also weaves in cultural identity and the deep connection between people and Country. With Sven's expert guidance, students explored science, history, and culture in ways that brought classroom learning to life. The session began with students sharing stories about themselves before delving into the world of archaeology and mapping. Using maps, they experimented with representing their surroundings, sometimes even breaking traditional cartographic conventions to create their own. Students then examined historic artefacts from the UWA Archaeology Reference Collection – including a 1900s ginger beer bottle from Northam, a WWII cologne bottle, horseshoes, and glass fragments. They produced detailed scale drawings of their chosen artefacts, revealing both artistic skill and scientific precision. The program also introduced students to stone tool making, using chert and obsidian – the latter so sharp it is still used in modern surgery. During breaks, many took the initiative to grind seeds into flour or source stones suitable for tools, showing a natural curiosity for experimentation. In another highlight, students created paints by grinding ochres, charcoal, and kaolin, mixing them with natural binders like egg albumen, sap, and oils. With brushes, sticks, hands, and sometimes whole bodies, they worked together to produce heritage maps representing places and stories important to them. The day was not just about science or history – it was about connecting knowledge, culture, and creativity. WIIL students left with new skills, stronger confidence, and a deeper appreciation of how culture and STEM learning are interwoven.