The UTS Genetic Counselling team have worked closely with the Indigenous Teaching and Learning Team to:
- Revise and update our Indigenous Graduate Attribute for the existing Master of Genetic Counselling
- Develop a new Indigenous Graduate Attribute for the Graduate Certificate in Genetic Counselling Skills (launching in August 2024)
A considered, connective process
Integral to this process were:
- Forming relationships with the team
- Taking time for conversations that meander towards the place of shared connections
- Shared experiences
- A sense of coming to know each other
Adapting: The Master of Genetic Counselling
The Master of Genetic Counselling had an IGA embedded from inception with the academic team working with Dani Manton and Megan Williams to develop learning activities and assessments that captured the IGA. This period, coupled with increasing awareness and activity by our external accrediting body, gave us time and space to build confidence working with students, form connections with Indigenous experts and realise there was much more to be done.
As a Discipline, we were supported by the Indigenous Teaching and Learning Team at each step in the process to develop and strengthen our IGA. During this process we were gently challenged to consider:
- How students would engage in the material
- How we as teaching academics would develop the skills to teach this content
- How we would assess the content to ensure students demonstrate the professional capabilities required to work with Indigenous patients and clients within the healthcare sector
Embedding the IGA in the Master of Genetic Counselling assures future employees that graduates from this program will have developed professional capabilities to work with and for Indigenous peoples and communities to build a culturally inclusive profession.
Conceptualising: The Graduate Certificate in Genetic Counselling Skills
The Graduate Certificate in Genetic Counselling Skills is an online offering, designed with the international health workforce in mind. Conceptualising an IGA and the learning activities in this context was more challenging, until we began looking at the AHPRA guidelines and developing activities that will leverage from these into the diverse environments our students will come from. At that point challenge turned to excitement as we considered how much we will all learn alongside the students.
The Graduate Certificate in Genetic Counselling Skills is transitioning from approvals though to individual subject development, so we are poised to roll up our sleeves and begin the work to embed the IGA.
Explore more
- Read Alice Loda’s experience embedding IGA into the Bachelor of International Studies
- Sign up for full-day workshops on Indigenous Cultural Capacity and Developing Safe Indigenous Teaching & Learning Practices – the next session is on 13th February 2024
- Explore the comprehensive Indigenous Graduate Attribute site (UTS log-in required)