When educators begin exploring Aboriginal pedagogies, a common question emerges:
Which framework should we be using?
The short answer is: there isn’t just one, and there shouldn’t be.
Across Australia, Aboriginal communities have always held diverse ways of teaching, learning, and sharing knowledge. Frameworks such as the 8 Ways of Learning, Two-Way Learning, and Possum Skin Pedagogy are not competing approaches—they are different tools, emerging from different contexts, each offering unique insights into how learning can unfold.
The key is not choosing one over another, but understanding when, why, and how each might be used.
A Shared Foundation
Before exploring differences, it’s important to acknowledge what these pedagogies have in common.
All Aboriginal pedagogical frameworks:
- Are relational, grounded in connection to people, place, and Country
- Value story, observation, experience, and reflection
- Emphasise learning as a collective process, not an individual race
- Honour knowledge as something that is lived and practiced, not just spoken
They challenge Western education’s focus on speed, content coverage, and outcomes, and instead privilege process, depth, and meaning.
The 8 Ways of Learning
The 8 Ways of Learning offers educators a practical pedagogical lens. It supports educators to teach through culture, rather than adding culture on.
Educators using the 8 Ways often notice:
- A shift toward slow pedagogy
- Learning emerging through topics of enquiry
- Greater intentionality in how learning is shared, revisited, and mapped
- Stronger collaboration between educators
The 8 Ways are particularly useful in early learning and school settings because they provide clear entry points for educators who are building confidence in culturally responsive practice.
Two-Way Learning
Two-Way Learning (sometimes called Both-Ways learning) focuses on the meeting of knowledge systems.
Rather than replacing Western education, it:
- Brings Aboriginal and Western ways of knowing into dialogue
- Values both systems without ranking one above the other
- Centres partnership, reciprocity, and mutual respect
This approach is often used in contexts where:
- Community partnership is strong
- Language, culture, and identity are central
- Learning is deeply connected to local priorities
Two-Way Learning is less a step-by-step framework and more a philosophical stance—one that asks educators to constantly reflect on whose knowledge is being centred and how learning is shared.
Possum Skin Pedagogy
Possum Skin Pedagogy draws inspiration from the making of possum skin cloaks—objects that hold story, identity, Country, and memory.
This pedagogy emphasises:
- Learning through making, doing, and creating
- Knowledge being layered, stitched, and added over time
- Story embedded in material culture
- Deep respect for process rather than product
It is particularly powerful in contexts where:
- Learning is hands-on and embodied
- Art, making, and storytelling are central
- Educators want to explore identity, belonging, and continuity
So… Which One Should You Use?
The most important thing to understand is this:
It is not one or the other.
These frameworks are not checklists or compliance tools. They are responsive, contextual, and relational.
The right questions to ask are:
- What is the context we are working in?
- Whose Country are we on?
- What does the local community prefer or prioritise?
- What relationships already exist—and which ones need time?
Communities may have preferences, expectations, or protocols around how learning should take place. Consultation is essential. Without it, even the best-intentioned framework can become disconnected from Country and people.
Using Pedagogies as Tools, Not Templates
Aboriginal pedagogies are not meant to be adopted wholesale or applied universally.
They are:
- Tools, not rules
- Guides, not guarantees
- Living practices, not fixed models
When educators remain open, reflective, and relational—when they listen before acting—these pedagogies can sit alongside one another, enriching practice rather than competing for space.
The real work is not choosing the “right” framework.
It is learning how to walk respectfully, teach intentionally, and respond thoughtfully—guided by Country, community, and context.
