Culturally Responsive Relationships Education for Australian Muslim Students
Culturally Responsive Relationships Education for Australian Muslim Students
A practical, culturally-grounded short course that equips educators with the knowledge, frameworks, and classroom-ready strategies to deliver sensitive, respectful sexual health and relationships education, blending Islamic perspectives with real-world, scenario-based learning.
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This short course provides a comprehensive overview of sexual health education from an Islamic perspective, focusing on key concepts, cultural (including religious) considerations and practical applications. They will include recorded videos, readings and scenario based, exploration activities.
Topics covered
Module 1: Foundations - Islam, Muslims and Sexual Health
Self-paced online, 1.5 hours.
This introductory module provides a culturally relevant foundation for understanding sexual health for Australian Muslim young people. Participants will explore key definitions, concepts, understandings and the importance of sexual well-being for Australian Muslim youth.
Module 2: Key cultural (including religious) understandings
Self-paced online, 1.5 hours.
This module explores the cultural, ethical, and religious dimensions of sexual health, helping participants gain deeper insights into the unique perspectives and lived experiences of Muslim youth in Australia.
Module 3: Practical Sexual Health Education
Live online session on Zoom, 3 hours.
In this live workshop, participants will apply what they’ve learned through real-world scenarios, interactive tools, and culturally sensitive strategies. The session blends Islamic values with research and evidence-based sexual health education to empower youth with confidence, knowledge, and life skills.
Presenter
Associate Professor Fida Sanjakdar, School of Education and Culture
Associate Professor Sanjakdar's research expertise lies in the areas of critical sexuality education, the intersections between religion, culture and sexuality education, Islamic Education and Islamic schooling, teaching controversial issues and real-world ethics.
She is the author of ‘Living West, Facing East: The (de)construction of Muslim Youth Sexual Identities’ (2011, Peter Lang, NY), lead author of 'Researching Margins: Ethics, Social Justice and Education' (with Gabriel Fletcher, Amanda Keddie and Ben Whitburn 2022, Routledge) and co-editor of ‘Critical Pedagogy, Sexuality Education and Young People’ (2018, Peter Lang, NY) with Professor Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip (University of Nottingham). More recently, she has completed an international edited volume entitled 'Engaging Critical Pedagogy in Education: Global Phenomenon, Local Praxis' with Professor Michael Apple.
Associate Professor Sanjakdar's peer reviewed research articles are published in leading educational journals such as Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, Sex Education, International Journal of Research and Method in Education and British Journal of Educational studies, which span disciplinary fields such as culture, religion, psychology, sociology, youth studies and health.
Associate Professor Sanjakdar is Associate Editor of the prestigious journal 'Race, Ethnicity and Education' and on the editorial review board of other high-ranking journals including Curriculum Inquiry; Diaspora, Indigenous and Minority Education and The Review of Education, Pedagogy and Cultural Studies'.
Duration
This online program has two compulsory components: 3 hours self-paced online and a 3 hour live online session (6 hours total). Participants must complete both the online self paced modules and the live Zoom session.
| Component | Duration | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Online self-paced modules | 3 hours | Must be completed before the live Zoom session |
| Live Online Zoom Session | 3 hours | Attendance required |
Express your interest
If you are interested in participating in this professional development program, we encourage you to get in touch to express your interest by completing our Enquire Online form. By registering your interest, you will be among the first to receive updates, key dates, and application details as soon as they become available.
Prerequisites
This short course is designed for educators and professionals - such as teachers, allied health practitioners, family support workers, health professionals and public servants including VicPolice - who work with diverse members of the Australian Islamic community on sexual health matters.
Assessment
There is no assessment associated with this program.
Recognition
This course has been designed to meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7.
