Charles Wakinau, Stevie Nion, Vagi Ila, Anthony Pryke, and Alexander Domain,comprise the St John National Ambulance Service Papua New Guinea education team, collaborating with the Australian paramedic programs Glen Beasley to deliver culturally informed ambulance education and establish Papua New Guinea’s first national pre-hospital education college.
INDIGENOUS PEDAGOGY AND CO-DESIGN IN AMBULANCE EDUCATION REFORM: A PAPUA NEW GUINEA CASE STUDY
Mr Glen Beasley, Mr Alexander Domain, Mr Anthony Pryke, Mr Vagi Ila, Mr Stevie Nion, Mr Charles Wakinau
1St John Ambulance PNG
Abstract:
Aims
To present a two-year case study examining how culturally responsive education methodology and indigenous pedagogical practice were collaboratively applied between St John Ambulance PNG and Australian Paramedic Program staff to develop a sustainable ambulance workforce education model in Papua New Guinea identifying positive educational outcomes for further discussion during the presentation.
Methods
A collaborative education reform framework was implemented using relational learning, experiential practice, contextualised communication, storytelling, and community-based knowledge systems. Curriculum, simulation, assessments, and educator development were co-designed to align international best practice with local culture, language, literacy levels, operational realities, and community values. Eight work-streams supported implementation, including curriculum design, educator capability, workforce retraining, governance accreditation, digital learning integration, and construction of a dedicated ambulance education centre.
Results
Over two years, 90 ambulance personnel were trained, five local ambulance educators were developed, and formal education pathways from certificate to diploma level were implemented or mapped. Improvements were observed in clinical confidence, educator capability, and operational safety. Learner evaluation and educator feedback also demonstrated increasing cultural confidence within the learning environment, improved engagement with culturally contextualised teaching approaches, and the emergence of an indigenous pedagogy for ambulance education grounded in local communication, community values, and shared learning practice. These positive educational and cultural outcomes will be explored further in the presentation.
Conclusions
This case study demonstrates collaborative and culturally responsive education methodologies are critical to sustainable ambulance workforce development in low-resource and indigenous settings, offering a model for pre-hospital education reform and culturally grounded workforce development.