Year 7 Science · AC9S7H02

Cultural Perspectives and World Views in Science

Explain how human perspectives can shape scientific questions, priorities and applications while evidence remains central.

Part A — Accessible

  1. Give one way a cultural perspective can influence science without changing measured data.
  2. Why is it inaccurate to say that all First Nations Australians hold one identical body of ecological knowledge?
  3. Explain why local ecological knowledge should be linked to its specific community and place.
  4. State one reason consent and attribution matter when researchers use community-held knowledge.

Part B — Standard

  1. Compare a classification system organised by evolutionary relationships with one organised by season, use and relationships to Country. Why might both be useful?
  2. A community protects a species during breeding season, and long-term surveys show stable adult numbers and regular juvenile recruitment. What does the evidence suggest?
  3. Explain how a researcher's values might influence which pollution problem they choose to investigate while the measurements must still remain evidence-based.
  4. Satellite imagery and ranger observations both show wetland change. Explain how the two evidence sources can be complementary.

Part C — Challenging

  1. A student finds an online description of one local First Nations land-management practice and writes, “This is how all First Nations Australians manage land.” Evaluate the statement.
  2. A company develops a medicine using community plant knowledge. Identify two scientific questions and two ethical/governance questions that should be addressed.
  3. A cross-cultural fire-management project reduces fuel load and increases native plant recruitment. What further evidence or context would you want before recommending it elsewhere?
  4. Extended response: evaluate the claim “Because science uses evidence, culture has no influence on science.” Use at least two examples.

Answer key / marking guidance

1

Examples: perspective can influence research priorities, questions, categories used, interpretation focus or how knowledge is applied.

2

There are many distinct peoples, Countries and knowledge traditions; knowledge is locally and culturally specific.

3

Source and place matter because ecological relationships can be local and because accurate attribution respects knowledge holders and context.

4

Consent and attribution respect cultural authority, ownership and agreed use of knowledge; they help avoid extraction or misuse.

5

They may serve different purposes and use different criteria. One can emphasise evolutionary relationships; another can encode ecological, seasonal, cultural or practical relationships.

6

The data are consistent with the restriction supporting sustainable population management, though other factors may also influence population stability.

7

Values can shape which problem receives attention, but measured pollutant concentrations, methods and conclusions must still be based on evidence.

8

Satellite data may show large-scale spatial change; ranger observations may add local detail, timing and long-term contextual observations.

9

The statement is an inappropriate generalisation. The source should be identified with its specific community/Country and not presented as universal without evidence.

10

Scientific: does the plant/product work and is it safe? What active compounds/evidence support the claim? Ethical/governance: was permission obtained? How will attribution, control and benefit-sharing be handled?

11

Possible answers: longer-term outcomes, comparison sites, local species and fire regimes, weather/fuel conditions, community governance and whether the relevant cultural authority exists in the new place.

12

Strong answers reject the absolute claim: evidence is central, but culture can influence questions, priorities, categories, communication and applications. Use specific examples such as seasonal knowledge, classification, sustainable harvesting or collaborative land management.