Even something as basic as an 'Elders For Sale' real estate sign can be interpreted in different ways.

That's according to visiting Indigenous Perspectives specialist Ernie Grant, who joked to our assembled education students: "I think I'll have 5 of them!".

Uncle Ernie with Arts student Clair Cook

Ernie, or Uncle Ernie as he is known, spent a day this week with a few dozen education students at CQUniversity Rockhampton, for an Embedding Indigenous Perspectives workshop.

Helped by technical assistant Steve Grady, he presented images and graphics to challenge students' thinking about ways of presenting learning opportunities.

Ernie noted that, thousands of years ago, all people across the world used to think holistically about the connectiveness between everything around them.

He explained that Australia's Indigenous people still anchored their thinking on relationships and consequences and flow-on effects from changes in the environment. Indigenous children could still see "if a piece of the jigsaw is missing".

These days, however, most people's view of 'big picture' was in terms of global linkages.

Ernie explained that educators could take into account a holistic approach and mindset in their classrooms.

Uncle Ernie with Arts student Clair Cook

He explained that Indigenous concepts were often over-simplified. For example, the word 'boomerang' came from only one tribe near Sydney whereas in reality there were variations on the actual implement across thousands of tribes involving many different types of wood and different cultural aspects.

Ernie urged the students to consider land, language and culture in the contexts of time, place and relationships.

Lecturer Scot Aldred said that supporting teachers to include Indigenous Perspectives in schools has been identified nationally as a key component to ensuring improved outcomes for Indigenous students.

"Schools and school communities are encouraged to find out more about their own local Indigenous history and stories from their region.  It is important they connect with their own local Indigenous community through local families at the school or local Indigenous organisations," Mr Aldred said.

CQUniversity Arts student Clair Cook said the workshop would not only be useful for her education subjects but also had application for her sociology studies.

"It's an interesting perspective and helps with connecting the dots," she said.