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1
Mudhan, Parmesh. "Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school." Thesis, Mudhan, Parmesh (2008) Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/693/.
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This study explores the pedagogical significance of life experiences of Indigenous students from an Australian community school and its relation to school participation. In particular the study focuses on the implications of students’ associations with ‘place’ on school curriculum. With the rate of participation of Indigenous students in education currently lower compared with non-Indigenous students, this study further informs our understanding of this phenomenon.
The study is interpretive, based on the perspectives of students, staff and parents of an Indigenous community school successful in improving participation of Indigenous students to Year 10, and informed by the researcher’s own lived experiences teaching Indigenous students in three different countries. During this time, it was observed that Indigenous students’ association with place was a significant factor in their participation in education.
Gruenewald’s multidimensional framework for place-conscious education is employed to guide the analysis and interpretation of data as it provides a means of addressing two important issues revealed in the review of literature on participation. First, participation is examined and interpreted in different ways, and second, a common thread in the differing interpretations is the concept of place. Analyses of the data reveal two overarching dimensions: Place and Aboriginality. Further analysis, informed by notions of place-conscious education reveal five identifiable elements for enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education: Curriculum Method, Curriculum Content, Careers, Partners and Identity. Educational programs that recognise how these elements are related to place and action them are likely to be more effective in enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education.
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Mudhan, Parmesh. "Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school." Mudhan, Parmesh (2008) Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/693/.
Full textAbstract:
This study explores the pedagogical significance of life experiences of Indigenous students from an Australian community school and its relation to school participation. In particular the study focuses on the implications of students’ associations with ‘place’ on school curriculum. With the rate of participation of Indigenous students in education currently lower compared with non-Indigenous students, this study further informs our understanding of this phenomenon.
The study is interpretive, based on the perspectives of students, staff and parents of an Indigenous community school successful in improving participation of Indigenous students to Year 10, and informed by the researcher’s own lived experiences teaching Indigenous students in three different countries. During this time, it was observed that Indigenous students’ association with place was a significant factor in their participation in education.
Gruenewald’s multidimensional framework for place-conscious education is employed to guide the analysis and interpretation of data as it provides a means of addressing two important issues revealed in the review of literature on participation. First, participation is examined and interpreted in different ways, and second, a common thread in the differing interpretations is the concept of place. Analyses of the data reveal two overarching dimensions: Place and Aboriginality. Further analysis, informed by notions of place-conscious education reveal five identifiable elements for enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education: Curriculum Method, Curriculum Content, Careers, Partners and Identity. Educational programs that recognise how these elements are related to place and action them are likely to be more effective in enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education.
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Matthews, Aaron Richard. "Navigating two worlds: Indigenous Australian students' transitions into higher education." Thesis, Matthews, Aaron Richard (2020) Navigating two worlds: Indigenous Australian students' transitions into higher education. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2020. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/60411/.
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While participation is slowly increasing, Indigenous Australian students are still significantly under-represented in higher education. The reasons for this are complex and varied, including: Cultural unfamiliarity with Western-dominant university epistemology; historical exclusion from participation in higher education; and socioeconomic factors. However, little is known about the lived experiences and collective narratives of Indigenous Australian students as they transition into university.
This study was designed to address this gap, by exploring the narratives, experiences and perceptions of Indigenous students who are transitioning – or have transitioned – into a medium sized university in Western Australia. To better understand how Indigenous students negotiate the transition into higher education, in depth individual yarning sessions, facilitated by an Aboriginal researcher, were conducted with a total of eight Indigenous students- five enrolled in a pre-university enabling course and three in undergraduate degrees. Thematic analysis was then applied to the yarning data to elucidate synthesis and dissonance in the Indigenous students’ stories of transition, providing a shared narrative of negotiating the interface between Indigenous and university-student identities.
The findings illustrate that Indigenous identity was a core strength for participants, but it was fragmented through disruptions to connections to country and kinship. In addition, negotiating trauma played a large role in the collective narratives of all participants. Thus, this study suggests that pathways for Indigenous participants into higher education bring unique challenges, as well as opportunities for growth and self-development. On a practical level, it highlights that, while there has been much work in developing support mechanisms for Indigenous students, there are further opportunities to strengthen support in the areas of peer mentoring, equity support plans and consistent financial support, whilst studying.
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Barrett, Peter. "Factors enabling a successful transition to boarding school for Australian Aboriginal students." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2019. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2253.
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Boarding school has been and continues to be an important stage in the educational experiences of many Aboriginal people living in remote communities in Northern Territory, Australia. The experience of moving away from family, land and community presents many challenges for students moving to boarding school and managing the dramatic transition between two vastly different cultures. This study focused on identifying the factors that help students successfully transition from a remote community to boarding school.
The study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to investigate and analyse the experiences of Aboriginal students at a regional boarding school in the Northern Territory. Critical race theory was used as a theoretical lens throughout the study design, data collection, analysis and discussion.
Quantitative enrolment data from 108 boarding students was analysed to identify aspects that correlated with a successful transition to boarding school. These findings were incorporated into two focus group discussions and one semi structured interview with students from a boarding school in Darwin, Northern Territory. The qualitative data was thematically analysed to draw themes and sub themes for further discussion.
The findings indicate that the transition from small, remote communities is highly challenging. In particular the impact of being away from family and community led to feelings of homesickness and a loss of cultural knowledge and connection to land. Students recognise in the need to return to country, family and community to maintain cultural connections which questions the often assumed benefits of boarding school. Both the quantitative and qualitative data indicate that parents, family and community members provide important mechanisms of support and ensure a successful transition. In particular family support helps students to deal with homesickness, provide encouragement and help maintain a connection to culture.
This thesis, provides an important addition to an emerging area of research about the important transition from Aboriginal communities to boarding school. The study focused on the experiences of students at one school in the Northern Territory and records and presents student voices and experiences undertaking the transition to boarding school. Hearing more student voices will enable all of us to gain a clearer appreciation of the impact of transitioning to boarding school for young Aboriginal people, and what can be done to improve it.
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Bremner, Patricia. "Teacher scaffolding of literate discourse with Indigenous Reading Recovery students." Connect to thesis, 2009. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/5623.
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The research study described in this report was conducted in 2007 at a Kindergarten to Year 12 College, situated in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. Using case study methods, this research aimed to examine the scaffolding techniques used by two Reading Recovery teachers as they supported the language and literacy learning of two Indigenous Reading Recovery students. And further, to examine the impact of this scaffolding on each student’s language and literacy learning.Multiple data sets were collected and examined with results discussed throughout this study. Transcripts and direct quotes were used to support the reporting of emergent themes and patterns with the convergence of the data used to support the internal validity of this small scale study.
This paper takes the position that generalisations, assumptions and stereotypical negative images of Indigenous students as disengaged and noncompliant students can be curtailed when teachers acknowledge that Indigenous students are active language learners with rich cultural and linguistic ‘funds of knowledge’ (Moll & Greenberg, 1990). These funds can support students’ new learning of literate discourse which is defined and used throughout this study as: the language used in schools to read, write and talk about texts used for educational purposes. Significantly, difficulties Indigenous students experience with literate discourse have been identified as contributing to the educational underachievement of this group of Australian students (Gray, 2007; Rose, Gray & Cowey, 1998, 1999).
The findings from this small scale study indicate that within the context of Reading Recovery teaching, teacher-student interaction and contingent teacher scaffolding, centred on text reading and writing experiences can support Indigenous students to code-switch between home languages and dialects, Standard Australian English and literate discourse.
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Stewart, Janice A. "The exploration of philosophical and pedagogical links between the multi-age and indigenous approaches to teaching and learning in Australian education /." [St Lucia, Qld.], 2001. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16177.pdf.
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Booth, Sarah. "Teaching Aboriginal curriculum content in Australian high schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1522.
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Many misconceptions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders stem from Australia’s period of colonisation in the 18th and 19th centuries when Indigenous people were believed to be inferior by European settlers. It is disturbing that after 200 years these negative ideas still exist and are often perpetuated through the mass media. Even though schools are well positioned to challenge these colonial values; unfortunately there are many factors which affect the depth and quality of teaching Aboriginal content, such as culture, history and contemporary issues.
The government has aimed to disperse the inconsistencies associated with teaching Aboriginal perspectives by implementing a new Australian Curriculum with prescribed Aboriginal content. However, these changes will only have an impact if teachers are equipped and motivated to implement them. Therefore, understanding what influences teachers’ choice of content and approach to teaching Aboriginal Studies was a key aspect of this study. To explore these influences, non-Aboriginal teachers were interviewed at both government and independent schools. A desktop audit analysing the courses at Western Australian universities placed the participants’ responses into context of the pre-service and in-service learning available. An audit of the Australian Curriculum explored the expectations placed on teachers and the depth to which Aboriginal perspectives can be taught or avoided in secondary schools.
This study identified four key issues that affected the teaching of Aboriginal curriculum content by non-Aboriginal teachers. These factors are: time management, school culture, teacher interest and preconceived ideas of both teachers and students. These issues must be addressed in order to improve the quality teaching of Aboriginal perspectives by standardising in-service learning and pre-service learning. Furthermore, improving cultural competency and acknowledging Aboriginal culture is critical at every school, regardless of the number of Aboriginal students. This study also revealed that the presence of an Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer could have a big impact in providing support, information and an Aboriginal presence at the school. Without these changes it will be difficult to disperse colonial values and challenge negative stereotypes
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Bunker, Alison M. "Conceptions of learning identified by indigenous students entering a University preparation course." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2000. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1370.
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The increase in Indigenous participation in university courses in recent years has not been matched by an increase in graduation. In the mainstream university population, student success has been linked to approaches to learning, which are linked to conceptions of learning. This study investigates what conceptions of learning Indigenous students identify at the beginning of their university career. Thirty six students completed a 'Reflections on Learning Inventory' developed by Meyer (1995). Nine of these students were interviewed in depth about what they thought learning was and how they would go about it. The interview analysis for each of the nine students was compared with their individual inventory profile. It was anticipated that the use of such complementary methods would increase the validity of the findings, but this was not the case. The participants identified a range of conceptions comparable with those identified by mainstream students, but with a greater emphasis on understanding. However, the descriptions of how learning happens were undeveloped and not likely to result in the kind of learning described. The findings will be useful in making curricula decisions in an Indigenous university preparation course that encourage students to adopt successful strategies for learning. In addition, it will also be useful information for the participants themselves as they become reflective learners.
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Sheehan, Norman. "Indigenous knowledge and higher education : instigating relational education in a neocolonial context /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2004. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe17681.pdf.
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White, Nereda Dawn, and res cand@acu edu au. "Indigenous Women’s Career Development: voices that challenge educational leadership." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2007. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp132.17052007.
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This research focuses on deepening our understanding about Indigenous women’s participation in contemporary Australian society by exploring their experiences in employment, careers, education and leadership. Since the purpose of this study is to explore how university education Indigenous women understand and make sense of it of their career journeys, the epistemological framework of the research is constructionism using an interpretivist approach. The particular interprevetivist perspective used is symbolic interactionism, but the research has also been guided philosophically by the Indigenous worldview and emerging Indigenous research methodologies which assert the right of Indigenous people to research in their own way. The methodology adopted is a case study approach in keeping with the aim of the study. Data was collected by in-depth interviews to build the women’s stories, focus groups, and researcher’s journal. Throughout the study, there was a strong emphasis on observing ethical guidelines for research on and with Indigenous people. The research design aimed to honour cultural dimensions such as Indigenous knowledge, ways of knowing and culturally appropriate data gathering techniques. The study found that Indigenous women are deeply committed to their personal and professional growth. However there are enormous barriers, both personal and institutional, to their success. Vestiges of colonialism such as racism, sexism, socio-economic and educational disadvantage remain entrenched in contemporary Australian society. Despite these obstacles, Indigenous women through their strength, resilience and determination, strive to make better lives for themselves, their families and communities. Their stories are significant in that they offer important insights into how Indigenous women can be supported on their career journeys.
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Macdonald, Mary-anne. "Examining the perceived benefit of education for Aboriginal secondary students in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2018. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2087.
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Indigenous and remote Australians have lower education and employment levels than non- Indigenous and urban Australians and face continued socio-economic disadvantage. Many contemporary voices have called for quantitative evidence for Indigenous education policy. The current thesis responds to this gap in the literature by developing a factor model of Indigenous education engagement, and supports this with regression equations and qualitative interviews exploring the impact of various experiences on Indigenous engagement with secondary school. The current study found that, despite gap in attendance rates, Year 12 completion rates, and tertiary education enrolment and completion, Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants alike ascribed a high value to the benefit of completing secondary education. For both groups, students were more likely to attribute benefit to schooling when they encountered a Positive School Culture, Promotion of Indigenous Culture, Pathway Development, and opportunities to develop Self-Efficacy. Yet, Indigenous secondary students in this study who ascribed benefit to secondary education appeared to make that decision at an earlier age, and did not often ascribe equal benefit to higher education. Compared with non-Indigenous participants of the current research, Indigenous students make education decisions with the belief that it will be harder for them to attain success in post-secondary education due to lower academic achievement, social discourse and discrimination surrounding Indigenous identity, geographic remoteness, and economic concerns. Furthermore, qualitative analysis revealed that non-Indigenous secondary teachers are likely to look to more superficial aspects of culture, rather than the epistemological and ontological aspects desired by Indigenous students, when developing a culturally inclusive environment. Finally, the Revised Factor Model developed in this thesis explained 46% of the total variance amongst variables measuring student experiences of and attitudes toward the utility of education.
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Walker, Roz, University of Western Sydney, of Arts Education and Social Sciences College, and School of Humanities. "Transformative strategies in indigenous education : a study of decolonisation and positive social change : the Indigenous Community Management Program, Curtin University." THESIS_CAESS_HUM_Walker_R.xml, 2004. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/678.
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This thesis is located within the social and political context of Indigenous education within Australia. Indigenous people continue to experience unacceptable levels of disadvantage and social marginalisation. The struggle for indigenous students individually and collectively lies in being able to determine a direction which is productive and non-assimilationist – which offers possibilities of social and economic transformation, equal opportunities and cultural integrity and self-determination. The challenge for teachers within the constraints of the academy is to develop strategies that are genuinely transformative, empowering and contribute to decolonisation and positive social change. This thesis explores how the construction of two theoretical propositions – the Indigenous Community Management and Development (ICMD) practitioner and the Indigenous/non-Indigenous Interface – are decolonising and transformative strategies. It investigates how these theoretical constructs and associated discourses are incorporated into the Centre’s policy processes, curriculum and pedagogy to influence and interact with the everyday lives of students in their work and communities and the wider social institutions. It charts how a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff interact with these propositions and different ideas and discourses interrupting, re-visioning, reformulating and integrating these to form the basis for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous futures in Australia.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Durmush, Georgia. "Empowering Indigenous thriving : Identifying conceptions of wellbeing and enabling the voice and agency of Indigenous youth in higher education." Phd thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2022. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/c9206bf6f58a1880c87478be2927c052cfcdf8d1db22c6733f5a9a16967aefd1/1476762/Durmush_2022_Empowering_indigenous_thriving_identifying_conceptions_of.pdf.
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First Nations youth in Australia are the future leaders of their communities and represent over half the Indigenous population; as such their voices and wellbeing needs are vital for their communities' brighter future. This thesis weaves together Indigenous and Western theoretical perspectives to identify the wellbeing needs of First Nations students’ attending university. The research put First Nations higher education youth’s voices and agency at the epicentre, enabling Indigenous higher education youth to define what their wellbeing needs are, thus providing future theory, research, and practice with new insights and directions.
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Williams, Shayne Thomas, and shayne williams@deakin edu au. "Indigenous values informing curriculum and pedagogical praxis." Deakin University. School of Education, 2007. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20071130.095612.
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As an Indigenous research study into the cultural quality of Indigenous education this thesis focuses on the proposition that mainstream education marginalises Indigenous learners because of its entrenchment in the Western worldview. The thesis opens with an analysis of the cultural dynamics of Indigenous values, the politics of Indigenous identity, and the hegemonic constraints of West-centric knowledge. This analysis is then drawn upon to critically examine the cultural predisposition of mainstream education. The arguments proffered through this critical examination support the case that Indigenous learners would prosper culturally and educationally by having access to educational programmes centred within an Indigenous cultural framework, thereby addressing the dilemma of lower Indigenous retentions rates.
This research study was conducted using a qualitative Indigenous methodology specifically designed by the researcher to reflect the values and cultural priorities of Indigenous Australians. Collective partnership was sought from Indigenous Australians, whom the researcher respected as Indigenous stakeholders in the research. Collegial participation was also sought from non-Indigenous educators with significant experience in teaching Indigenous learners. The research process involved both individual and group sessions of dialogic exchange. With regard to the Indigenous sessions of dialogic exchange, these resulted in the formation of a composite narrative wherein Indigenous testimony was united to create a collective Indigenous voice.
Through this research study it was revealed that there is indeed a stark and deep-seated contrast between the value systems of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia. This contrast, it was found, is mirrored in the cultural dynamics of education and the polemics of knowledge legitimacy. The research also revealed that Australias mainstream education system is intractably an agent for the promulgation of Western cultural values, and as such is culturally disenfranchising to Indigenous peoples. This thesis then concludes with an alternative and culturally apposite education paradigm for Indigenous education premised on Indigenous values informing curriculum and pedagogical praxis. This paradigm specifically supports independent Indigenous education initiatives.
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Parkes-Sandri, Robyn Amy. "Weaving the past into the present : Indigenous stories of education across generations." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2013. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/61010/1/Robyn_Parkes_Sandri_final_theis_11_April_2013.pdf.
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In Queensland, there is little research that speaks to the historical experiences of schooling. Aboriginal education remains a part of the silenced history of Aboriginal people. This thesis presents stories of schooling from Aboriginal people across three generations of adult storytellers. Elders, grandparents, and young parents involved in an early childhood urban playgroup were included. Stories from the children attending the playgroup were also welcomed.
The research methodology involved narrative storywork. This is culturally appropriate because Aboriginal stories connect the past with the present. The conceptual framework for the research draws on decolonising theory. Typically, reports of Aboriginal schooling and outcomes position Aboriginal families and children within a deficit discourse.
The issues and challenges faced by urban Murri families who have young children or children in school are largely unknown.
This research allowed Aboriginal families to participate in an engaged dialogue about their childhood and offered opportunities to tell their stories of education. Key research questions were: What was the reality of school for different generations of Indigenous people? What beliefs and values are held about mainstream education for Indigenous children? What ideas are communicated about school across generations? Narratives from five elders, five grandparents, and five (urban) mothers of young Indigenous children are presented. The elders offer testimony on their recollected experiences of schooling in a mission, a Yumba school (fringe-dwellers’ camp), and country schools. Their stories also speak to the need to pass as non-indigenous and act as “white”. The next generation of storytellers are the grandparents and they speak to their lives as “stolen children”. The final story tellers are the Murri parents. They speak to the current and recent past of education, as well as their family experiences as they parent young children who are about to enter school or who are in the early years of school.
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Biddle, Nicholas Grahame, and nicholas biddle@anu edu au. "Does it pay to go to school? The benefits of and participation in education of Indigenous Australians." The Australian National University. Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, 2007. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20071008.152249.
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Those who have finished high school and/or obtained non-school qualifications experience a range of positive outcomes throughout their lives. Despite these benefits being likely to apply to the Indigenous Australian population, current as well as past participation in education is substantially lower than that of the non-Indigenous population. Some reasons for this relatively low participation may be locational and monetary disadvantage, household overcrowding and a curriculum that is not always relevant. How Indigenous Australians form their expectations about the benefits of education and what these expectations might be (accurate or otherwise) may also influence educational participation.
This thesis looks at the education outcomes of Indigenous Australians. There are two main research questions are examined. The first is what are the relative benefits of education for the Indigenous population? The main outcomes that are focussed on are employment and income; however, there is also analysis of the extent to which those with higher education levels report better health outcomes or more favourable health behaviour.
The second main research question is what factors are associated with the decision to attend high school? That is, does the Indigenous population respond to the economic incentives to undertake education as estimated in this thesis? In addition, other factors at the individual, household and area level are likely to influence the social costs and benefits of education, as well as geographic and financial access. The extent to which these are associated with high school participation is also examined.
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Walker, Roz. "Transformative strategies in Indigenous education a study of decolonisation and positive social change." Click here for electronic access, 2004. http://adt.caul.edu.au/homesearch/get/?mode=advanced&format=summary&nratt=2&combiner0=and&op0=ss&att1=DC.Identifier&combiner1=and&op1=-sw&prevquery=OR%28REL%28SS%3BDC.Identifier%3Buws.edu.au%29%2CREL%28WD%3BDC.Relation%3BNUWS%29%29&att0=DC.Title&val0=Transformative+strategies+in+indigenous+education+&val1=NBD%3A.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2004.Title from electronic document (viewed 15/6/10) Presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Sydney, 2004. Includes bibliography.
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Gool, Sophia Katherine Louise. "Voices still to be heard : career aspirations and expectations of young indigenous women." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 1997. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/36531/1/36531_Gool_1997.pdf.
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This thesis reports on an exploration of the career aspirations and expectations of twelve
female Aboriginal high school students in two different localities. It considers how cultural
identity, racism, schooling, family relationships and employment opportunities influence these
students' hopes and ideas. Aboriginal culture gives a prominent position to the Elders in the
community and therefore this study also includes their views and the expectations they have for
their young people.
The research was carried out through a series of interviews. Throughout this study there
is an emphasis on the importance of the participants own words and expressions, therefore it
includes several quotes to capture their ideas rather than to impose too many interpretations. The
participants views were structured within the systems theory framework. This framework was
flexible and comprehensive enough to allow the students the option to place an emphasis on
whichever areas or influences they felt were the most powerful for them. The family became the
most prominent influence.
The outcome of this research drew attention to the following issues. There was
considerable difference between the two localities and this emphasised the danger in forming
generalisations about Aboriginal people. The study also registered the impact of racism upon the
students' self perceptions and expectations. Cultural characteristics such as a respect for Elders
and a sense of community belonging dominated over concepts of individuality and autonomy.
However the participants frequently expressed initiative as well as an awareness of the difference
between the Aboriginal and White cultures, and they were often able to deal with this duality
constructively when they considered their aspirations.
It is recommended that practitioners in the field of careers and counselling should be
sensitive to the issues raised in the thesis which can place particular pressure on young
Aboriginal clients. Counsellors need to have a good understanding of Aboriginal history over the
last two centuries as well as the impact of racism which can permeate the institutions of
education and employment.
( The term 'Aboriginal' is used here in its generic sense to include Torres Strait Islanders. )
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Owen, Julie. "Development of a culturally sensitive program delivering cardiovascular health education to indigenous Australians, in South-West towns of Western Australia with lay educators as community role models." University of Western Australia. School of Population Health, 2006. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2006.0061.
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[Truncated abstract] Indigenous Australians suffer cardiovascular disease (CVD) at a rate six times greater than the general population in Australia and while the incidence of CVD has been reduced dramatically amongst the majority of non-indigenous Australians and amongst Indigenous populations in other countries in the last 30 years, there has been little change in the figures for Aboriginal Australians, showing that heart health campaigns have little impact, for this group of people. Aims : The principal aims of this study were firstly, to determine and record the barriers to the development and delivery of CVD prevention programs amongst Indigenous Australians and secondly, to develop an alternative, effective and culturally sensitive method of delivering heart health messages. Methods and results : The study was qualitative research undertaken in three South-West towns of Western Australia where the incidence of CVD was high amongst the Aboriginal community members. The use of semi-formal interviews, informal individual consultation, observation, and focus groups were methods implemented to obtain information. The first phase of the research was to identify the barriers which affected the Aboriginal Health Workers’ ability to deliver specialist educational programs. Questionnaires and interviews with the Aboriginal Health Workers and other health professionals in the towns, and community focus groups were undertaken in this phase of the study. The second phase of the research was aimed at developing an alternative strategy for delivering heart health messages. The focus changed to adopt more traditional ways of passing on information in Indigenous communities. The idea of small gatherings of friends or family with a trusted community member presenting the health message was developed. The third phase of the research was to implement this new approach. Lay educators who had been identified within focus groups and by Aboriginal Health Workers were trained in each of the towns and a protocol involving discussions of health issues, viewing a video on CVD, produced by the National Heart Foundation, sharing in a ‘heart healthy’ lunch and partaking in a ‘heart health’ knowledge game which was developed specifically for the gatherings. Several of these gatherings were held in each of the towns and they became known as ‘HeartAware parties’.
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MacGill, Bindi Mary, and belinda macgill@flinders edu au. "ABORIGINAL EDUCATION WORKERS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA: TOWARDS EQUALITY OF RECOGNITION OF INDIGENOUS ETHICS OF CARE PRACTICES." Flinders University. School of Australian Studies, 2009. http://catalogue.flinders.edu.au./local/adt/public/adt-SFU20090630.142151.
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This thesis is focused on Aboriginal Education Workers (AEWs) who work with, support and care for Indigenous students in schools in South Australia. AEWs work in the border zones (Giroux 2005) between the values of schools and the expectations of Indigenous communities. This thesis highlights how AEWs experience indirect discrimination in the workplace as a result of their complex racialised position. In particular, there is a general absence of recognition of AEWs caring role by non-Indigenous staff in schools.
AEWs are not only marginalised in schools, but also at an institutional level. While AEWs working conditions have improved, the redistribution (Fraser & Honneth 2003, p. 10) of better working conditions has not eliminated indirect discrimination in the workplace. Furthermore, there is little research regarding AEWs in Indigenous education. Thus at three levels, namely school, Department of Education and Childrens Services (DECS) and academia, there is a cyclical pattern that perpetuates an absence of recognition of AEWs.
This thesis uses whiteness theory (Frankenberg 1993) as a theoretical framework to examine this lack of recognition and the consequent low status of AEWs in schools. The thesis emerges from research, experience working as a teacher in a remote Aboriginal school with AEWs, and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 AEWs who are working in South Australian state schools. Standpoint theory (Collins 2004; Harding 2004) is used as both a method and methodology in order to understand and map AEWs position in schools. A common theme raised by all of the AEWs in the interviews is the absence of recognition of their work in schools by non-Indigenous staff and the consequent feeling of marginalisation in the workplace. In this thesis the site-specific contexts of the interviewees and the effects of whiteness are examined.
The findings that emerged from the in-depth semi-structured interviews with AEWs were concerned with Indigenous ethics of care models. The narratives from the interviewees who were AEWs revealed how white ethics of care practices in schools de-legitimise Indigenous ethics of care. Furthermore, the discursive regimes that govern school policy and protocol often limit AEWs ability to respond effectively to Indigenous student needs. This thesis highlights the complexities and contradictions of AEWs who are working in the border zones. As a result, AEWs often feel caught between school expectations and community protocols.
This thesis advocates equality of recognition of Indigenous ethics of care practices to address the indirect discrimination that AEWs experience. It concludes with a map for recognition of AEWs' care practices on an institutional level in relation to academia and DECS, and in schools in order to overturn the continual marginalisation of AEWs in South Australia. It argues for a values shift for non-Indigenous teachers and staff in schools and at the institutional levels in DECS and academia. In particular, this involves a values shift by non-Indigenous teachers, academics and policy makers towards an understanding of whiteness. Recommendations are provided in the concluding chapter that signpost possible moves towards equality of recognition of Indigenous ethics of care practices by non-Indigenous staff in schools.
21
Truscott, Keith. ""More than three "Rs" in the classroom" : a case study in Aboriginal tertiary business education." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2011. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/925.
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This was an investigation of factors that assisted Australian Aboriginal students complete or incomplete a business course at a University in Perth between 2000 and 2010. The concept of resilience and related factors of inclusion and exclusion from the participants’ past were assumed clues by the researcher. The investigation involved four inquiries. First, the researcher reviewed recent statistics of Aboriginal population, education and employment. A short history of Aboriginal education in Western Australian was also made. Both reviews indicated Aboriginal people endured relative exclusion and a lower status than the mainstream population in areas of education and employment.
Second, the researcher assumed that a shared interdependency existed between distinct “ethnic groups” (Barth, 1969) in terms of “levels of engagement at the cultural boundaries”. The cultural boundaries consisted of four layers, namely observable behaviour and material artefacts, institutions, values and worldviews (Barney, 1973; P. D. Milnes & Grant, 1999b). At these “cultural boundaries” that the researcher explored, there were more than three “Rs” (i.e. reading, writing and arithmetic) concerns active in the classroom, namely the silent “R”, resilience.
Third, the researcher built upon the theoretical work of Francis’ (1981) ‘teach to the difference’, Nakata’s (1997) idea of ‘cultural interface’ and Milnes’ (2008) concept of ‘meeting place’. The researcher then adapted a new research model called ‘engagement at the cultural boundaries’.
Fourth, the researcher conducted a large case study on four samples. A short life-history interview was made of each sample: 1) a pilot study of a previous business graduate; 2) Aboriginal graduates (n=17); 3) Aboriginal non-graduates (n=13); 4) teaching and administrative staff (n=6). Then the pilot study and three groups of stakeholders were rated with a ‘resilience score’ in terms of their engagement at social and economic boundaries based on their personal, public, training and economic identities.
The researcher concluded that overall ten factors of resilience had assisted the Aboriginal students complete or incomplete the tertiary business course. These ten factors were: a strong self-reference point, sense of community, structured living, strong support network, stakeholders identifying with struggles, significant role models, strong status and a single mindedness to complete the task at hand, skills in crisis management, and a previous history of successful engagement at the cultural boundaries.
Besides the pilot study, the students who completed the tertiary business course had a high resilience score based on previously, strong inclusive engagements at the two key cultural boundaries, the social and economic boundaries. Those students who did not complete the tertiary business course still had a high resilience score, but showed less experiences and examples of inclusive engagement at the overall cultural boundaries prior to and for the duration of the tertiary business course. Teachers of Aboriginal students would do well to discern that Aboriginal students do have a high resilience score overall despite their publicly acknowledged low status and historic loss of economic power. Teachers and key stakeholders in Aboriginal tertiary education also would do well to recognise that some of the ten factors of resilience in Aboriginal tertiary students, especially those resilience factors linked to training and economic identity, require more focus and strengthening. The challenge for all stakeholders of tertiary education is to develop all factors of resilience so that Aboriginal students can experience more inclusion as the latter engage at the tertiary cultural boundary.
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Ford, Linda Mae, and linda ford@deakin edu au. "Narratives and Landscapes: Their Capacity to Serve Indigenous Knowledge Interests." Deakin University. School of Education, 2005. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20070614.105953.
Full textAbstract:
The thesis is a culmination of my research which drew on tyangi wedi tjan Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu and Marrithiel knowledge systems. These awa mirr spiritual knowledge systems have guided our Pilu for millennium and have powerful spiritual affiliation to the land and our continued presences. The understandings of the spiritual connectedness and our practices of relatedness have drawn on Pulitj, our deep awa mirr spiritual philosophy that nourishes us on our country. This philosophy gave us our voice and our presence to act in our own ways of knowing and being on the landscapes created by the Western bureaucratic systems of higher education in Australia to bring forth our Tyikim knowledge systems to serve our own educational interests.
From this spiritual Puliyana kunun philosophical position the thesis examines colonising constructions of Tyikim peoples, Tyikim knowledge systems in education, Tyikim research and access to higher education for Tyikim students. From the research, it is argued that the paradigm, within which the enclave-derived approach to Indigenous higher education is located, is compatible with the normalising imperialistic ideology of higher education. The analysis of the Mirrwana/Wurrkama participatory action research project, central to the research, supported an argument for the Mirrwana/Wurrkama model of Indigenous higher education. Further analysis identified five key pedagogical principles embedded within this new model as metaphorically equivalent to wilan~bu of the pelangu. The thesis identifies the elements of the spirituality of the narrative exposed in the research-in-action through the Marri kubin mi thit wa!. This is a new paradigm for Tyikim participation in higher education within which the Mirrwana/Wurrkama model is located. Finally, the thesis identifies the scope for Tyikim knowledge use in the construction of contemporary bureaucratic and institutionalised higher education ngun nimbil thit thit teaching and learning experiences of Tyikim for the advancement of Tyikim interests. Here the tyangi yigin tjan spiritual concepts of narrative and landscape are drawn upon both awa mirr metaphorically and in marri kubin mi thit wa Tyikim pedagogical practice.
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Reinke, Leanne 1964. "Community, communication and contradiction : the political implications of changing modes of communication in indigenous communities of Australia and Mexico." Monash University, School of Political and Social Inquiry, 2001. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/8812.
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Hughes, Bridget Y. "Collective impact: Closing the gap in educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Queensland." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2022. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/230011/1/Bridget_Hughes_Thesis.pdf.
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This thesis examined the educational outcomes for Indigenous children enrolled in Queensland state (public) primary schools from the perspective of the collective and social impact of programs and services. The study used quantifiable data to show that the gap is not closing, regardless of an improvement in attendance, along with literacy and numeracy achievement levels, in certain regions of Queensland.
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Stratton, Greg. "Whose story is it anyway? an explanation of how "academic literacy" was constructed in a university transition course for Indigenous Australians during a period of organisational change /." Connect to thesis, 2006. http://portal.ecu.edu.au/adt-public/adt-ECU2006.0028.html.
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Stratton, Gregory J. "Whose story is it anyway?: An explanation of how `academic literacy' was constructed in a university transition course for Indigenous Australians during a period of organisational change." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2006. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/99.
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This thesis examines how a group of lecturers who taught in a university preparation course designed for Indigenous Australians thought about what `academic literacy' meant. Lecturers were asked to consider the relationships between the meanings of `academic literacy' , curriculum, and the considerable problems the Course was facing in order to remain viable. My research goal was to better understand what alignment of people, ideas, and other important entities would be required to develop a sustainable program for Indigenous people seeking an alternative pathway into university degrees.
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Ford, Payi-Linda. "Narratives and landscapes their capacity to serve indigenous knowledge interests /." Click here for electronic access to thesis: http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au/adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20070614.105953, 2005. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au/adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20070614.105953.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Deakin University, Victoria, 2005.Submitted to the School of Education of the Faculty of Education, Deakin University. Degree conferred 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-225)
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Hunter, Janet. "Knowing and teaching: the impact of teachers’ knowledge on students’ early literacy achievement." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1688.
Full textAbstract:
Children in rural and remote schools typically underperform in measures of literacy achievement (e.g., NAPLAN) from as early as year three. Data collected over time indicate that as children get older, the gap increases between those students who meet the national benchmarks and those who do not. Additionally, Indigenous children are overrepresented in this group of students who are underperforming in measures of literacy achievement. This study seeks to explore the conditions surrounding this phenomenon and to tease out the complexities present in rural and remote contexts that might contribute to this underachievement.
One remote and six remote‐rural schools in Western Australia were the focus of the study. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to collect data over three years. Qualitative data were collected using an ethnographic approach, through classroom observations and informal and formal interviews with students, teachers, school leaders, support staff and some parents. From these observations and interviews, teacher and student case studies were constructed. Quantitative data were collected from children through a range of early literacy assessment tasks. Around 60 children were assessed each year for three years. Approximately half of the children each year were Indigenous and half non‐Indigenous.
The notion of educational criticism and connoisseurship (Eisner, 1985) was used as a way to describe, interpret and evaluate the literacy teaching practices which occurred in schools and classrooms. Habermas's (1971) “knowledge constituent interests” were used as lenses through which to interrogate the data. The quantitative data informed the technical interest, while the qualitative data were interrogated using the practical and critical lenses.
The study indicated that barriers to children’s academic success may exist at a number of levels. First, many children enter such schools with limited knowledge to support the development of school English literacy, therefore particular attention needs to be paid to this during their first years of schooling. While all children are likely to make progress in developing school English literacy, for many children the extent and rate of progress is dependent on focussed and knowledgeable teaching.
Second, such schools are typically staffed by teachers in the early years of their career, who need support to develop their pedagogical, content and cultural knowledge to the degree necessary for successfully teaching early literacy in such contexts. Additionally, the relative remoteness of the context in which they are working often makes it difficult for them to access ongoing professional learning and support. Third, school leaders are typically in their first position in that role, with the consequence that they may be less able to support new teachers at the classroom level.
This study is significant because it seeks to unravel the complicated web of factors that impact on the quality of literacy instruction that is provided for children in in remote and remote‐rural schools in Western Australia. There needs to be available a range of measures at every level, that can be tailored to fit the needs of a particular school at any given time.
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Jara, Labarthé Vanessa. "Positive discrimination measures in Australian Indigenous higher education lessons for Chile." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10453/52989.
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University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.This thesis explores the conceptualisation, development, and implementation of positive discrimination measures in context of the higher education of Indigenous people. I set out to consider the implications of the Australian experience for the development of approaches to positive discrimination policy and programs for Indigenous people in Chile. I look particularly for lessons in the development and implementation of two positive discrimination measures that have emerged in Australia over the last four decades: ABSTUDY and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (1989). The Australian experience has been forged over a longer time-frame than Chile and an assumption I am making in this thesis is that lessons from this experience are potentially useful for the Chilean Indigenous higher education context. My inquiry is to understand not just the positive effects but also the limits that positive discrimination measures contribute to the higher education access, participation, and outcomes of Indigenous students.
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Creighton, Sophie. "The Yolngu way : an ethnographic account of recent transformations in indigenous education at Yirrkala, Northeast Arnhem Land." Phd thesis, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/148435.
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Dreise, Tony. "Charity meets clarity: A multiple methods and transdisciplinary approach to improving philanthropic investment in Indigenous Australian education." Phd thesis, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/151928.
Full textAbstract:
A multiple methods and transdisciplinary approach to improving
philanthropic investment in Indigenous Australian education
Abstract:
This study explores current and potentially future relationships
between philanthropy and Indigenous education in Australia. More
specifically, it has sought to address an overarching research
question, namely ‘how can philanthropic bodies more
successfully engage with Indigenous people and strategically
invest their resources to improve Indigenous education
outcomes?’ The research has involved a unique partnership
between an Aboriginal researcher, the Australian National
University, philanthropists, researchers and educators, and five
First Nations communities in urban, regional and rural-remote
localities. The study has been partly funded by the Australian
Research Council (ARC) through the ARC Linkage Projects scheme.
Supplementary funds have also been provided by the Australian
Communities Foundation, a philanthropic body based in Melbourne.
In addressing the overarching research question and in light of
the inherent complexity at the philanthropy–Indigenous
affairs–education interface, the study has adopted
multiple-methods and transdisciplinary approaches. It draws upon
history, political studies, business and commerce studies, social
sciences, and, especially, upon complexity science and emergence
theories to both make sense of the data and to influence the
future shape of First Nations education and philanthropic
partnerships.
Literature from both Australia and abroad is analysed to provide
insights and understand tensions about historical practices,
contemporary applications, and future directions in philanthropic
investment in Indigenous education. The study has also sought to
capture the voices of ‘demand’ (First Nations communities)
and ‘supply’ (philanthropic bodies). As such, both the study
and literature review examine current interventions and
investments in First Nations education, and find that
philanthropic investments in boarding school opportunities and
university scholarships have grown considerably over the past
decade. The study acknowledges this, but also argues that
philanthropic investment in Indigenous education in its current
form is too narrow, nowhere near scale when it comes to current
and projected levels of need among First Nations communities, and
tends to favour ‘fail-safe’ as opposed to ‘safe-fail’
initiatives. The study posits that improvements in Indigenous
education are unlikely to present through oversimplified, linear
and mono-dimensional interventions. It also concludes that
partners in education, philanthropy and First Nations affairs
need to think differently about problems and future possibilities
by pursuing a course of positive disruption and collective
action, where hearts of charity meet minds of clarity.
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(9777737), Wayne Arizmendi. ""It's not a struggle where you are on your own": Indigenous Australian male undergraduate retention and the interdependent universe." Thesis, 2001. https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/_It_s_not_a_struggle_where_you_are_on_your_own_Indigenous_Australian_male_undergraduate_retention_and_the_interdependent_universe/13465253.
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"This research aimed to discover the underlying reasons for the decisions by selected Indigenous Australian male undergraduates aged 18-24 attending the Rockhampton Campus of Central Queensland University to remain in their studies" -- abstract.
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Nash, Daphne. "Transforming knowledge : Indigenous knowledge and culture workers on the south coast of New South Wales." Phd thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/150645.
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Lopez, Susan. "Indigenous self-determination and early childhood education and care in Victoria." 2008. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/8551.
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This thesis explores how Victoria’s early childhood community negotiates colonial constructions of Aboriginality around dualisms such as Indigenous/non Indigenous and intersecting constructions of the child as ignorant or innocent of race and power both in concert and conflict with the non Indigenous early childhood community. It found a need for a reconceptualisation of Aboriginality around complexity and multiplicity as well as continuity and uniformity. Such a reconceptualisation can better address those issues of race, culture, identity and racism that see Indigenous communities marginalised within non Indigenous early childhood programs.These negotiations around the colonial and the implications for Indigenous inclusion within the early childhood field are framed within post colonial theory which unites and connects major themes across tensions and contradictions. These themes act as a basis for each data chapter.
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Chang, Shan-Chuan, and 張善娟. "A Comparative Study on Indigenous Education Policies Between Taiwan and Australia." Thesis, 1999. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/63396471694584849434.
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碩士國立暨南國際大學
比較教育研究所
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The purpose of this thesis is to compare indigenous education policies between Taiwan and Australia by analyzing different theories of indigenous education, the historical development of indigenous education policies, and current national indigenous education policies in these two countries. The subjects of comparison in this thesis include the following areas on indigenous people: (1)formulation of policies; (2)administrative systems and organizations; (3)school system, concentrated particularly on vocational education and early childhood education, and the connection between different education level; (4)teacher education, employment, and in-service training; (5)guidance and assistance offered for students in behavior, daily life, learning, employment and career; (6)school resources; (7)content and implementation of curriculum; (8)the learning of indigenous language; (9)research and collection of statistical data; and (10)adult and parental education. Based on the research results, some suggestions have been offered for the reform of the indigenous education in Taiwan.
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Page, Susan. "Beyond Black and White: Transformative Learning and Educator Practice in Australian Indigenous Studies." Phd thesis, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/278795.
Full textAbstract:
The need for non-Indigenous Australians to be more cognisant of the entangled histories of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, has reverberated through a range of recent reviews of Australian higher education and policy documents which recommend better understanding of Indigenous Australia grounded in tertiary curricula. This policy emphasis has led to a national commitment to curricular which prepares university graduates to practise more effectively when working with or for Indigenous Australians. Consequently, university graduates will need to think beyond the simple binaries of black and white, which too often impede understanding and practise, to develop deeper understandings of our nation's complex colonial legacy. Given the turbulent history of Aboriginal-settler relations it is inevitable that some learners will come to their study with pre-existing prejudices, and misconceptions. Such learners can find the Australian Indigenous Studies curriculum challenging, as courses of study present perspectives that do not accord with their existing views. Such learners can be labelled by educators as racist or prejudiced. However, Australian Indigenous Studies educators also suggest that learners can experience significant shifts in their thinking, or transformations, during a period of formal Indigenous Studies learning. This qualitative study uses the threshold concepts framework as a theoretical guide to explore such transformation processes, for learners. Threshold concepts are key ideas, not always explicitly taught, which foster a learners ability to think like a discipline expert. Critically, a threshold concept frequently involves troublesome knowledge, conceptualised as occurring in a liminal space in which learners might grapple with a particular disciplinary idea, oscillating between understanding and confusion, before fully attaining the required knowledge. Data collected for the study includes interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners enrolled in Indigenous Studies subjects, from three university sites, Indigenous academics teaching Australian Indigenous Studies, and a group of Aboriginal Elders and Knowledge holders.
Focusing on the threshold concepts notion of liminality as a rite of passage, I outline a process of transformation whereby the study learners separate from the familiarity of their home disciplines to enter the often culturally dissonant Indigenous Studies classroom space. For some students this causes a disorientation which can be challenging but also leads to significant shifts in thinking. Learners in this study experience transformative reorientations not just in the way they understand their discipline but also in how they see the world and behave in their lives. The student accounts of their learning experiences are compelling, explicitly addressing issues such as resistance and racism. For the educators interviewed for this research, teaching practise was motivated by a desire to see students contribute to enhanced Indigenous community outcomes through their graduate professional practice. The Elders group illuminate a critical juncture between learning and teaching which coalesces through the notion of truth, and the telling of Indigenous stories. I argue that labelling of students as racist or resistant early in their Indigenous Studies learning is counterproductive, reflecting neither the complexity of an individual's experiences nor the potential for transformed shifts in thinking. Instead, I propose a wholistic model for understanding these student transformative learning experiences which can inform teaching practice and the preparation of teachers for practise. Returning to the threshold concepts framework I suggest that colonial violence is a threshold concept in Indigenous Studies, opening the gateway for deeper engagement with key disciplinary concepts.
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Lattimore, Sarah. "A comparative analysis of indigenous bilingual education policy and practice in Australia and Peru." Thesis, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/143270.
Full textAbstract:
Australia and Peru are both signatories of the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which
asserts that indigenous peoples have a right to an education in
their own languages, and that States have an obligation to ensure
this is possible. Nevertheless, despite similarities in the
early histories of indigenous education and the emergence of
bilingual programs in the 1970s, the current language policy
situations differ greatly between the two countries. This thesis
seeks to explain the different outcomes of bilingual education
policies using the framework of language policy developed by
Spolsky, which conceptualises language policy as a
three-component system that operates within multiple domains and
functions in an ecological relationship with an array of
linguistic and non-linguistic factors. As such, it will examine
several areas of language management, ideology, and practices, as
well as the ecological context and the domains in which these
components of language policy take place. In doing so, the
thesis identifies areas in which the Australian policy situation
must change if it is to support bilingual education for
indigenous students in the future.
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Biddle, Nicholas. "Does it pay to go to school? The benefits of and participation in education of Indigenous Australians." Phd thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/46223.
Full textAbstract:
Those who have finished high school and/or obtained non-school qualifications experience a range of positive outcomes throughout their lives. Despite these benefits being likely to apply to the Indigenous Australian population, current as well as past participation in education is substantially lower than that of the non-Indigenous population. Some reasons for this relatively low participation may be locational and monetary disadvantage, household overcrowding and a curriculum that is not always relevant. How Indigenous Australians form their expectations about the benefits of education and what these expectations might be (accurate or otherwise) may also influence educational participation.
¶
This thesis looks at the education outcomes of Indigenous Australians. There are two main research questions are examined. The first is what are the relative benefits of education for the Indigenous population? The main outcomes that are focussed on are employment and income; however, there is also analysis of the extent to which those with higher education levels report better health outcomes or more favourable health behaviour.
¶
The second main research question is what factors are associated with the decision to attend high school? That is, does the Indigenous population respond to the economic incentives to undertake education as estimated in this thesis? In addition, other factors at the individual, household and area level are likely to influence the social costs and benefits of education, as well as geographic and financial access. The extent to which these are associated with high school participation is also examined
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Wray, Debra E., University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, and School of Education. "HSC Aboriginal studies : strengths, limitations, and impact upon Aboriginal students' self-concepts and educational outcomes." 2006. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/15151.
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Two primary, interdependent goals of the NSW Higher School Certificate Aboriginal Studies course are enhancing Indigenous students’ self-concepts and educational outcome. It was considered that these would lead to increased Indigenous student participation and retention to Year 12. Yet recently there has been a decline in enrolments. Despite the introduction of Aboriginal Studies over a decade ago, no rigorous research has been undertaken to determine the impact of the course or the extent to which the aims of the course have been achieved. Research in Aboriginal Education has identified that Indigenous students are still not achieving at the same level as their non-Indigenous counterparts. However, the majority of studies to date have been theoretical and descriptive in nature. The primary purpose of the present investigation was to address some of the above issues by elucidating the (a) factors that influence Indigenous students’ decisions to participate in the HSC Aboriginal Studies course; (b) impact of the course on Indigenous students’ self-concepts and educational outcomes; and (c) strengths and limitations of the course. The research was undertaken in three NSW Department of Education and Training secondary schools, located in rural, north coast, and south coast areas. Results indicated that Indigenous students choose Aboriginal Studies based on their need to understand more about their own culture. There were also clear educational benefits in that Aboriginal Studies was considered to be a motivational factor that encouraged attendance at school and enhanced their academic self concept. Both staff and students suggested that the academic rigour of the Aboriginal Studies course contributed to declining enrolments. Overall the findings suggest that whilst the current course has some limitations, there are also many strengths; this implies there is a need to continue to refine the course to meet the needs of Indigenous students.Master of Education (Hons)
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Graham, Victoria K. "An Indigenous Perspective in Wilderness Experiential Learning: Enhancing Relationships with Nature and Place." Thesis, 2005. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/33012/.
Full textAbstract:
Modem Western society has grown apart from a close relationship with nature and
place. There exists a need to re-establish a connection with nature and place in an
effort to enrich the health and well-being of individuals, community, and society. A
different perspective on this human/nature/place relationship is held by other cultures
within Australia. This study explores one of these Indigenous perspectives and
investigates how Western society can learn to better relate to nature and place from
this alternate perspective through wilderness experiential learning.
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Péron, Marie. "Culture Warriors: Education and Awareness at the Inaugural National Indigenous Art Triennial, organized by National Gallery of Australia, 2007-2009." Thesis, 2010. http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/7076/1/Peron_MA_F2010.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis discusses the inaugural National Indigenous Art Triennial: Culture Warriors organized and hosted by the National Gallery of Australia and provides a critical analysis of the National Indigenous Art Triennial: Educational Resource that accompanied the exhibition.
The aim of this discussion and analysis is to identify elements from the educational program at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) that effectively increase knowledge and appreciation of Indigenous art at the Gallery. The premise behind my analysis consists of the possibility and feasibility of using similar educational programs in a Canadian context.
Using an exploratory approach, this thesis brings attention to elements that could potentially be of benefit to the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) in the development of future educational programs associated with Indigenous Art exhibitions.
It is well-known that, in the past, the NGC has been criticized for its exhibition, collecting, and dissemination practices with regards to Indigenous art. Having undergone considerable changes since the 1990’s, the NGC is beginning to look like a different institution especially with the establishment of an Indigenous Art Department in August 2007. One particular area criticized in the past about the NGC has been public access to and information about Indigenous art at the Gallery. As stated by Alfred Young Man, Department Head of Indian Fine Arts, at the First Nations University of Canada, in 2008; “There needs to be a better way for people who are looking for Aboriginal art at the National Gallery to find it, and learn about it.”
Today, the NGC’s mandate seeks to “increase the knowledge, awareness and appreciation of Indigenous art in Canada and internationally.” With its Indigenous Art Department currently in a relative stage of infancy, it is a logical time to be looking at the educational tools being developed and implemented at similar institutions, such as the NGA, for ideas as to how the NGC can fulfill its present-day mandate.
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Rahman, Kiara. "Indigenous student success in secondary schooling : factors impacting on student attendance, retention, learning and attainment in South Australia." 2010. http://arrow.unisa.edu.au:8081/1959.8/91202.
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This thesis investigates factors which impact on Indigenous student learning and success in secondary schooling in South Australia. The research contributes to greater understandings of why Indigenous students make the decision to stay on at school, and highlights the importance of teachers and culturally responsive schooling for improved learning outcomes.
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Lester, John. "Why do Aboriginal kids switch off school?" Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1318450.
Full textAbstract:
Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)This case study in one rural district in the state of NSW in Australia with high Indigenous enrolments was initiated by the local Indigenous community and Regional Education Authority to directly address serious concerns they had about Indigenous completion rates in their district. The study aimed to provide the first comprehensive holistic Indigenous examination of why Aboriginal students switch off school, when this takes place, and to propose key interventions to address the problem. The study was longitudinal and followed 43 students, across two cohorts (Year 5 and 7) from six high schools, one central school and six primary feeder schools in the district over a four year period. Key informants and data were drawn from education systems (drilling down to regional level), schools and their staff, and the Indigenous parents/community from the district. The research is grounded in Indigenous Methodologies which prioritize Indigenous voices including the author’s unique perspectives as a leading Indigenous educator and his journey in the study as Indigenous researcher. It further utilises mixed-mode tools with an emphasis on qualitative data collection including over 160 interviews embracing the storied nature of Indigenous experience in their community and schools/district, alongside supporting data collected from survey and questionnaire and existing statistical databases. Outcomes from the study clearly demonstrated the diversity of Indigenous students, their backgrounds, school results and consistently strong cultural family backgrounds. Defined engagement levels were established for the case students, namely engaged, disengaged and unengaged. These levels of Indigenous Engagement (‘ie’) call for specific strategic approaches if outcomes around retention are to be significantly improved. The research further highlighted the great strength and resilience in the Indigenous community in the face of what has become a deeply entrenched problem of misrepresentation of community by the system and schools and underestimation of both Indigenous students and community, which typically has resulted in stereotypical responses from schools and their staff. The Indigenous researcher’s own journey through the study and the impact of the research on his varied, high level, Indigenous educational leadership roles provided a further layer of personal and cultural dialogue throughout the study that offered a space for continuous reflection, analysis and interpretation. Through this reflection a level of clarity emerged which is captured through a critical use of traditional ‘Rarrk’ painting analogy possibly extending Indigenous interpretive approaches and the discourse around Indigenous research method. The findings challenge the unproblematic interpretation of state level policy and opinions generated on limited or no data.
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Steen, Tangikina 'Utumeimoana Moimoi. "Students' adjustments to use of information technology (IT) in their university studies." 2003. http://arrow.unisa.edu.au:8081/1959.8/25015.
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The current thesis is concerned with investigating students' adjustments to the use of IT in their university studies, through three specific foci: Viz, (a) to document students' patterns of IT usage, (b) to identify factors which influence students' use of IT in a university environment, and (c) to investigate problem solving strategies that students use when encountering difficulties in IT. Three empirical studies were conducted. The current thesis found that given appropriate opportunities, students do make successful adjustments to use of IT during their university studies. Although indigenous students rated their competencies lower than non-indigenous students, no significant differences were found between ethnicity and the types of problem solving strategies that students used in IT.thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2003.
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Woods, Davina. "Walking My Path: An Autoethnographic Study of Identity." Thesis, 2018. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/40585/.
Full textAbstract:
‘Walking My Path: An Autoethnographic Study of Identity’ is a doctoral thesis written in first person narrative about my search for my ancestral country in Far North Queensland. Incorporating both physical walking on country and metaphorical walking of trauma trails (Atkinson 2002) the story of my matrilineal Grandfather’s childhood builds on Shirleen Robinson’s (2008) ‘Something like Slavery?’. Enabling me to explore First-Nations philosophical concepts, I explain how I practise this philosophy inside my First-Nations family and community in the 21st century. Embedding my research in Indigenous Standpoint Theory and gathering the data, using a methodological net that includes yarning and dadirri, I am honouring First-Nations peoples. Finding that much of the data was distressing I have developed Creative Healing Inquiry (CHI), a process that supports the rebalancing of an individual’s psyche. CHI also makes the thesis both intertextual and serves as a mechanism that acknowledges multiliteracies. The Cusp Generation, children born between the end of WWII (1945) and Australia’s withdrawal from Vietnam (1972), are the people I propose would benefit most from public pedagogy that tells of Australia’s history. With the release of the Australian Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report in 1991 and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Bringing Them Home report in 1997; my work makes shared history more relevant through its direct connection with actual people rather than abstract statistics. Demonstrated by the Commonwealth Government’s continuation of ‘The Intervention’ and rejection of the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’, Australia is not a post-colonial nation-state and Australians, in general, need to undertake cognitive decolonisation; and truth telling, as steps that may lead to what Marcia Langton has called a ‘genuine intercultural dialogue’ (cited in Healy 1997, p. 46).