Cover and report artwork ‘Seeing Country’ by Walmajarri artist and educator, Yangkana Laurel.
Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the Traditional
Owners and Custodians of the Country we are
meeting on Today.
We would particularly like to pay our respects to
elders, past and present.
Outline
• Project background - research partnership
• Provide an overview of project outcomes
• Key themes and trends of the Literature Review
• Key enablers and constraints
• Elements of leading practice
• Models supporting student transition
Project aims
The project addressed the four key objectives:
• To identify the key enablers and constraints to successful
transition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
into higher education
• To identify the best practice models or frameworks that can
be utilised to achieve successful transitions of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education
• To investigate current initiatives, intended to support
under-represented groups, not delivering intended
outcomes
• To identify strategies to assist potential Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students to transition successfully
into higher education.
Underrepresented Groups
Particular consideration, where data and information
was available, was given to ‘under-represented groups’
identified by OLT which included:
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women who are principal carers
young men
young people not transitioning from VET
people with disabilities
people in the prison system, and
remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Project participants
Chief Investigators:
• Professor Lyn Henderson-Yates (UNDA)
• Professor Patrick Dodson (UNDA) and
• Professor Marguerite Maher (UNDA).
Professor Lyn Henderson-Yates led the project in collaboration with
Research Coordinator, Mr Bruce Gorring (UNDA) and Project Manager
(Sue Thomas).
Project team:
• Dr Judith Wilks (SCU)
• Mr Stephen Kinnane (UNDA)
• Ms Katie Wilson (SCU)
• Ms Terri Hughes (CDU)
• Professor Keith McNaught (UNDA)
• Professor Neil Drew (UNDA) and
• Associate Professor Kevin Watson (UNDA).
Project Outcomes
‘Can’t be what you can’t see’
Valuing and engaging with family and community is a common theme of those
universities with successful programs. Outreach to schools by introducing
students to the opportunities of higher education is essential early in their
schooling, and, as one respondent observed:
“you can’t be what you can’t see”.
A leading Indigenous educator also reflected on the necessity of good
community outreach noting:
“Gaps, generally are the biggest constraint. Universities also need to be
resourcing significant university outreach. Regardless of what life might be
dishing out and the lack of resources, there are always opportunities to reach
out to your community. It helps to have resources to target students in
schools, but community involvement should always be part of the process. The
commonwealth and the states should be funding these kinds of mentoring
experiences.....
You can't imagine what you haven't seen.”
Project Outcomes
The Report and Literature Review are available from:
http://www.nd.edu.au/research/olt-aboriginal-and-torresstrait-islander-transition/home
Elements of Leading
Practice
Web-site pages
• Background
• Acknowledgements
• Summary of Findings
• Final Report and Literature Review
• Key Findings and Fact Sheets
• Web Resources
• Government Policies
Student Profiles
Entry Pathways
Challenges and
Constraints
Key Enablers
Models Supporting
Transition
Lit Review - Statistical trends
• 2012: 1.0% of university enrolments, 1.1% of all
commencements
• 2012: VET 4.6% of national student enrolment
• Variations in reporting, population
categorisation, data gathering, baselines
Lit Review - University websites
• Front page links for Indigenous students:
• April, 2012 – 15 websites
• November, 2013 – 26 websites
• University Indigenous Education Statements
Identified Limitations
• Lack of ongoing funding, integrated, holistic
approach
• Short term projects, limited follow up
• Lack of evidence-base, ongoing, consistent
longitudinal research
• Uneven engagement and embedding knowledges,
perspectives, pedagogies
Drivers for change across university cultures
“[It is] a good university for Aboriginal people. [I] felt
comfortable as an Aboriginal person [The] university
knows about Aboriginal people, there are Aboriginal
people around in high positions….”
Relationships and community engagement
“In universities, we need to put as much time into
building relationships with Indigenous groups and
communities as we can – in addition to doing all the
‘right’ things. This means the hard yakka of getting
out, and getting active…”
Flexible strategies based in evidence
“…looking at the data , identifying what it working
and minimising the areas that are failing… Focussing
on accountability and performance… how we actually
measure success” (National Indigenous Congress)
The Individual - additional pressures on Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander students
“My university courses portray Aboriginal people as
‘living in the past’ … This has an incredibly alienating
impact when you’re already
feeling like you don’t belong”
The Institution - siloing, separating and sidelining
“Indigenous support centres as the ‘go-to’ people for
all things Indigenous”
Governance – Processes, programs, data, statistics
and demography
“They think we understand how unis work, they ask
you to choose your units. They need to sit down with
people and explain it properly. People could be ticking
anything and not knowing what they are doing”
Elements of Leading Practice
1. Early Indigenous student engagement
2. Outreach and aspirational programs
3. Targeted student and community outreach programs
4. Preparedness pathways and enabling programs
5. Targeted student case management and skills development
6. Mentors and tutorial assistance
7. Blended delivery for remote student access
8. Finances and employment pathways
9. Life cycle approach
10. Policy contexts and strategies
11. Governance – Whole of University approach
12. Indigenous Education Unit foundations
13. The value and role of Indigenous Knowledge Centres
14 Cross cultural competency
Identified Models
1) The Standard Model - Table A - Indigenous Education Unit focused
2) The School Model - larger Indigenous Studies Programs linked with
student support
3)
The Governance Driven Model (i) (IEU) governance tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
led by IEUs
ii) (Executive) governance tied to KPIs led by Executive staff
members
4)
The Indigenous Knowledge Centre Model – highlighting the
relevance of IK
5)
Mainstream Enabling Support Model - with minimal or no IEU
facilitation
Thank You
http://www.nd.edu.au/research/oltaboriginal-and-torres-strait-islandertransition/home