Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T23:37:03.619Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Indigenous Higher Education Student Equity: Focusing on What Works

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2015

Marcia Devlin
Marcia Devlin*
Affiliation:
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia
Get access

Abstract

The rates of higher education access, participation and completion for Indigenous students are much lower than those for non-Indigenous students in Australia. This paper argues for a research-led focus on what works in terms of Indigenous student equity in higher education. Undertaking independent evaluation of existing initiatives and leveraging the experience of hundreds of successful Indigenous graduates, it may be possible to articulate some of the ways in which success has been, and can be, achieved, despite the challenges that face Indigenous students. In other words, it may be possible to articulate some aspects of what works for some Indigenous people in relation to higher education. A focus on articulating strategies that Indigenous individuals and communities might adopt in relation to higher education should be developed alongside the management of systemic problems through a range of means. The “success-focused” approach would provide one of a suite of approaches that may be helpful in addressing Indigenous student equity.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 1 - 8
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bernard, M. (2006). It's time we teach social-emotional competence as well as we teach academic competence. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 22, 103–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Tiakiwai, S., & Richardson, C. (2003). Te Kötahitanga phase 1: The experiences of year 9 and 10 Mäori students in mainstream classrooms. Retrieved 2 March, 2009, from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/_data/assets/pdf_.Google Scholar
Bradley, D., Noonan, P., Nugent, H., & Scales, B. (2008). Review of Australian higher education: Final report. Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Transforming Australia's higher education system. Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
Devlin, M. (2007). An examination of a solution-focused approach to university teaching development. Unpublished PhD thesis, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Google Scholar
Devlin, M. (2008, December). Ensuring the quality of higher education research. Paper presented at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia.Google Scholar
Devlin, M. (2009a, February). Low socioeconomic status and Indigenous background: Implications for first year curriculum. Keynote address at the First Year Experience Curriculum Design Symposium, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia.Google Scholar
Devlin, M. (2009b, February). Indigenous student equity: Focusing on what works. Invited paper at the launch of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, The University of South Australia.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Devlin, M., & James, R. (2006). Partnerships, pathways andpolicies: Improving Indigenous education outcomes. Conference report of the Second Annual Indigenous Higher Education Conference. Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
Gillard, J. (2009a) Address to the Universities Australia Conference, Canberra, 4 March, 2009. Retrieved 2 April, 2009, from http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Gillard/Media/Speeches/Pages/Article_090304_155721.aspx.Google Scholar
Gillard, J. (2009b) Address to the Big Skills Conference, Sydney, 5 March, 2009. Retrieved 2 April, 2009 from http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Gillard/Media/Speeches/Pages/Article_090305_093449.aspx.Google Scholar
Gillard, J. (2009c). Speech to the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Conference. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 2 April, 2009 from http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Gillard/Media/Speeches/Pages/Article_090310_141130.aspx.Google Scholar
Gorinski, R., & Abernethy, G. (2005). Mäori student retention and success: Curriculum, pedagogy and relationships. In Townsend, T. & Bates, R. (Eds.), Globalization, standards and professionalism: Teacher education in times of change (pp. 229–240). The Netherlands: Kluwer-Springer Publications.Google Scholar
James, R., Bexley, E., Devlin, M., & Marginson, S. (2007). Australian University Student Finances 2006: Final report of a national survey of students in public universities. Unpublished report to Universities Australia, Canberra.Google Scholar
James, R., Anderson, A., Bexley, E., Devlin, M., Garnett, R., Marginson, S. & Maxwell, L. (2008). Participation and equity: A review of the participation in higher education of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous people. Unpublished report to Universities Australia, Canberra.Google Scholar
Johnson, S., & Budnik, D. (1994). The book of elders. San Fransisco: Harper.Google Scholar
Lawrence, J. (2005, July). Addressing diversity in higher education: Two models for facilitating student engagement and mastery. Paper presented at the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Conference, Sydney New South Wales, Australia.Google Scholar
Margolis, E. (Ed.). (2001). The hidden curriculum in higher education. New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). (2007). National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Retrieved 27 October, 2008, from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/ethics/human_research/index.htm.Google Scholar
Oakley, A. (2003, October). The ‘new’ technology of systematic research synthesis: challenges for social science. Paper presented at the Education, New Technologies, Local and Global Challenges: Learning in New Environments Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.Google Scholar
Smith, L. T. (1999). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and Indigenous peoples. Dunedin, New Zeland: University of Otago Press.Google Scholar
Tuuta, M., Bradnam, A., Hynds, J., & Broughton, R. (2004). Evaluation of the Te Kauhua Mäori Mainstream pilot project: Report to the Ministry of Education. Retrieved 22 May, 2009, from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/pubIications/maori_education/5115.Google Scholar