CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

MATSITI - ACDE Project

Role and Tasks of Lead Institution - QUT

Presentation 16 March 2012

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

• In 2005 there were 2178 Indigenous Educators employed in Australian schools (not all fully accredited as teachers)

• In 2008, only 1% of teaching staff in government schools were Indigenous

• Indigenous students choosing higher studies only make up 1.3% of all students

• Decline of Indigenous students entering Education noted

Indigenous students in Higher Education and teaching

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

In general, • Indigenous students enter university in a variety

of ways

• Course completion rates are lower

• High enrolments not equated with high completions

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

• Quality teaching as related to Indigenous teachers; graduate attributes

• Leadership capacity for Indigenous teachers

• Tertiary preparation/ bridging/ academic support

• Improving take-up of scholarships, etc

• Transitions and pathways

Specific debates in literature around:

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Issues around retention and success can loosely be divided into

• Course related issues• Social and cultural support• Financial and academic support• Institutional matters

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Course related issues

• Indigenous perspectives in coursework (compulsory or elective units and embedded perspectives)

• Indigenous knowledge systems; culturally appropriate pedagogy

• In-service or prac support

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Social and cultural support

• Family and community support• Relationships with and attitudes of faculty and peers

(formal and informal)• Mentoring, counselling• Understanding of local needs – no one size fits all

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Financial and academic support

• Presence of Indigenous academics/community• Timely academic, personal and financial support• Support at key juncture points (e.g. after first

year, during assessment periods, before and after prac)

• Flexibility (inc. recognition of family and community responsibilities)

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Institutional matters

• Support for bureaucratic requirements• Supportive institutional environment• Community partnerships and engagement• Strong presence of institutional policy and

prioritising

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldrealR

Queensland University of Technology

Faculty of Education