Beyond Bradley and Behrendt: Building a stronger evidence-base about Indigenous pathways and transitions into higher education

What Do We Know About Community Engagement in Indigenous Education Contexts and How Might This Impact on Pathways into Higher Education?

“…These are key learnings to consider when investing in Indigenous community engagement in higher education contexts. However, at this point in time, there is a paucity of quality research and evaluation data to make firm evidence-based recommendations about what works best and why and in what circumstances (Frawley et al 2015). Further investments in comprehensive and rigorous program evaluations and collaborative research approaches would help to grow a stronger evidence base in this regard.…”

A Design and Evaluation Framework for Indigenisation of Australian Universities

“…Utilising action research approaches of professional learning and knowledge production, faculty representatives were trained to implement curricula and pedagogical changes then to in-service their faculty colleagues. These professional learning community workshops created opportunities for dialogue on how to imagine and envision Indigenous presence in the faculty (Rigney et al 1998;Rigney 2011a, b;Ladson-Billings 1995, 2009Howlett et al 2008;Frawley et al 2015). Indigenous knowledges and epistemologies are valued and represented across the academic agenda (Sarra et al 2011;Smith 2003;Rigney 2001Rigney , 2006Matthews 2012;Matthews et al 2005).…”

Online learning and teacher education: The experiences of Indigenous teacher education students

“…However, while there is a significant focus on and funding of programs that look towards building Indigenous peoples aspirations, participation and success in higher education (Frawley, et al, 2015) there is a long way to go towards achieving parity for Indigenous (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) students in higher education (Pechenkina & Anderson, 2011). While enrolment numbers in higher education are increasing for Indigenous students and the percentage of Indigenous students participating in higher education is increasing as a proportion of overall enrolment (Australian Department of Education and Training, 2015b), Indigenous students are still underrepresented significantly in higher education (Pechenkina & Anderson, 2011).…”

“…So while there is significant work being done nationally as well as locally at CDU to build aspiration for higher education study (Frawley et al, 2015), there is arguably a greater need to examine and address the issues around the attrition of Indigenous students from their academic studies. In particular, there is a gap in the literature around the experience of Indigenous teacher education students (Bat & Shore, 2014;Moreton-Robinson, et al, 2012), and of the experiences of Indigenous higher education students in online learning.…”