Indigenous Knowledges, Graduate Attributes and Recognition of Prior Learning for Advanced Standing: Tensions Within the Academy

Working towards accountability in embedding Indigenous studies: Evidence from an Indigenous Graduate Attribute evaluation instrument

“…As already discussed, the work of Bidjara scholar Anning (2010) highlights that not only do a minority of Australian universities commit to Indigenous Graduate Attributes (see also Frawley, 2017), but the realisation of all students graduating with some form of Indigenous professional and cultural competency moves well beyond simply teaching about Indigenous Australians, but ethically engaging with Indigenous Knowledges and critical Indigenous studies frameworks that promote awareness, sensitivity, respect, and competency for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities (Anning, 2010;Sherwood & Russell-Mundine, 2017;Virdun et al, 2013). Enthusiasm towards embracing a more culturally responsive and centred approach to Indigenous studies must be tempered with caution though, as many Indigenous (and non-Indigenous) scholars have noted that Indigenous studies as a discipline is continually in danger of repeating and perpetuating assimilative colonial narratives (Cross-Townsend, 2011;Judd, 2014).…”

“…Strong intervention strategies require a suite of multi-faceted responses to particular needs of different institution groups." This includes university commitment to Indigenous staff capacity development, cultural training for all staff, meaningful resourcing and funding for staff to respectfully engage and collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars, community representatives and organisations, providing a visible, supportive, and safe environment for future Indigenous scholars (and students), and commitment to (and accountability for) Indigenous leadership across all disciplines and levels of university employment and governance (Behrendt et al, 2012;Frawley, 2017;Lester, 2017;Page et al, 2016 -it felt like a safe place to learn of Indigenous Australian peoples.…”

“…Indeed, in an earlier review of university graduate attributes, Bidjara scholar Anning (2010) reported that only 9 out of 36 audited universities had referenced Indigenous peoples within their graduate attribute statements. Roughly seven years later, Frawley (2017) reviewed 43 Australian universities and found that only 12 included direct reference to Indigenous Australians or contained graduate attributes that implied a possible Indigenous dimension (e.g., cultural competence).…”

“…Universities have long committed to a diversity of generalised student graduate attributes not only to guide their teaching and learning environments, but also to highlight that graduating students have developed a valuable set of professional capabilities that would make them more employable (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008). A growing number of government reports and scholarly articles have called for the inclusion of graduate attributes related to "Indigenous-specific competencies" that may facilitate the graduate workforce in producing better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities (Anning, 2010;Behrendt, Larkin, Griew, & Kelly, 2012;Bradley et al, 2008;Frawley, 2017;Universities Australia, 2011.…”

Rethinking online learning design to enhance the experiences of Indigenous higher education students

“…Despite the national focus on enhancing educational outcomes for Indigenous students and the reference to Indigenous knowledges in the Indigenous education statements and the reconciliation action plans of almost all Australian universities (Frawley, 2017), there are diverse understandings of what Indigenous knowledges are and tensions about whether it is even possible to integrate a complex knowledge system into a Western framework of higher education (Frawley, 2017;Kincheloe & Steinberg, 2008;Nakata, 2007). Indeed, the incorporation of Indigenous knowledges into a Western curriculum seems inconceivable if Indigenous knowledges are understood as situated, owned, and inseparable "from the social institutions that uphold and reinforce its efficacy" (Nakata, 2007, p. 9).…”