Marnee Shay, The University of Queensland and Grace Sarra, Queensland University of Technology
Everything from the Voice to Country Road homewares is talking about ‘co-design’. New research identifies three clear ways to improve the way it works in education.
The 2023 budget includes $40 million to improve school attendance in Central Australia. It also includes more than $38 million for “culturally appropriate” education for Indigenous students.
Indigenous spiritual activities have become more common in Canadian public schools in recent years.
(Shutterstock)
Spirituality is a vital part of Indigenous identities. Incorporating spiritual education can create space in schools where Indigenous students can learn and grow.
A key aspect of Education Minister Jason Clare’s draft plan is recruiting more First Nations teachers. But it is missing details and an emphasis on decolonising schools.
‘Closing the gap’ frames Indigenous education as a problem. In a new study, researchers talked to Indigenous educators about what excellence looks like in their schools.
James Gensaw, a Yurok language high school teacher in far northern California, goes over some words with a student.
Mneesha Gellman
Indigenous education provides all students with a rich and well-rounded knowledge of Australia’s history. However research shows Indigenous teachers are scarce and poorly supported.
The grand opening of the redeveloped Merchants Corner in Winnipeg’s North End in April 2018.
(University of Winnipeg/Flickr)
For University of Winnipeg’s inner-city studies department, remote learning has disrupted the dialogue that is critical for moving from truth toward reconciliation and action.
A large study shows preschool benefits Aboriginal children’s development more than childcare or being taken care of at home. But the benefits of preschool are not as large as for non-Aboriginal kids.
Indigenous owners left their mark on the ANU campus in the form of this scar tree. Now the goal is to increase Indigenous achievements in higher education.
ANU
The tertiary qualifications target requires higher education providers, schools and communities to work together. But higher education can also help close the gap in the other target areas.
Beth Madsen, The University of Queensland; Marnee Shay, The University of Queensland, and Sue Creagh, The University of Queensland
Programs for Indigenous young men’s education are funded at a higher rate than for young women. There is little rigorous evaluation for these programs, and what evidence there is isn’t Indigenous-led.
Children at Lajamanu, NT, telling sand stories in Light Warlpiri .
Carmel O'Shannessy
Strong language and culture is listed among the fresh Closing the Gap targets. But, as the latest research on speakers and learners shows, language is fundamental to well-being across the board.
The new closing the gap targets are ambitious, especially in the area of early childhood education. But this doesn’t mean they can’t be met, with the right approach.
A white sucker underwater in the St. Lawrence River.
(Shutterstock)
Children in an Oji-Cree northern First Nation are learning traditional teachings about ‘Namebin’ (suckers) and working on literacy skills at the same time through a community literacy project.
Despite challenges, teacher education offers a path to begin righting inequities and injustice. Here, people stand on a map from the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada at a launch in Toronto in 2018.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch
Decolonized education means working with settler teachers to overcome guilt and find the courage to acknowledge privilege, racism and colonialism to work in partnership for a better future.
Siena Stubbs, 17, from Yirrkala in East Arnhem Shire reads the Imagination Declaration on behalf of a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students at the 2019 Garma Festival.
AIME
Marnee Shay, The University of Queensland; Annette Woods, Queensland University of Technology, and Grace Sarra, Queensland University of Technology
A group of school students have just shown what real leadership looks like on Indigenous issues – and you’ll hear more about their ideas in coming months at your local school, childcare centre or uni.
Isabel, on left, when she was working for Mangankali Housing Company, talking to politicians and/or bureaucrats on the Wollai, the Aboriginal reserve at Collarenebri.
Family collection, provided to author.
Denied an education in 1930s Australia because she was too black, Isabel Flick went on to fight segregation at her local cinema in the early 1960s. She became a powerful campaigner for Indigenous rights.
If we are to close the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal people, we need to develop and staff culturally competent health-care services.
from shutterstock.com
The program we’ve developed led to a 96% completion rate for one group of Aboriginal TAFE students.
Diminishing racism and the policy failure that it causes requires Indigenous voice at all levels of public policy-making and implementation.
AAP/ Neda Vanovac
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University