“I tell my brothers that it can be done”: Indigenous Males Navigating Elite Australian Higher Education (original) (raw)
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Educational Review, 2023
In Australia, there has been increased attention to attracting Indigenous peoples into higher education but, despite a recent growth in enrolment numbers, they remain severely underrepresented. This underrepresentation is particularly notable among Indigenous males, who are the least likely to attend. In this paper, we investigate the experiences of four Indigenous young men who attended an elite higher education institution. Aligned with other research on the experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic males in higher education, the article captures how their experience in privileged institutions compels them to reflect on their own positionality and the cultural interface between Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledges. All data were thematically analysed and this paper reports on two key themes: influencers to pursue higher education and motivational factors at university. In considering the journey of these young men into elite higher education spaces, we are interested in the discursive constitution of their Indigenous identities and how their aspirations are realised in reference to a strong sense of cultural pride and social justice.
Higher Education Research & Development, 2020
The underrepresentation of males from particular equity groups in Australian universities continues despite recent gains in achievement. This article presents a case study of the transition of one Aboriginal student, Robbie, from a school located in the Western suburbs of Sydney to an urban Australian university. Drawing on recent theorisations of learner identities, we investigate the formation of Robbie’s aspirations, as well as the support he is entitled to and capitalises upon. The case study captures how different aspects of Robbie’s life interrelate, as well as how he accesses support over time in transitioning from secondary school to university. Exploring Robbie’s journey as a learner compels us to think critically about equity programmes and emphasise the role of close family involvement, peer mentoring and personalised support to improve outcomes for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Higher education aspirations, participation, and achievement of Australian Indigenous males 2022
This report summarises the findings of the project ‘Higher Education Aspirations, Participation, and Achievement of Australian Indigenous males1’, led by the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing – Northern Territory at Menzies School of Health Research. Qualitative, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous male students and alumni (n = 19) across five state and territory jurisdictions (NT, WA, VIC, ACT and QLD) to gain insights into participants’ aspirations for, and engagement and participation in, higher education2. It is important to acknowledge that this project is non-Indigenous led. However, the research team included multiple Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars and educators from across Australia, aiming to include the integration of Indigenist perspectives and adopt (wherever possible) principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty throughout the different stages of research design, fieldwork, analysis, and knowledge translation. Findings highlighted the aspirations of Indigenous men and their families to engage in higher education. The aspirations were motivated by a desire to acquire knowledge and skills to gain employment, invest in community development, and to mentor peers and family members. Participants were motivated to pursue topics they were passionate about and sought to embed Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into theories and practice. Enabling factors to pursue higher education included structural supports within universities that sustained their studies. The supports included flexible course arrangements, timelines and deadlines, provision of scholarships to cover living and study expenses, and access to Indigenous student support services. These supports were most effective when used in conjunction with effective evidence-based study habits. On the other hand, barriers to engaging in higher education included financial constraints, a lack of academic preparation in high school, and perceived mystification of university shaped by a lack of general awareness and course promotion. Finally, barriers to sustaining higher education also emerged, including those associated with COVID-19 disruptions to study schedules and routines. It is recommended that higher education institutes develop promotional campaigns featuring Indigenous male role models and their education stories, particularly education pathways that emphasise qualifications related to employment in health, education, and welfare sectors. The rise of online courses creates the potential for higher education to meet Indigenous men in their place, Country, and community, allowing them to maintain a connection to social and cultural supports. There is also a need for government grants and university in-kind contributions to libraries and community centres in remote locations for computers, books, and other study materials designed to increase higher education awareness, computer literacy, and ultimately participation in online university courses. Scholarships covering study costs and living expenses are vital entry factors to higher education for Indigenous men, many of which experience cumulative equity impacts, such as remoteness, or lower socioeconomic status. This report explains how and why Indigenous men engage and succeed in higher education. However, further research is needed, including perspectives from family, community members, those who may be reluctant to engage in higher education and those at risk of disengaging from education to fully understand the multifaceted, often intergenerational journey for Indigenous men to participate in higher education. Culturally responsive and gender-sensitive strategies that can be adopted by various sectors to increase university participation and completion rates among this cohort are also urgently needed.
Encounters with the dominant culture: Voices of indigenous students in mainstream higher education
Australian Psychologist, 2000
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Pegs or Holes as the Focus of Change: Indigenous Students and Institutions of Higher Education
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Foundation courses that provide knowledge and understanding about the social, cultural and historical factors shaping Indigenous Australians' lives since colonial settlement and their effects are endorsed in Australian higher education policy. Literature highlights the complexity of changing student views and the need for sustained, comprehensive approaches to teaching foundation content. This paper analyses one such course in its capacity to increase knowledge and understanding, and promote positive attitudes, particularly amongst non-Indigenous students. It finds significant shifts in views and knowledge gained from studying the foundation course, and a change in commitment to social justice and reconciliation for Indigenous Australians. Students also significantly changed their view as to whether all Australians should understand this material. Despite these gains, our experiences indicate that foundational courses can be eroded through institutional processes. We argue this suggests the persistence of pervasive and subtle institutional racisms, in the context of global commodification of higher education.
Journal of College Student Development, 2020
Although belongingness has been conceptualized by higher education institutions in marginalizing ways, we reclaim the construct as authentic relationships characterized by humanization, mutuality, and respect for students cultural assets, values, and social identities. To dismantle colonizing perspectives and foreground Indigenous ways of knowing and being, our study reflects narratives of three cis-male, Indigenous graduate and professional students and their educational experiences in the U.S. Through a collective case study with an autoethnographic lens, our findings highlighted decolonizing aspects of belongingness of embracing Indigenous values of the Peoplehood Matrix, emphasizing relationality in community, and bridging Indigenous knowledge with academia.
The Australian Educational Researcher., 2020
In an era where higher education institutions appear increasingly committed to what Sara Ahmed calls ‘speech acts’ whereby declared goodwill, through stated commitments to diversity, equity, and increasing Indigenous student enrolment and completion have been made; it is undeniable that Indigenous academics are in high demand. With fewer than 430 Indigenous academics currently employed here on the continent now commonly referred to as ‘Australia’, and 69% of that cohort identifying as female, what does it look like to experience this demand as an Indigenous academic woman? Drawing on data collected from a Nation-wide study in 2019 of 17 one- on-one, face-to-face interviews with Indigenous academic women, using Indigenous research methodologies and poetic transcription, this paper explores the experiences and relational aspects of Indigenous academic women’s roles in Australian higher education.
Encounters with the dominant culture: Indigenous students’ experiences in mainstream education.
Students from minority and non-dominant backgrounds often have negative experiences when dealing with higher education systems. In this study we explored Indigenous student's experiences in mainstream higher education. Interviews were conducted with 34 participants, systematically selected from a listing of 110 past and present students, about their experiences in mainstream higher education. Participants included people who had successfully completed programs at Curtin University of Technology, those who did not complete courses, and those who were participating in bridging courses at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS). The qualitative data were analysed for unique and recurring themes using content analyses. The data showed that subtle and overt forms of racism impact on students' experiences in mainstream education. Participants mentioned issues associated with conflicts between indigenous and mainstream cultural values that are reflected in course content and levels of support across schools. The CAS was highlighted as a context for the strengthening of cultural identities, providing emotional and tangible support, and providing a link between the community and the university. Efforts aimed at strengthening of cultural identities need to be supported and the diversity of Aboriginal people must be acknowledged.