Welcome to this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings. In this series, we take a look at some further readings available on a particular topic, including open access research papers from various online databases, and Teacher archive content you might not have come across yet.
As we are currently celebrating NAIDOC week, in this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings, we’re sharing 5 pieces of content on the topic of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.
In the resources below, you can read about a research project that recognises the value of First Nations STEM knowledges, a guide to selecting appropriate resources for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages, and more.
If you are interested in reading more on the topic, beyond the resources included in this article, then be sure to visit The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, which is now completely open access and free to read.
- Big Mob: STEM it Up Research Report. This report presents findings from the Big Mob: STEM it Up research project. This project focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ participation in STEM, as well how First Nations STEM knowledges are incorporated in western knowledge. As noted by the report’s authors, ‘As Indigenous knowledges have existed in this Country for at least 65,000 years, understanding the recognition and value of Indigenous STEM knowledges and the increasing interest in these knowledges is critical and timely.’
- Improving schooling and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners in South Australian Catholic schools and centres: A narrative review of the literature. With input from various Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge holders and stakeholders connected to Catholic South Australian schools, this narrative literature review uses a framework of decolonial and Indigenist approaches to explore the process of re-imagining schooling for greater equity and collective benefit.
- 2024 RISE Impact Report. The Redefining Indigenous Success in Education (RISE) program, established in 2022, is working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students to understand the best ways to encourage each student’s own version of success through academic, cultural and wellbeing support. In this Impact report, you can read about some of the outcomes and insights that have come from the RISE program so far, as well as what’s next.
- Lessons to learn, discourses to change, relationships to build: How Decolonising Race Theory can articulate the interface between school leadership. The authors of this report interviewed 4 principals in urban, regional, and rural locations to understand their perceptions and experiences of leading Aboriginal education in schools. By analysing those interviews through a critical Indigenous lens, ‘contradictory positionings within and between Principal comments, from blaming students and their families for their underachievement, to implementing cultural programmes to build confidence to become self-determining adults’, were revealed. This report provides new ways of thinking – through discourses about Aboriginal students and their families, communities, schools, teachers and principals – and challenges some of the ‘regimes of truth’ that position these groups in particular ways.
- AIATSIS Guide to evaluating and selecting education resources. This helpful guide offers support when selecting resources for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages respectfully and effectively. A great read for those needing guidance to select appropriate resources that do not cause harm, but foster trust and build a sense of pride for all.
Some of the resources featured in this article can be found through the Cunningham Library Catalogue or at Learning Ground – a database of over 10,800 books, articles, conference papers and reports on Indigenous education from Australia and abroad.
You can search for more resources on the topic of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education in these 2 online databases at the links below:
The Cunningham Library membership is open to individuals, schools and organisations. Membership includes access to a comprehensive collection of education research literature; weekday alerts to a selection of Australian education news; fast supply of articles and books from the collection; support in finding research; and an integrated online search tool that works across all our resources.
To become a library member, visit the website.
