ERIC Number: EJ1017681
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1326-0111
EISSN: N/A
A Holistic Approach to Supporting the Learning of Young Indigenous Students: One Case Study
Warren, Elizabeth; Quine, Janine
Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, v42 n1 p12-23 Aug 2013
Due to the high turnover of teaching staff in remote schools, the long-term sustainability of educational initiatives that enhance Indigenous student's learning is a major concern. This article presents a study of a remote Indigenous school (Ischool) situated in Queensland. Ischool has changed its approach to leadership, particularly the distribution of power and authority within the school context, to address this concern. The focus is on building the capacity of Indigenous staff. It is a holistic and communal approach that is culturally inclusive of Indigenous ways of being and operating. The approach actively ensures that power and authority, and roles and responsibilities, are shared between Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff. Data were collected in one-on-one interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants involved in the change process. A grounded methodological approach was utilised using open coding to break down data into distinct units of meaning. The results reveal that the Indigenous community of Ischool were more committed to promoting and sustaining education initiatives that improve student learning when: (a) school leadership structures were inclusive of Indigenous voices and Indigenous ways of relating; (b) power and authority within the school context was shared, and (c) Indigenous staff were included in professional development opportunities that foster collaborative classroom partnerships and legitimise their own knowledge of their culture and community.
Descriptors: Holistic Approach, Indigenous Populations, Rural Schools, Labor Turnover, Case Studies, Interviews, Grounded Theory, Coding, Instructional Leadership, Foreign Countries, Capacity Building, Faculty Development, Cultural Awareness, Educational Practices, Power Structure, School Personnel, Educational Change, Indigenous Knowledge, Partnerships in Education
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Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A