Education Commons^™

Acer Reconciliation Action Plan: 31 March 2024–31 December 2025: Reflect, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Indigenous Education Research

ACER’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was developed in a collaborative partnership with Reconciliation Australia. This RAP covers March 2024 to December 2025. It is a statement of ACER's commitment to build deeper mutual understanding and more effective relationships with First Nations peoples, and to promote the integration of First Nations’ cultures, histories and knowledges into Australian educational processes. The four RAP types — Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate — allow continuous development and strengthening of reconciliation commitments. This Reflect RAP will lay the foundations, priming the workplace for future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives.

Infographic: Basic Skills And The Gap Between Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Students, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

In the National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests, the national minimum standard (NMS) is the ‘agreed minimum acceptable standard of knowledge and skills without which a student will have difficulty making sufficient progress at school’. This infographic looks at the performance of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in Year 9, over time.

Exploring Excellence In Indigenous Education In Queensland Secondary Schools, Marnee Shay, Jodie Miller, Suraiya Abdul Hameed

2021-2030 ACER Research Conferences

In the national and international landscape, there is very limited exploration of cultural constructs of excellence, in particular, in Indigenous contexts. This pilot study aimed to centre the voices of Indigenous people in conceptualising excellence in Indigenous education, as well as to share understandings between Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners. Qualitative data collection methods were used including collaborative yarning, storying, and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using cross-case analysis to examine the views of educators across three school sites. Indigenous participants highlighted the importance of nurturing culture and identity; building up young people; and, building a culture of inclusivity and belonging. …

Infographic: Closing The Gap Report 2020, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

Australia’s annual Closing the Gap Report communicates progress towards government targets for Indigenous Australians in areas like education, health and employment. In this infographic, we take a look at results detailed in the 2020 report related to education targets.

Evaluating I2s2: An Inquiry-Based Indigenous Science Program For Years 5 To 9, Caja Gilbert

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

The Indigenous STEM Education Project, funded by BHP Billiton and implemented by CSIRO, aims to increase participation and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and career pathways. It consists of six programs that cater to the diversity of students as they progress through primary, secondary and tertiary education and into employment. One of these programs is I2S2 (Inquiry for Indigenous Science Students). I2S2 is an inquiry-based science program for Years 5 to 9 that has involved over 7600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and 1154 teachers since 2016. It …

Wii-Ma-Li (Light The Fire): The Impact Of The Connected Communities Strategy On Hillvue Public School, Chris Shaw

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Hillvue Public School has an enrolment of approximately 300 students, 80 per cent of whom identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The school, located in Tamworth, is one of 15 Connected Communities schools in New South Wales. The Connected Communities Strategy is about developing an inclusive culture in a school and providing an environment that maximises student learning with an emphasis on high expectations, engagement and achievement. Globally, there have been significant changes to the ways that children learn and teachers teach. Our school environment and the world in which our students grow and function continues to change in …

Supporting Social And Emotional Learning With Little J And Big Cuz: Case Study 3: Marion Primary School, Kathryn Moyle, Kevin Mcrae

Little J and Big Cuz

Marion Primary School is located 10 kilometres south of the Adelaide CBD. There is a high level of student transience due in part to the mobility of families in short-term rental accommodation, which includes parents who are students at the nearby Flinders University. Students come from a diversity of cultural backgrounds with more than 14 countries represented in the school. In 2018, there were 21 students enrolled who identified as being of Indigenous descent. To support these Indigenous students and their families, the school has an Aboriginal Community Education Officer, Eileen Butler, known to everyone as ‘Aunty Eileen’. A team …

Little J & Big Cuz: A School Readiness Initiative: Final Report And Case Studies, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The purpose of this study was to identify potential social and behavioural changes in individuals, schools and communities that could result from the implementation of the School Readiness Initiative (SRI) television project Little J & Big Cuz. This study comprised the preparation of a literature review, and the development of case studies drawn from early childhood, preschool and junior primary school settings. Little J & Big Cuz is a 13-part animated television series that was commissioned as a SRI television project to build the school readiness of children and to support the successful home to school transition of Indigenous children …

Connecting Little J And Big Cuz With A Kindergarten Education Program: Case Study 1: Morphett Vale East Kindergarten, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

This case study explores how the television program ‘Little J and Big Cuz’ was incorporated into the education program at Morphett Vale East Kindergarten. Morphett Vale East Kindergarten in South Australia is a government-funded kindergarten for children aged between three and five years. Little J & Big Cuz was incorporated into the education program as the screen time activity, which was then followed with discussions about each story the children had seen. The choice of episodes was linked to the learning priorities of the Kindergarten. The viewing responses of the children are discussed as well as how Little J & …

Teachable Moments: Planning Early Childhood Programs For Indigenous Children That Incorporate Little J And Big Cuz : Case Study 4: Batchelor Institute Of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

Students in the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care course at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) incorporated the children’s television program Little J & Big Cuz into their early childhood programs and family life in the respective communities in which they live and work. This course is a three year program and enrolment requires that the students are working in early childhood settings. The BIITE students who planned and incorporated Little J & Big Cuz into their early childhood programs live in Yarralin and the Tiwi Islands.

Developing Written Language With Little J And Big Cuz : Case Study 5 : Saint Augustine's School, Kathryn Moyle, Kevin Mcrae

Little J and Big Cuz

St Augustine’s School is a Catholic primary school located in the town of Mossman in Far North Queensland. Jo Brooks is the Prep class teacher at St Augustine’s School, and she incorporated the Little J & Big Cuz television series into her teaching and learning program. Her Prep class has 21 students of whom five identify as being Indigenous; four as Aboriginal and one as a Torres Strait Islander. Jo found a valuable teaching resource in the Little J & Big Cuz series. This resource engaged her Prep class. It led to student directed conversations and to diverse student initiated …

Preparing Socially And Emotionally For Preschool With Little J And Big Cuz: Case Study 2: One Tree Community Centre Yera Children's Service, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The Yera Children’s Service in the Northern Territory is located within the campus of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) in the township of Batchelor, 98 kilometres south of Darwin. Yera Children’s Service at Batchelor has 34 places for children from birth to three years of age and a ‘kindy’ room that caters for children aged three to six years of age. The early childhood educators prepare development programs for the children, including programs to develop children’s social and emotional wellbeing and prepare them for their transition to junior primary school. Keiryn Christodoulou has been an educator at the …

Is Little J And Big Cuz Suitable For Children In Preschool? Case Study 6: Wulagi Family Centre, Wulagi School, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The Wulagi Family Centre and Wulagi Preschool in Darwin in the Northern Territory provide programs for children and adults that emphasise the importance of language development and high quality interactions between children and adults, informed by the Abecedarian Approach. This case study of the Wulagi Preschool asks the question: is the Little J and Big Cuz television program suitable for children in preschool? At Wulagi Preschool Little J and Big Cuz was trialled with 40 children, aged between 3 and 4 years of age. About a third of these children identify as being Indigenous. Due to the timing of this …

Indigenous Early Childhood Education, School Readiness And Transition Programs Into Primary School: Literature Review, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

This literature review identifies, evaluates and synthesises academic, grey and other literature about transition to school programs for Australia’s Indigenous children. It draws on both international and Australian research. Its purpose is to provide an overview of current research about factors that support effective transitions to school by Indigenous children, and to consider the role that educational television can play in those transitions. This literature review was also prepared to inform the development of the case studies about how the first season of the television program, Little J & Big Cuz had been used in various remote, regional and urban …

Evidence-Based Approaches To School Improvement: The Kimberley Schools Project, Bill Louden

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Despite a great deal of goodwill, effort and funding, student achievement in the Kimberley region of Western Australia has shown little improvement in the last decade. Governments have intervened in a range of ways: tying funding to evidence that schools are closing the gap; improving conditions for teachers and principals working with remote communities; funding a bewildering range of attendance and engagement strategies; and supporting cultural relevance though a range of short-term skill and enrichment programs. This paper describes the Kimberley Schools Project, which is an alternative approach funded by the Western Australian Government through the Royalties for Regions program. …

Infographic: Personal Concerns Of Young Australians, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

In the 2017 Youth Survey conducted by Mission Australia, respondents were asked how troubled they are by a series of topics. Here are some of the results, which show a particular struggle with mental health.

Infographic: Rates Of School Attendance, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

Australia's annual Closing the Gap Report details progress against government targets in the areas of health, education and employment. This infographic focuses on the rates of school attendance, comparing Indigenous and non-Indigenous student groups.

Looking For The X-Factors: Contextualised Learning And Young Indigenous Australian Children, Karen L. Martin, Stuart Fuller

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

This presentation outlines a research project into early childhood education funded by Queensland Department of Education and Training’s Education Horizon research grant scheme. The project will run from July 2016 to June 2017. This project involved two main research activities: an online survey of early childhood educators of young Indigenous Australians and a small case study of early childhood and early years education programs in Logan, Darling Downs and Far North Queensland regions. The pilot case study sought to identify ‘X-factors’ regarding the contextualisation of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment for young Indigenous Australian learners. This presentation will outline the case …

Stronger Smarter: A Sustained And Enduring Approach To Indigenous Education (Whether Education Researchers Know It Or Not!), Chris Sarra

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

In 1988, Professor Sarra commenced his career as an educator. After a very personal revelation about how he as an Aboriginal student had been ‘sold short’ by schooling, he became determined to change expectations of Aboriginal children in schools throughout Australia. It was a lofty career ambition, but one he feels he has achieved: the stronger smarter approach, which he developed and now shares with an army of hardworking and courageous educators, has had success – despite the questionable efforts of education researchers with little or no insight into the profound complexities of such an undertaking. This paper will reflect …

Courageous And Coherent Leadership Required For Excellent And Equitable Outcomes, Linda Bendikson

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

The paper illustrates the complexity of leadership work, using data on the varying perspectives of middle and senior leaders about their own goals; the seriousness of the problems that they face in reaching those goals; and the perceived effectiveness of the senior leadership team. The findings from these studies indicate that the basic leadership skills of problem analysis, focused goalsetting and close monitoring of progress towards goals are lacking in many leadership teams in secondary schools. These findings highlight the importance of a team of middle and senior leaders being aligned in their goal pursuit, being active problem-solvers and being …

The Case For Urgency: Advocating For Indigenous Voice In Education, Kevin P. Gillan, Suzanne Mellor, Jacynta Krakouer

Australian Education Review

In 2004 the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) published an Australian Education Review (AER) on Indigenous Education: The Case for Change: A review of contemporary research on Indigenous education outcomes, AER 47 (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004). In the 13 years since its publication, the state of Indigenous education outcomes has remained substantially unaltered. All the social indicators demonstrate that Australia’s First Nations people continue to be the most socio-economically disadvantaged population cohort in Australian society. This is after decades of continued policy efforts by successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments to ameliorate Indigenous education disadvantage. We still struggle with …

Reconciliation Begins At Home, Geoff N. Masters, Gerry Moore

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Saturday marks 50 years since the 1967 referendum to include Indigenous Australians in the census and is the beginning of Reconciliation Week.

However, access to educational opportunities remains a significant contributor to gaps in equality and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as observed in last year’s State of Reconciliation in Australia report.

Knowing Growing Showing Indigenous Consumer And Financial Literacy: Research To Practice, Tony Dreise, Troy Meston

Indigenous Education Research

This framework document underpins Knowing Growing Showing, a suite of teaching, learning and assessment material to support teachers to tailor and customise the delivery of consumer and financial literacy to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners from early schooling to secondary schooling.

Knowing Growing Showing draws upon the literature and evidence in Indigenous consumer and financial literacy and education and then translates it into advice to facilitate culturally responsive and effective teachers of Indigenous learners. The research provides the foundation from which Knowing Growing Showing resources (lesson guides, assessment advice, and teaching material) have been devised. More specifically, it …

Knowing Growing Showing Literature Review, Tony Dreise, Troy Meston

Indigenous Education Research

Throughout the world, young people are having to learn about consumer and financial literacy, especially in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis which hurt many families and communities, including young people. This global challenge naturally extends to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia who are particularly vulnerable to financial stress and consumer scams.

There is not a great deal of literature directly on the topic of Indigenous financial literacy particularly as it pertains to quality teaching and learning. This paper explores Indigenous financial literacy and its wider contexts and seeks to pull three important conceptual and …

Aboriginal Early Childhood Education: Why Attendance And True Engagement Are Equally Important, Jacynta Krakouer

Indigenous Education Research

The Australian government has increasingly recognised the importance of quality early childhood education (ECE) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, as noted in a variety of policy documents such as the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap targets of the Rudd government in 2008, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010-2014, and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2015 (Tye, 2014; Dreise & Thomson, 2014; Education Council, 2015). However, the focus in Aboriginal ECE is still on improving access to, and attendance at ECE centres in Australia rather than highlighting the …

Literature Review Relating To The Current Context And Discourse Surrounding Indigenous Early Childhood Education, School Readiness And Transition Programs To Primary School, Jacynta Krakouer

Indigenous Education Research

Since the educational experiences of Aboriginal Australians are often framed from a ‘deficit’ perspective, whereby the failures of Indigenous people to engage with the mainstream educational system are seen as the ‘problem’, an alternative approach to Indigenous early childhood education discourse is preferable. This alternative approach highlights the strengths that many Aboriginal children possess when commencing school, strengths that may result from Indigenous child-rearing practices. Consequently, this literature review utilises a strengths-based perspective for Aboriginal early childhood education and school readiness, noting that Aboriginal children are frequently expected to adapt to a foreign educational system whereby school expectations differ from …

Literature Review Relating To The Current Context And Discourse On Indigenous Cultural Awareness In The Teaching Space: Critical Pedagogies And Improving Indigenous Learning Outcomes Through Cultural Responsiveness, Jacynta Krakouer

Indigenous Education Research

This literature review seeks to provide an overview of current understandings and discourse about culturally responsive teaching and cultural awareness in education in Australia. Although some of the literature considered within this review is from an international perspective, the purpose of this review is to provide background information regarding culturally responsive teaching with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This literature review was completed in a short time frame and is by no means exhaustive on the topic of culturally responsive teaching and cultural awareness with Indigenous students. It was completed as part of a contract with the VET Development …

Completing University In A Growing Sector: Is Equity An Issue?, Daniel Edwards, Julie Mcmillan

Higher education research

Access to university has always been an issue for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the recent context of an expanding higher education system in Australia, some accessibility issues have been alleviated. This context offers an opportunity to explore the pathways of disadvantaged students through university. In this expanded system, will disadvantaged students be more or less likely to complete university? Will demographic or enrolment characteristics influence the likelihood of these students to complete? This report details the findings from a research project funded by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) that explores new data tracking student …

Learning, Earning And Yearning: The Case For Positive Disruption, Innovation And Expansion In Indigenous Education, Tony Dreise

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

‘What for, I do this?’ asks an Aboriginal young man who has just become the first in his community to finish high school. Rather than celebrating his achievement, he felt the need to ask one of the most profound questions in education – what for or why? This particular story, discovered during the course of my PhD research, leads to an even larger question: How do we personalise education? The question seems a mile away from the perennial debate in education – ‘back to basics’ versus an expansive education agenda. Conservatives in the ‘back to basics’ corner rightly point out …

Bubalamai Bawa Gumada (Healing The Wounds Of The Heart): The Search For Resiliency Against Racism For Aboriginal Australian Students, Gawain Bodkin-Andrews, Rhonda Craven

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Within the Australian research setting, a strong research base has emerged to articulate both the nature and impact of racism from the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It may be argued though that quantitative approaches to this research have been limited by simplistic measures that fail to capture the complexity of racism today. This limitation may have important implications for the identification of factors that could provide a buffer against the detrimental effects of racism, and thus promote a stronger and positive sense of resilience and engagement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. It is the …