Teaching for Cultural Competence: Inclusion of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Perspectives in

Teaching Practices

Professor Lester-Irabinna RigneyDean Indigenous Education

Office of The Deputy Vice Chancellor & Vice President (Academic)

adelaide.edu.au

Kaurna Acknowledgment

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Which Cultural Competency Do you have?

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(Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education 2008, p. 32).

  “Addressing access, success and retention problems for Indigenous students [and staff] is a matter of the highest priority…

To do this, higher education providers must not only address their learning needs but also recognise and act on issues such as the culture of the institution, the cultural competence of all staff – academic and professional – and the nature of the curriculum‟”

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September 2012

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October 2011

Objective

There is no one single definition of cultural competency

embed cultural competency at the institutional level so that they are encouraging and supportive

environments for Indigenous students and staff and produce well-rounded graduates with the skills

necessary for providing genuinely competent services to the Australian Indigenous community.

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Cultural Competence

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Why Cultural Competency

• 1967 First Aboriginal University graduate

• Indigenous student and students under 1%

• Population parity 2.2%

• Fix Social Disadvantage

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Why Cultural Competency

• Values diversity

• Brings richness to learning for all

• Address Indigenous disadvantage & reconciliation “Close Gap”

• Graduate skills to work in diverse context

• Workplace team cohesion

• UoA Appeals more to diverse populations

• Improves quality measures

• Better competitive Position

• Meets Compliance obligation

• Higher Student Market Share

Professor Lester-Irabinna Rigney: Adelaide University 2012

How We Do It

Developing• Embed Uni wide Aboriginal

Engagement Strategy• Embed Cultural

Competency framework – Curricula and research

– students and staff

• Increase Aboriginal, LSES, 1st Generation, regional

• Student and staff Tracking• Horizontal and Vertical

strategy

Consolidating • First Year Student experience

efficiency• Regional Engagement

strategy• Increase Web footprint• Student Support and

Retention• Curriculum renewal• Pre-university, pathways and

access initiatives• Internal and external

communications

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Cultural Competence

Cross, Bazron, Dennis, and Isaacs (1989).

Campinha-Bacote (1994)

Collins 2007

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Ten Habits of Effective Teaching in Indigenous

Education

Ten Habits of Effective Teaching in Indigenous Education

1. Quality Community Engagement

2. Modern Inclusive Sophisticated Vocabularies

3. Built in Not Bolted on

4. Library/Resources/1980

5. Proactive LeadershipTraining & Development

1. Graduate Attributes Accountability Monitoring

2. Community Events

3. Inclusive pedagogy

4. Examine your own cultural teaching and ‘Normal’ assumptions

5. Establish a safe environment

Pedagogical Framework for Indigenous Cultural Competency

A pedagogical framework = Broad principles (not classroom actions) based on research to guide quality delivery of curriculum.

• Indigenous knowledges embedded in course • Quality and Accuracy of material taught• Model respectful professionals partnership• Strengthen quality of courses • Equity of outcomes

Websites

University of Sydney - Inclusive teaching references

http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/projects/inclusiveteaching/indigenousinclusion.htm

Universities Australiahttp://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/page/policy---advocacy/indigenous-issues/cultural-competency/

http://www.indigenousculturalcompetency.edu.au/html/TeachLearn.html#TL_Nat

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