The impact of new technologies on musical learning of Indigenous Australian children

Practitioners are increasingly utilising Information communication technologies (ICT) with very young children in early childhood settings. A debate is raging in the media as to the pros and cons of 'virtual-electronic' versus 'material world' active learning opportunities. However, when this scenario is played out with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian children, it is even more contentious because the technological changes have resulted in shifting responsibility for teaching and learning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songs, dances and cultural heritage to a new physical and social environment which may distance musical development from community life. The rate of social change has been enormous, so in many cases there has not been adequate consultation and negotiation as to how early childhood professionals are to effectively implement the national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (DEEWR, 2009) with respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music culture. The purpose of this paper is to problematise the increasing distance of musical development away from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to propose new methods for exploring how digital technologies may be utilised for promoting children's musical development in various contexts. The findings are applied to early childhood practitioner recommendations for future community-led music research

First Nations community engagement: Industry guide phase I

This First Nations Community Engagement: Industry Guide Phase I (the Guide) was developed from discussions held with industry2 leaders involved with the Office of Indigenous Engagement, CQUniversity, and First Nations3 community members and leaders. This Guide draws on our own and our partners’ community engagement principles and practices. We plan to develop a Phase II Guide, which will include community engagement guidelines and protocols for industry from a First Nations perspective.</p

Opportunities and resilience: Enablers to address barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to commence and complete higher degree research programs

Although the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereaf­ter Indigenous) people completing undergraduate degrees has improved mark­edly in recent years, Indigenous people remain under-represented in higher degree research (HDR) programs, which limits progression into academic careers. This paper explores factors affecting Indigenous people’s commence­ment and completion of HDR programs. The research was undertaken at a large, multi-campus, metropolitan Australian university and involved a qualita­tive, culturally appropriate research design based on yarning circles and inter­views with Indigenous HDR candidates and interviews with HDR supervisors. The research was undertaken by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers with advice provided by the Indigenous community at the university to ensure cultural safety. Highlighting the central role of supervisors and system-wide university support, the most significant finding of the research is that although additional research and university commitments can be barriers, other research/ work opportunities enable completion. The findings suggest that in addressing under-representation of Indigenous people in HDR and academia in Australia, universities need to provide strategic attention to how they engage, support and recognise achievements of Indigenous people in HDR while also being cognisant of individuals’ competing responsibilities

Educator perspectives on Indigenous cultural content in an occupational therapy curriculum

Health professionals must understand Indigenous perspectives to deliver effective health services. This study set out to determine the amount, type and effectiveness of current Indigenous content in an occupational therapy curriculum at an Australian regional university and the progress in meeting the National Aboriginal Health Strategy (NAHS) minimum standards for Indigenous content for Australian Universities. Twenty-one academic staff teaching at an Australian University were surveyed with five follow-up interviews. Findings suggest that while educators saw the importance of Indigenous cultural content, they lacked confidence in delivering this content. The need for a strategic and planned approach to embedding Indigenous content throughout the curriculum was identified. Future research evaluating the effectiveness of cultural competency initiatives is suggested. © Copyright The Author(s) 2016

Determinants of attraction, retention, and completion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high degree research students: A systematic review to inform future research directions

Expanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian (hereafter respectfully Indigenous) talent pool to undertake valuable roles in business, health, education, academia, government, policy development and community development is critical for addressing current disparities between Indigenous and other Australians. Parity of access and engagement with education plays a key role in facilitating participation in these roles but has not yet been attained. This article provides an initial systematic review of literature on the state of the evidence regarding access/attraction, retention and completions for Indigenous Higher Degree Research (HDR) students. This article identifes the quantity (number examined), nature (e.g. focus of study), quality (peer reviewed and evidence of methodological rigour) and characteristics (e.g. publication type, authorship) of the limited publications. Using specifc search strings (words or phrases of relevance to the topic), a systematic review methodology was employed to search nine databases and grey (non-peer reviewed) literature from 1995 to 2015. The resultant 12 publications were mined with quality assessed and a predetermined framework used to extract and synthesise the characteristics from individual publications. This research contributes to existing literature about Indigenous Peoples in HDR programs internationally in identifying signifcant cultural and institutional barriers and highlighting institutional enablers which can contribute to attraction, retention and completion. Building on the prior limited research reported in the review, the article highlights the need for further research and provides an initial agenda of directions for universities and government to redress the disparity in entry and completion of Indigenous Peoples in HDR programs

Strongyloides stercoralis: Systematic review of barriers to controlling Strongyloidiasis for Australian Indigenous communities

© 2014 Miller et al.Strongyloides stercoralis infects human hosts mainly through skin contact with contaminated soil. The result is strongyloidiasis, a parasitic disease, with a unique cycle of auto-infection causing a variety of symptoms and signs, with possible fatality from hyper-infection. Australian Indigenous community members, often living in rural and remote settings, are exposed to and infected with S. stercoralis. The aim of this review is to determine barriers to control of strongyloidiasis. The purpose is to contribute to the development of initiatives for prevention, early detection and effective treatment of strongyloidiasis. Systematic search reviewing research published 2012 and earlier was conducted. Research articles discussing aspects of strongyloidiasis, context of infection and overall health in Indigenous Australians were reviewed. Based on the PRISMA statement, the systematic search of health databases, Academic Search Premier, Informit, Medline, PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, Health Source Nursing and Academic was conducted. Key search terms included strongyloidiasis, Indigenous, Australia, health, and community. 340 articles were retrieved with 16 original research articles published between 1969 and 2006 meeting criteria. Review found barriers to control defined across three key themes, (1) health status, (2) socioeconomic status, and (3) health care literacy and procedures. This study identifies five points of intervention: (1) develop reporting protocols between health care system and communities; (2) test all Indigenous Australian patients, immunocompromised patients and those exposed to areas with S. stercoralis; (3) health professionals require detailed information on strongyloidiasis and potential for exposure to Indigenous Australian people; (4) to establish testing and treatment initiatives within communities; and (5) to measure and report prevalence rates specific to communities and to act with initiatives based on these results. By defining barriers to control of strongyloidiasis in Australian Indigenous people, improved outcomes of prevention, treatment of strongyloidiasis and increased health overall are attainable

Policy implications for controlling communicable diseases in Indigenous communities: Case for Strongyloidiasis in Australia

The objective of this paper is to document the knowledge and experiences of healthcare professionals and researchers in Australia about the barriers to controlling Strongyloides stercoralis in Australian Indigenous communities. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were digitally recorded, transcribed, and participant-checked. Data were thematically analysed to identify significant themes. Five major themes were identified: 1. Barriers to health/treatment; 2. Access to healthcare; 3. Policy; 4. Learning opportunity; and 5. Ideas for intervention. The findings suggest that Australian Indigenous communities will continue to suffer increased morbidity and mortality due to a lack of control or prevention of Strongyloides stercoralis. Issues such as institutional racism, improvements to health promotion, education, socioeconomic determinants, and health care system policy and procedures need to be addressed. This study identifies several direct implications for Indigenous health: • The need for increased knowledge and understanding of the risks to health for Indigenous community members; • The need for prevention policy development for neglected tropical diseases in Indigenous communities; • The need for increased knowledge and understanding of the treatment, diagnosis, and healthcare access concerning Strongyloides stercoralis for health professionals and policymakers who work within Indigenous health; • The need to raise awareness of systematic institutional racism in the control and prevention of neglected tropical diseases in Indigenous communities; and Policy Implications for Controlling Communicable Diseases in Indigenous Communities: Case of Strongyloidiasis in Australia • The need for a health promotion framework that can provide the basis for multiple-level interventions to control and prevent Strongyloides in Indigenous communities

BHP Partners Symposium: First Nations Community Engagement

The Office of Indigenous Engagement (OIE), CQUniversity, hosted the inaugural BHP Partners Symposium: First Nations Community Engagement at Mantra Southside (Brisbane) from 23–25 March 2021. The symposium brought together 13 BHP partner organisations and 26 representatives from a range of sectors. It provided a unique opportunity to work together and discuss ways to maximise our collective impact when working with First Nations communities. It provided a focus for improving First Nations community engagement outcomes for our organisations and for First Nations communities

Decolonizing research practice: Indigenous methodologies, aboriginal methods, and knowledge/knowing

Indigenous approaches to research are fundamentally rooted in the traditions and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples themselves, although indigenous methodologies and methods have become both systems for generating knowledge and ways of responding to the processes of colonization. Very specific indigenous methods emerge from language, culture, and worldview. This chapter describes two such indigenous research approaches drawn from the work of two indigenous scholars with their communities in Australia and Canada. Although creative and new, these approaches draw deeply from their communities and thus express and enact traditional knowledge systems in contemporary terms. This approach may result in more pertinent research, better take-up and dissemination of research results, and a general improvement in the situations of indigenous communities and peoples

Identifying and understanding the drivers of high water consumption in remote Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities

Managing water demand in many remote Indigenous communities is critical yet often poorly implemented due in part to a lack of understanding of the volume and nature of water use. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data has enabled a deeper understanding of water consumption patterns and drivers in three remote Australian communities as part of Stage 1 of the Remote and Isolated Communities Essential Services (RICES) project. Total daily per person use averaged from 270 L/p/d to over 1,500 L/p/d and outdoor water use activities comprised up to 86% of total residential water consumed. Structured interviews with participants identified five main drivers for outdoor water use of which some are traditionally the role of local government service provision (e.g. dust control) and all are closely linked to day to day functioning (e.g. cleaning food, cooling). Traditional demand management strategies such as pricing are not yet appropriate, nor is a reliance on improving local government service provision, due partly to the resource challenges in remote communities. Community-based engagement and education, supported by local government role modelling, has been identified as a more suitable approach and will be tested in later stages of the RICES project. © 2017 Elsevier Lt