Reflexivity, relationships and remoteness: Applying qualitative research tools in Australian Aboriginal communities

The following chapter draws on the experience of using qualitative methods (in particular Grounded Theory) in the context of a doctoral research project that worked with Aboriginal communities in Australia. Highlighting key issues to consider when entering this context as an ‘outsider’, it offers a reflection on the lessons learned throughout the research process. As a novice researcher it was found that reflexivity was a particularly useful tool in working through the more complex interactions and power dynamics that exist between the research, researcher and participants. Furthermore, building respectful and reciprocal relationships through qualitative approaches such as ethnography was found to be highly beneficial to the integrity of the research. Interviewing participants from a culture other than my own, for whom English was a second, third or fourth language, required engagement with an Aboriginal Community Researcher and interpreter. This role proved to be broader than originally anticipated, incorporating both cultural brokerage and research support. Flexibility in the research process is also discussed as key to working in remote contexts, including adapting interview style, location, and timing of the project to meet participants’ needs. Overall, the chapter provides a unique perspective of the benefits of qualitative research in cross-cultural research in the Australian context

Beyond boarding: An exploration of post-boarding school expectations, experiences and outcomes for remote Aboriginal students, their families and their communities

Education delivery and outcomes in remote Australia frequently feature in political, educational and research discourses. In particular, improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, who are largely achieving at lower levels than non-Indigenous, urban students, has been a priority for decades. Recently, boarding schools are being increasingly viewed as a ‘solution’ to the complexities and purported failure of remote education. However, the discourse supporting boarding school models has developed from a limited evidence base. Further, little space has been awarded in such discussions to the voices of those who work in, send their children to, and who access boarding. Therefore, this thesis explored the expectations, experiences and outcomes of boarding for remote Aboriginal students, their families and their communities. The research focus was developed collaboratively alongside boarding providers, community members and past boarding students from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands, and employed a case study approach to a residential program in South Australia. The research was conducted from a Grounded Theory approach, with qualitative methods combining ethnography, narrative and semi-structured interviews. 55 interviews were conducted with families (11), past students (11), community members (9), and boarding staff (24) across six APY communities, Alice Springs, and Adelaide. Findings fall broadly into three meta-themes; (1) the residence, (2) family and communication, and (3) post-boarding life. While boarding staff were clearly able to articulate the goals for the program, Critical Race Theory provided a useful lens through which to highlight underlying tensions between race, rules and relationships. Strategies for communicating with families were also identified, however it was clear that despite useful technologies, families often relied on relationships with local remote schools to support their communication with the boarding program. Further, while many families made an active choice to send their children to board, for some, lack of alternative options or the knowledge and resources to access alternative options restricted their capacity to make informed choices. Many students were found to have left boarding prior to graduating from high school, making transitions post-boarding difficult and dependent on community, family and personal contexts. This thesis makes a significant contribution to a small but growing field, and is the first to holistically explore the implications of boarding for staff, families, remote communities, and for past boarding students. It explores novel applications of theory in the space, and links findings to implications for future research, policy and practice. Key recommendations include; (1) valuing and building unstructured time into residences to create informal learning opportunities and enhance relationships between staff and students, (2) bridging differences between community and residence life through introducing Anangu mentors and staff into the residence, (3) increased efforts for staff to physically visit communities for longer periods of time (for example through exchanges with remote community teachers or youth workers), (4) providing an external supports to help families to make informed choices about boarding and to navigate application processes, and (5) integrating community educators, family support and employment networks to support transitions beyond boarding

Researching together: Reflections on ethical research in remote Aboriginal communities

Ethical research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a complex and delicate space. It often juxtaposes Western views of ethical practice with Indigenous worldviews and values. The lead author's doctoral research project has focused on the expectations, experiences and outcomes of boarding school for remote Aboriginal students, families and communities. This paper presents a thematic analysis of the reflections of the authors on working together on this research as a non-Indigenous researcher and an Aboriginal Community Researcher. Strategies to implement what the authors and literature describe as ethical practice in remote Aboriginal communities are discussed. Implications for future research and lessons learned through this experience are identified

The role of the residence : exploring the goals of an Aboriginal residential program in contributing to the education and development of remote students

Recent media and policy focus in remote Aboriginal education has turned to boarding schools. The general rhetoric is that boarding schools will allow Indigenous Australian students to have access to quality education and to learn to ‘walk in two worlds’. However, to date, there has been very little exploration of the lived experiences of Indigenous boarding schools, either from broader political and sociological perspectives, or from the schools themselves. Furthermore, understanding of how the residential side of boarding constructs the use of time and presents educational and social development opportunities is lacking. This paper aims to begin to address this, by presenting the goals and intended outcomes of a residential program for remote central Australian Aboriginal students. Through analysis of 17 semistructured interviews with residence staff, this paper identifies the two overarching goals of the program, as well as the more specific learning outcomes from which the program expects its students to benefit. The research presented is preliminary data that forms part of a broader PhD study of postboarding school expectations and outcomes for remote Aboriginal students, their families, and their communities

The use and satisfaction with healthcare services of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at boarding schools: Baseline results

In adolescence (10-19 years), many health risks and protective factors that influence later life emerge. Remote-dwelling Indigenous adolescents have the poorest adolescent health outcomes in Australia, yet there is little documentation of their healthcare service use or satisfaction. This exploratory study investigates the perceptions of Cape York and Palm Island Indigenous students, pre-transition to and at Queensland boarding schools, of their own health status, health services use and satisfaction

Acquaintance with LGBTQI + People is Not Enough: Attitudes toward Same Sex Parents in Australia

Although social acceptance of same sex parenting in Australia has improved, prejudice toward same sex parented families still exists. Using the contact hypothesis as a theoretical framework, the aim of this mixed methods study was to investigate the influence that personal contact with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people has on attitudes toward same sex parented families. A sample of Australian adults (n = 210) volunteered to participate in an online survey. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate how number of LGBTQI + acquaintances, frequency of contact and closeness with LGBTQI + individuals impacted beliefs about same sex parenting and children’s adjustment in same sex parented families. Results indicated that frequency and degree of contact with LGBTQI + individuals (but not number of acquaintances) were associated with positive attitudes toward same sex parenting. This novel finding indicates that close relationships (rather than simple acquaintance) with LGBTQI + individuals may be required to reduce prejudice toward same sex parented families.</p

Sleep in adolescents attending Australian boarding schools: A review and interim recommendations

Boarding schools, by definition, house students in residence either on campus or close by in residential facilities - where the sleep environment is likely to differ from their home environment. For boarders, being in the boarding environment occurs alongside a convergence of psychosocial and physiological factors likely to impact adolescent sleep. This paper comprises a review of the literature on sleep and boarding students in the Australian context. We also propose recommendations aligned with the scientific evidence base that can be used to promote healthy sleep in Australian boarding school students, focusing on staff training and sleep knowledge, daily routines, sleeping arrangements, and student mental health and wellbeing. It must be noted that these recommendations should be considered interim recommendations until further research is performed in the area. Further, we suggest the development of standardised practice guidelines, to ensure that student sleep is supported appropriately within the Australian boarding context

Race, rules and relationships: What can critical race theory offer contemporary aboriginal boarding schools?

Boarding schools have been increasingly championed in strategies to move closer to educational equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. However, there is a significant lack of research and evidence on the implications of the boarding environment for Aboriginal students, families and communities. This paper presents a study of an Aboriginal residential program in South Australia. Semi-structured and narrative interviews with 55 participants (including residence staff, family, and past students) reveal the centrality of rules and relationships within this setting. Consideration of these themes from a Critical Race Theory perspective provides a sociocultural basis to analyse the implications of race, racism and power. In doing so, the underlying implications of the boarding model that should be acknowledged, explored and applied in this setting are identified. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Out of sight, out of mind? Bringing Indigenous parent-boarding school communication to light

Despite numerous reviews, strategies and programs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students still have lower academic achievement levels than non-Indigenous Australian students (as measured by NAPLAN). Educational research suggests that parental involvement in their children’s education significantly contributes to improved academic, social, personal and professional outcomes for students, parents, and educators alike. However, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote and very remote communities are educated at boarding schools or colleges in larger cities or regional areas, with a recent push to expand this. The limited ability for parental involvement for such students has largely been ignored, yet requires detailed consideration. The purpose of this paper is to highlight this need by defining and exploring the barriers to, and potential improvements for, parental involvement and the role of parent- school communication in educational outcomes. The paper is written as part of a PhD research project that considers the importance of cultural and educational contexts in parental involvement and communication, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

'Red dirt' schools and pathways into higher education

One of the predominant themes that pervades much of the literature on remote education is one about Indigenous ‘disadvantage’. It has been defined specifically as ‘the difference (or gap) in outcomes for Indigenous Australians when compared with non-Indigenous Australians’ (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2012, p. xiv). The concept then extends to ‘closing the gap’ (Council of Australian Governments 2009) in a general sense and in a more specific educational context (What Works: The Work Program 2012). Combining ‘Indigenous disadvantage’ with ‘remote’ adds a different meaning – those who live in remote communities are doubly ‘disadvantaged’ because of their geographic location and their race, and indeed some indexes of socio-economic advantage place disproportionate weight on location and race