Interview guide for lecturers and tutors

Open questions:
– Would you like to tell me from which Aboriginal nation you are and what your cultural background means to you in your job? This is optional, you don’t have to do this.
– What, in your opinion, is the most effective form of teaching and learning? Which methods should be used?
– What, in your opinion, is the most important aspect about how you teach a class/our class?
– Which methods do you use in class/(for course coordinators: are used in the course, e.g. for assessment)? Is using these methods a decision you make consciously?

Hypotheses-directed questions:
– (If I believe to have seen a method used in class which he/she does not mention, I will ask about it. E.g. What about X? Or: In one session, when you talked about Y, you did Z. Would you consider this a method?)
– Are there differences between how you teach our class and other classes?
– Would you say that your classes are different from other classes by other Aboriginal or by non-Aboriginal teachers?

Confrontational question:
Many methods used in universities worldwide can be described as “Western” and provide little room for, for example, storytelling or spirituality. Do you agree? Do you think this is problematic? What could be done?

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Interview guide for students

Open questions:
– What connection do you have with Aboriginality (e.g. interest, friends, working with Aboriginal people in the future etc.)?
– (If the student identifies as Aboriginal:) Would you like to tell me from which Aboriginal nation you are and what your cultural background means to you, especially concerning situations at university? This is optional, you don’t have to do this.
– How would you describe the way knowledge is conveyed in the lecture/the tutorial? How would you describe the way you learn in this course?

Hypothesis-directed questions:
– Do you notice any differences between our course (lecture and tutorial) and other courses you took or are taking? To which degree/faculty do your other courses belong?
– (If no differences are mentioned but I have already identified some between this course and my other courses, I will carefully share my impression and ask about the interviewee’s opinion)
– Do the differences make it easier or harder for you to learn? Or is there no difference? /(or, if the interviewee does not see any differences:) Do you think it is easy to learn and remember aspects from the lecture and the tutorial? Why do you think this is/is not the case?
– Does the learning experience in this course feel any different? If yes, how and why?
– Do you like the differences/how the course is taught? Why/why not?

Confrontational question:
– Many methods used in universities worldwide can be described as “Western” and provide little room for, for example, storytelling or spirituality. Do you agree? Do you think this is problematic? What could be done? Do you think this has anything to do with our class?

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Back to the information about interviews and the list of excerpts.