Quotes for “Positive learning environment”

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “After this presentation, L2 praises the student’s choice of sources […]” (03/09/2015)
  • “L2 tries to reassure her […]” (03/09/2015)
  • “When she stops again, everyone, including L2, gives her tips.” (03/09/2015)
  • “Therefore, she stands next to the presenter and helps her change the slides […]” (03/09/2015)
  • “She praises the presenter’s definition of reconciliation and then picks up a quote from the slides.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She then goes on talking about another aspect that came up during the presentation, adding a ‘like you said’ to her remarks.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She goes ahead telling the presenter that she enjoyed it and that it was good to have a definition of ‘autobiography’.” (29/10/2015)
  • “‘I also make mistakes’, she says, correcting herself immediately: ‘I also have learning experiences’.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

  • “[My classes are] more about a group of people coming together and sharing some information and having a joke”
  • “you know ideally you’d be sitting outside in the shade in a circle”
  • “if they’re presenting the wrong information () ehm I () am in dilemma whether to shame them”
  • “I think I did it nicely that ‘oh hang on a minute’ and () ehm but also hopefully the student understands that it’s important that () you do get the right information.”

Interview with L3:

  • “Sometimes, you know, even walking out of the classroom and just doing something outside is a nice change to engage an audience.”

Interview with S2:

  • “I think you walk in there and it really is a cultural place and you could pretty much approach anybody and that would be ok. And the way they have barbecues and the way they have all that free food that you and I are too afraid to go down (from upstairs). Cause that’s so different. From you and I and what we’re used to”

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Quotes for “Diversity”

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “[…] she thought it was very tame but most non-Aboriginal people thought it was very sad.” (10/09/2015)
  • “It’s always good to read more than one source.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Furthermore, she explains the significance of autobiographies, written by the person himself or herself, by saying that when it is raining she often tells her colleagues what a lovely day it is while in their opinion, the weather is horrible.” (29/10/2015)
  • “In one specific autobiography she read it was interesting to see how the representation in the media differed from the person’s own account.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] where the students perceived something that was normal to her as ‘history’.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with S1:

  • “You get people who are like more into saving animals than saving the rainforest, you know.”

Interview with S3:

  • “Just realising ehm () you know some of the things I say and some of things I do and just how ehm () just how you need to respect other cultures more and stuff like that.”

Interview with L3:

  • “listening to a non-Aboriginal student talk about an aspect of the Stolen Generations compared to an Indigenous student talking about ehm an aspect of the Stolen Generations.”
  • “the way I read something and the way you read something, ehm you know, they’d be slightly different”
  • “hopefully as you’re talking about something with your peer or your friend they will, you will suggest something that they didn’t realise . Or vice versa and then you get to maybe draw and grab other things.”
  • “we do have a cultural diverse ehm student population”
  • “I attempted to bring in the international students into our learning sometimes and draw on your experiences in your home wor- your home () your home lives into the classroom. Ehm hopefully engage you in the classroom. But also connect the rest of the audience to the, the diversity that’s, that lives in that classroom”

Interview with S2:

  • “you’re answers wouldn’t be the same as my answers. But they’re somehow marked () I don’t know. On a (equivalent) basis. Yours are just as valid as mine.”

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Quotes for “Encouragement of further learning”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “[…] she tells the students to watch the two videos presenting opinions about this topic at home […]” (06/10/2015)
  • “L1 begins this week’s class on leadership and activism by pointing out that ABC will be screening a documentary on Aboriginal activist John Maynard in November.” (13/10/2015)
  • “While talking about Reconciliation Australia, L1 opens their website which she describes as “really worth having a look at”.” (27/10/2015)
  • “She points out a video by Oxfam about this topic for which the link can be found on the slide.” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “[She] creates a list on the board of all good autobiographies she can think of from the top of her head.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She finishes up by telling the class that she has a big bookshelf with autobiographies at home and that ‘there are many out there’ if you want to read them.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Then she gives the class the advice to experience a different culture in another way than just from a book.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with S1:

  • “She wants us to extent our knowledge of Aboriginal people and culture in nearby areas like in easily accessible ways.”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “He then mentions a few films about the Stolen Generations we can watch to find out more […]” (27/08/2016)

Class 2 Tutorial:

  • “[…] recommends some further reading.” (27/08/2015)

Interview with S2:

  • “Because it’s () mo:re () stimulating.”

Back to the description of the category “Encouragement of further learning”

Quotes for “Non-judgmental attitude”

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “In spite of all problems and discrimination, the lecture is trying to teach Aboriginal history from a positive perspective and highlight the change, L2 explains, so that no one has to feel bad.” (03/09/2015)

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[…] explains that he does not want to judge anything as right or wrong but that the word “but” will come up very often.” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] L3 apologises for painting such a dark picture of history […].” (27/08/2015)
  • “He also repeats that he is always trying to avoid any judgement.” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] no one should feel good or bad about what happened.” (27/08/2015)

Back to the description of the category “Non-judgmental attitude”

Quotes for “Sharing knowledge”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “A different student then adds an idea to this on which L1 comments.” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “She then assigns a question to every table which we are supposed to answer in relation to next week’s text.” (27/08/2015)
  • “Afterwards she asks whether it is still true that pupils in primary and high school only learn about British history and bushrangers. The Australian students of the class agree.” (27/08/2015)
  • “This makes her think about what a “great teacher” should be like and she starts discussing this question with the class.” (03/09/2015)
  • “Afterwards, L2 talks about Aboriginal English and searches example phrases on the internet of which we are to guess the meaning.” (03/09/2015)
  • “After the first presentation is over, L2 asks the students in the class whether anyone has any comments or questions.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] she asks again whether there are any comments or questions.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She also asks the class for more ideas.” (29/10/2015)
  • “L2 talks about a tutorial last year in which students came up with an interesting idea.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

  • “I find that sitting amongst the students I learn so much from the students.”
  • “[My classes are] more about a group of people coming together and sharing some information.”
  • “[Structured classes] may mean that students don’t have time to e:hm express their thoughts and ideas.”
  • “[Structured classes don’t] allow for that discussion to happen.”
  • “we’re all students”
  • “I love it because I’ll always be a student and I love learning from the other students.”

Interview with S1:

  • “And she doesn’t really talk at us. She:: holds conversations with us.”
  • “we teach each other in a way. E:hm with the tutorial how we do like the presentations and () like the teacher L2 would purposefully ask questions after each presentation.”
  • “So I think having a teacher that purposefully asks questions to challenge you or tell stories about themselves and that allows you to challenge them – that’s a good method of teaching.”
  • “I feel more comfortable because I think that interaction is there. The conversational one.”
  • “And in their fascination, their questions forced me to find the answers ehm from my family, my mother or even like research it online.”

Interview with S3:

  • “I felt like it was more conversation in this class rather than just learning everything”
  • “I was just getting more […] in-class participation”
  • “they just want us to share stories”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[He] asks an US-American student whether this is correct.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Throughout the lecture he often asks the students whether they remember a certain detail and sometimes gets help from one of them.” (29/10/2015)

Class 2 Tutorial:

  • “The students are asked to work as interactively with the class and be as creative as possible.” (27/08/2015)
  • “Many students share their opinion […]” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] asks us to discuss them in groups.” (03/09/2015)
  • “Thus, L3 […] mentions some aspects he heard earlier and, hence, makes people talk eventually.” (03/09/2015)
  • “He asks us whether there are any issues we would like to discuss […]” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “And the idea of sharing and being interactive and relating to your students is really important.”
  • “you’re sharing your life and you’re sharing your experiences and trying to engage with their life and their experience in your learning practice to make some adjustments.”
  • “I love the idea of group discussions”
  • “Love the idea of sharing”
  • “part of the narrative to work, I think, it’s best to () ehm have some idea of ehm that group interaction”
  • “Then I get students to share.”
  • “So the shared experience is probably something that I like to do.”
  • “I do love people to ehm tell their stories, engage with their understandings.”
  • “the benefit with the individuals [presenting] is there that you really can drive the ehm () student participation”
  • “I frequently ask students to stop and look out the window because there’s nothing nicer than just that stopping and sharing in your environment sometimes.”
  • “I attempted to bring in the international students into our learning sometimes and draw on your experiences in your home wor- your home () your home lives into the classroom. Ehm hopefully engage you in the classroom.”
  • “I’m quite happy to argue () what I do () is good to engage any audience.”

Interview with S2:

  • “They do it in a more conversational way rather than just the lecturing at you way.”
  • “They have more interaction with you overall I think.”
  • “Because I’ll probably remember things that you’ve said to me more than some random lecturer because we have some kind of relationship.”

Back to the description of the category “Sharing knowledge”

Quotes for “Peers”

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “In the end she admits that she does not have enough knowledge to say what really happened in the past” (27/08/2015)
  • “L2 talks about the first lecture she was holding in which she was also very nervous.” (03/09/2015)
  • “Then she says that she did not know that in Canada and in the US children were also taken from their families […]” (10/09/2015)
  • “[…] she did not know about some of the aspects […]” (17/09/2015)
  • “‘I also make mistakes’, she says […]” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

  • “I guess being part of the group rather than in front of the group.”
  • “if you’re in a circle there’s no leader […] And everybody is equal () ehm including the teacher and I think that’s why I sort of sat in the class cause ehm ehm I consider the students to to be my peers”

Interview with S1:

  • “So I think having a teacher that purposefully asks questions to challenge you or tell stories about themselves and that allows you to challenge them – that’s a good method of teaching.”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[He] apologises for having forgotten a name” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] he notices a number of typing errors on the slides and points them out to us.” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] he apologises for having raced through the lecture […]” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] but cannot remember exactly what it was about” (29/10/2015)
  • “It is not his favourite topic, he admits.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “I only picked up this subject this year so, you know, again, the wealth of my readings were () were a little bit briefer than some of the other courses I’ve had a little bit more experience in and ehm know the literature a little bit better.”
  • “as a presenter I don’t think I’m as entertaining as some of my peers”

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Quotes for “Reflection”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “As the staff involved in this course felt that an exam does not reflect the type of learning they want to convey, the final assessment will be a reflective one. Thus, personal interests and life experiences can be included in the assignment.” (06/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “After every presentation, L2 picks up a few aspects to […] make us to think about them.” (27/08/2015)
  • “We are to […] write on the one side what we learned in the class and on the other what we personally could do for reconciliation.” (29/10/2015)

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[…] asks us a reflection question. However, he does not expect an answer to this question right away and tells us to think about it for a while.” (27/08/2015)
  • “[…] L3 asks a reflection question to think about while he goes on.” (03/09/2015)
  • “He finally finishes the lecture with another reflection question.” (03/09/2015)

Class 2 Tutorial:

  • “Afterwards he picks up the reflection questions from the lecture and asks us to discuss them in groups.” (03/09/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “I love the idea of […] student reflections on issues.”

Back to the description of the category “Reflection”

Quotes for “Storytelling”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “She then talks about her own experience while working for the Department of School Education and gives examples of opinions of some of the teachers she met in this frame.” (01/09/2015)
  • “[…] L1 tells the students about an incident which happened to her daughter when she was in high school.” (01/09/2015)
  • “She was able to witness such a situation herself when participating in a NAIDOC week event at her daughter’s school.” (01/09/2015)
  • “[…] gives another personal example.” (01/09/2015)
  • “The next point L1 addresses is again linked to an example from her own experience.” (01/09/2015)
  • “L1 then uses another example from her daughter’s education […]” (01/09/2015)
  • “L1 tells the students about a particular problem her son has solved in kindergarten using his tracking skills.” (01/09/2015)
  • “She also uses the situation of her grand-parents as an example for the significance of this specific project.” (06/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “[…] L2 goes on talking about another personal experience.” (03/09/2015)
  • “She also had a problem finding a school to do her practical experience in Aboriginal Studies in because many schools do not teach it.” (03/09/2015)
  • “She also tells us more about her own teaching experience.” (03/09/2015)
  • “One day she was taking her children to the beach where they got in contact with local primary school children.” (03/09/2015)
  • “She then tells the story of her ex-partner who had to walk several kilometres to school on a dirt road every day.” (03/09/2015)
  • “[…] L2 tells us that she used to have students in her classes who did not know about their family’s background.” (17/09/2015)
  • “After talking about police issues at big Aboriginal events, L2 asks: ‘Did I tell you the story about my husband in 2010?’” (17/09/2015)
  • “She underlines her statement by saying: ‘My grandmother voted.’ […]” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] she tells the class that a few years ago she was asked to work with an organisation on its RAP and uses this as a starting point to explain what a RAP can look like and what has to be done to put one together.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She also made an interesting experience while teaching a class in 1993 where the students perceived something that was normal to her as ‘history’.” (29/10/2015)
  • “She then tells the story of her sister’s practical training at a school and the way she worked with her pupils on Aboriginal topics.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Once, her son, for example, played at the beach with other children from a different culture background and learned so much from it.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

  • “I’m able to remember the stories of my elders to what academics have researched and written.”
  • “A::nd quite often I’m able to () tell a story about each topic ehm that that we discuss in class.”
  • “I will tend to provide more ehm of my experiences as an Aboriginal teacher.”

Interview with S1:

  • “Whereas in the tutorial our teacher speaks more personally. About her own life and experiences.”
  • “I think our teacher just talks about herself personally whereas most teachers () don’t bring in like () () their personal lives. I’ve noticed a lot of my teachers have () ehm brought in their personal lives bu:t I- Like my environmental science teacher does kind of break that rule. And then my theatre teacher did. My linguistics teacher doesn’t.”
  • “L2 tells stories.”
  • “So I think having a teacher that purposefully asks questions to challenge you or tell stories about themselves and that allows you to challenge them – that’s a good method of teaching.”

Interview with S3:

  • “I would say () L2 mostly tells ehm a lot of stories and personal aspects.”
  • “it’s mostly like the () regular lecture ehm but ehm history and a lot of stories.”
  • “I was just getting more personal stories”
  • “they just want us to share stories”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[…] talks about a friend who helps people to reconnect with their families.” (27/08/2015)
  • “When stating that everyone is entitled to them, he tells us that his father used to say that even the blackbird outside the window had Human Rights.” (03/09/2015)
  • “When he talks about a certain UN body he tells the class that he has been to one of its meetings.” (03/09/2015)
  • “He has also attended a different meeting on UN level which he repeatedly calls “very interesting”. He explains the seating order of the different countries’ governments and indigenous representatives to show their different attitudes.” (03/09/2015)
  • “[…] L3 tells the class about a friend who created an NGO to underline how much work and luck it includes […]” (03/09/2015)
  • “[…] L3 talks about an article he once found which discussed why smoking is good for you.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] L3 uses the example of an expert meeting in Geneva he attended.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] L3 tells us that he once sat down with him to discuss what to do (29/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “you’re sharing your life and you’re sharing your experiences”
  • “I try to share lived experiences if possible.”
  • “I’m also a big fan of narrative so I love the idea of talking. Love the idea of storytelling. Love the idea of sharing. Lived experiences.”
  • “But again at the same time I do try to tell me stories to kind of connect to the abstract concepts with my audience as well.”
  • “I can tell a story but I’m not a great storyteller.”

Back to the description of the category “Storytelling”

Quotes for “Lecturer’s/tutor’s relation to the topic”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “[…] L1 compares their relationship to her own.” (13/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “She also picks up individual places and facts from the presentation saying […] she has been to one of places.” (17/09/2015)
  • “There will be the football knock-out in Dubbo, she says, which will be an opportunity for her to catch up with her family.” (17/09/2015)
  • “Furthermore, she explains the significance of autobiographies, written by the person himself or herself, by saying that when it is raining she often tells her colleagues what a lovely day it is while in their opinion, the weather is horrible.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Then, she tells the class that she is a “heavy reader” as she reads about three novels a week, including an auto-biography every now and then.” (29/10/2015)
  • “The first is the first autobiography she ever read.” (29/10/2015)
  • “In another one, her name is mentioned, she says.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[She] explains that she is related to someone in the film.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

  • “I () ehm am able to:: relate to what I’m teaching.”
  • “I’m able to put a number of social justice issues in context.”
  • “And I said to the student that my family is Aboriginal health.”

Interview with S3:

  • “Just how [the Dreaming] is not only about your spirituality but also it affects their whole lifestyle as well”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “[…] L3 tells the class that he used to watch the daily update available on YouTube.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “having a good understanding of your cultures is just ehm very important […] when any of the, any of the understandings, academic understandings I try to relate to ehm ((coughs)) and talk about within Aboriginal society […] happen to have any base within my culture.”

Back to the description of the category “Lecturer’s/tutor’s relation to the topic”

Quotes for “Opinions”

Class 1 Lecture:

  • “She shows several examples, describes them, points out aspects she sees as particularly interesting.” (25/08/2015)
  • “She then presents the view of three people from public life on Aboriginal policies by quoting them directly.” (25/08/2015)
  • “gives examples of opinions of some of the teachers she met in this frame.” (01/09/2015)
  • “She first gives some information about ideas of housing and the Aboriginal housing situation.” (06/10/2015)
  • “[…] she tells the students to watch the two videos presenting opinions about this topic at home […]” (06/10/2015)
  • “It is an artwork done by school children, she explains, and what she loves about it is that the people on it have really weird feet and no noses.” (27/10/2015)
  • “[…] L1 answers, adding her own assumptions where she is not sure.” (27/10/2015)
  • “Something else which is worth noticing, she says […]” (27/10/2015)
  • “L1’s further explanations on Close The Gap also include the criticism which is often expressed by Aboriginal people.” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

  • “[…] they are still a good institution, in L2’s opinion.” (03/09/2015)
  • “‘I love Aboriginal English’, L2 says, ‘If I don’t know somebody’s name I just call them [Aboriginal English word]’”. (03/09/2015)
  • “It was good for the children to see them there, L2 thinks.” (03/09/2015)
  • “She also tells us how she felt when she was reading a certain autobiography of a member of the Stolen Generations.” (10/09/2015)
  • “She also shares her opinion on and reaction to other movies with the class.” (10/09/2015)
  • “When talking about one autobiography she admits that she ‘sat up all night with tissues’.” (29/10/2015)
  • “In one specific autobiography she read it was interesting to see how the representation in the media differed from the person’s own account.” (29/10/2015)
  • “[…] L2 states that it is very important to speak out loud.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with S1:

  • “I feel comfortable going to my tutorial teachers and asking them […] their own personal opinion”

Class 2 Lecture:

  • “He describes the atmosphere as very friendly and open-minded but also points out that it is very competitive and difficult to get one’s voice heard.” (03/09/2015)
  • “He has also attended a different meeting on UN level which he repeatedly calls ‘very interesting’.” (03/09/2015)
  • “Afterwards he begins today’s lecture […] by stating that it is a very interesting one. Maybe not content-wise, he adds, but the topic is very interesting.” (29/10/2015)
  • “That makes is very boring and passion is rare, L3 says.” (29/10/2015)
  • “Going on, L3 often adds “in my experience” or “my opinion” to the statements he makes.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

  • “And that’s also from my interpretations of what the ehm the field is talking about.”

Back to the description of the category “Opinions”