Class 1 Lecture:

• “[…] she describes the way in which a particular governor treated Aboriginal people and how an Aboriginal woman named Barrangaroo reacted to this behaviour. In order to tell the story of Barrangaroo, L1 refers to a particular marine about who she also gives some information.” (13/10/2015)
• “L1 then gives some more general information about Aboriginal activism, before turning to the story of Yagan, an Aboriginal man from the colonial past.” (13/10/2015)
• “She then presents a number of other popular Aboriginal people from diverse backgrounds and from the past as well as the present.” (13/10/2015)
• “For this, she refers to the judges on the panel of the Mabo case and presents two of them in detail.” (27/10/2015)
• “L1 lists the members of the first Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and briefly outlines their background and contribution.” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

• “While doing so, she tells us ‘I always start at the left, on the market as well’.” (27/08/2015)
• “With a smile she adds that her grandson was very surprised when he found out that she knew how to throw a boomerang.” (03/09/2015)
• “After every presentation L2 gives some background information on the authors the presenters used as references.” (10/09/2015)
• “Afterwards, L2 gives more details about a person which has been presented by the student […]” (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)
• “After naming the titles, she always gives some information about the author.” (29/10/2015)

Class 2 Lecture:

• “L3 begins this topic by giving extensive background knowledge about the removed person.” (27/08/2015)

Class 2 Tutorial:

• “As L3 refers to a certain reference in his answer, he also talks about the author’s background.” (03/09/2015)

Interview with S2:

• “the lecturers introduce themselves to you, who they are, what nation they’re from, they give you a bit of a background to themselves.”
• “It’s real people are talking about real experiences.”

Back to the description of the category “People and their background”

Class 1 Lecture:

• “She reads out a politician’s speech on a play […] to address the aspect of people with mixed heritage […]” (25/08/2015)
• “She then presents the view of three people from public life on Aboriginal policies by quoting them directly.” (25/08/2015)
• “L1 gives an overview of steps to be taken to achieve a more just policy making, again quoting a number of people […]” (25/08/2015)
• “[…] stressing the importance of always going back to the original source by comparing interpretation to a game of Chinese whispers.” (25/08/2015)
• “[…] L1 quotes Oodgeroo Noonucaal and Freire in order to stress that education is indeed political.” (01/09/2015)
• “She then reads out the preamble of the Act of Legislation for reconciliation […]” (27/10/2015)
• “She opens the tab about the RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan) when she reaches this topic and reads out the definition of the project, which can be found on the page.” (27/10/2015)
• “She opens the document, reads out some lines, scrolls through the pages and gives extra information.” (27/10/2015)

Interview with L3:

• “going out and talking to the experts or bringing the experts into the room.”

Back to the description of the category “Original source”

Class 1 Lecture:

• “She then asks if the students have ever watched the film The Tracker, using it as a starting point to talk about images of Aboriginal people in chains.” (25/08/2015)
• “Afterwards, she plays a song by an Aboriginal singer […]” (25/08/2015)
• ” L1 gives an overview of steps to be taken to achieve a more just policy making, […] playing another song” (25/08/2015)
• “She then shows a Youtube video explaining why it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is included in the school curriculum […]” (01/09/2015)
• “[…] before presenting a model of Aboriginal learning.” (01/09/2015)
• “L1 shows a Youtube video about William Cooper” (01/09/2015)
• “L1 mentions that she will show more audio-visual footage than she normally does in order to give the students a sense of the diversity of Aboriginal voices.” (06/10/2015)
• “Then she shows two videos presenting different opinions on a particular housing project.” (06/10/2015)
• “[…] 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)
• “She then shows a video about the repatriation of Yagan’s remains […]” (13/10/2015)
• “She also again mentions William Cooper and his activism against Kristallnacht, showing a different video this time […]” (13/10/2015)
• “[…] but first talks about the picture which is included on the slide.” (27/10/2015)
• “As an example for other institutions’ RAPs, L1 shows a video made by a company to present their RAP.” (27/10/2015)
• “L1 now shows a video about the extent of reconciliation […]” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

• “After the break we watch a documentary about Myall Creek.” (27/08/2015)
• “While she is talking about the sites she is looking for photos of them on the internet.” (17/09/2015)
• “She then shows a music video […].” (29/10/2015)
• “A few minutes later she asks whether the class remembers an aspect of last week’s episode of the TV series Ready for This we watched in class.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with L2:

• “the majority of Aboriginal people are visual learners”
• “we always watched the new TV series […] and it gave the students ehm some idea of Aboriginal youth today.”
• “And then you can look at [concept maps] and you can see the big picture a::nd ehm that’s how I studied.”

Class 2 Lecture:

• “Afterwards he briefly shows a satirical comic […]” (27/08/2015)

Class 2 Tutorial:

• “L3 praises one of the students for creating slides which were visually strong. That was very good for visual learners, he says.” (03/09/2015)
• ” L3 tries to draw a diagram on the board […]” (03/09/2015)

Interview with S2:

• “a lot of it is watching YouTube clips which is really useful.”

Back to the description of the category “Audiovisual learning”

Class 1 Lecture:

• “She then explains how the knowledge about reconciliation and RAPs can help the students when they are applying for a job.” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

• “As many people are having a cold or flu at the moment, L2 gives us recommendations on how to protect ourselves against it and how to get well quickly.” (27/08/2015)
• “As we answer the questions on the board in groups, L2 shows us an Aboriginal newspaper lying on the desk at the front and explains a bit about it.” (27/08/2015)
• “L2 explains to the class that there are two different types of boomerangs […]” (03/09/2015)
• “It is a plant which has a long piece of wood in its middle from which spears were made, she explains. Because of its peculiar shape, colonists often thought there was a person hiding behind it.” (17/09/2015)
• “What one can learn from everyday situations is incredible, she says! (29/10/2015)

Interview with S1:

• “I think I’ve just noticed that like in the tutorial () teachers don’t really recommend like outs- ehm outside like extending knowledge outside the classroom. They just tell you what you need to know to pass the test whereas the teacher L2 tells us ‘Oh this is where you should go to experience this Aboriginal festival’ or she told us about the:: footy match footy knockout match in Dubbo”

Interview with S3:

• “Like I think there was a big footy tournament so she went to that and she talked about that and that was pretty cool.”

Interview with L3:

• “You know, I would love to do a lot more e:hm experiences outside the classroom.”

Back to the description of the category “Outside knowledge”

Class 1 Lecture:

• “[…] she mostly reads out the notes on the lecture slides, making small changes in sentence structures and adding short explanations and clarifications.” (25/08/2015)
• “L1 now returns to the slides, reading out another statement and explaining it.” (01/09/2015)
• “Afterwards she reads out some statements from the slides, adding further explanations about the current and former situation in schools.” (01/09/2015)
• “She then reads out the preamble of the Act of Legislation for reconciliation before giving additional information. She proceeds with the next slides in the same way.” (27/10/2015)
• “She then explains it in more detail.” (27/10/2015)
• “L1’s further explanations on Close the Gap also include the criticism […]” (27/10/2015)

Class 1 Tutorial:

• “After every presentation, L2 picks up a few aspects to explain them in more detail.” (27/08/2015)
• “While we are watching, L2 writes additional information on the board.” (27/08/2015)
• “Then, L2 gives some additional information on the AECGs (Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups).” (03/09/2015)
• “This quote is often used for assignment tasks, she says, and explains it further.” (29/10/2015)

Interview with S1:

• “sometimes she reads from the slides and sometimes does () say things that aren’t on the slides”

Class 2 Tutorial:

• “After the first presentation L3 comments on some statements made by the presenter” (27/08/2015)
• “When no one says anything, he talks about a few more aspects related to the document, today’s topic or the class in general.” (29/10/2015)

Back to the description of the category “Additional explanations”

In line with the valuing of diversity, people’s opinions play a role in the classes. L1, for example, frequently presents different people’s views and argumentations on the topics she is discussing (e.g. Class 1: Lecture 01/09/2015). This also includes critical voices (Class 1: Lecture 27/10/2015). L2 and L3, on the other hand, mostly include their own opinions and feelings (e.g. Class 1: Tutorial 10/09/2015 & Class 2: Lecture 03/09/2015). Doing so, L3 stresses that it is his personal view by adding “‘in my experience’ or ‘in my opinion’ to the statements he makes” (Class 2: Lecture 29/10/2015).That the tutors’ opinion is valued and sought after, can be seen in S1’s statement: “I feel comfortable going to my tutorial teachers and asking them […] their own personal opinion” (Interview with S1)

Furthermore, all lecturers and tutors point out aspects to the students which they find particularly interesting (e.g. Class 1: Lecture 27/10/2015, Class 1: Tutorial 29/10/2015 & Class 2: Lecture 29/10/2015) or liked best (Class 1: Lecture 27/10/2015). By doing so they emphasise this aspect and it might become more memorable.

For a full list of all quotes relating to opinions, please click here.

To get an overview over all categories and further explanations, please click here.

For the assignments of the two classes, the students have to gather additional information about their topic. All three student participants agree that they learned much through this research (Interview with S1, Interview with S3 & Interview with S2). In addition, L3 also grants his students a certain responsibility and freedom in their learning process. He relies on them to work with him (Interview with L3) but can also understand if they “do not want to come [to the final class session], especially if [they] have an assignment to finish or an exam to study for” (Class 2: Tutorial 29/10/2015). Furthermore, he gives the students the freedom to decide which aspects of the class or reading material they want to incorporate into their own knowledge (Interview with L3). Thus, they can choose information which has a connection to their own world or, as S1 puts it, “build [their] own beliefs” (Interview with S1)

For a full list of all quotes relating to independet learning, please click here.

To get to the overview over all categories and further explanations, please click here.

The first aspect which comes to L2’s mind when she is asked about “Western” teaching styles is that they are very structured. In her opinion, they lack the flexibility which is needed to “throw in a story”, to have students “express their thoughts and ideas” and to “allow for […] discussion to happen (Interview with L2). The last two aspects in particular, however, connect the content to the students’ world. L3 addresses a similar idea when he suggests that teachers should “make some adjustments” in their teaching practice to “engage with [students’] life and experience” (Interview with L3).

As the Aboriginal Studies classes provide this flexibility, S3 perceives them as “more relaxed” (Interview with S3)

For a full list of all quotes relating to flexibility, please click here.

To get to the overview over all categoriesand further explanations, please click here.

Identity and culture influence and are integrated into the classes in different ways and on different levels.

First of all, Indigenous and Aboriginal culture are part of the content of the lectures and tutorials. S3 refers to this content level when saying that spirituality “should be introduced into that class because it is such an important aspect for certain cultures.” (Interview with S3). Furthermore, S2 describes all classes at the Institute as coming “from a cultural base” and “cultural identity” rather than having a “purely academic background” (Interview with S2). As Class 1 is an introductory class into Aboriginal Studies, this is particularly true for this class. However, L3 also mentions that his teaching refers to personal issues and experiences which are connected to his culture and identity, for example when talking about community and family (Interview with L3).

Another level on which a strong connection to culture can be found is the methodological one. As L2 states, storytelling is a traditional way of learning (Interview with L2). In addition, L3 mentions sharing experience and using humour as pedagogical methods which he describes as “part of Aboriginal cultures or Indigenous cultures” (Interview with L3). Likewise, S2 sees the conversational way in which the classes are taught as “in keeping with how indigenous society is” (Interview with S2).

It is interesting to see that S3 who has the weakest connection to indigeneity solely refers to the content level. S2 who has more experience also sees a connection on the methodological level. L3 and S1, however, who are themselves indigenous (namely Aboriginal and Native American respectively) also recognise a connection on an additional third level. They both explain that spirituality, which they define as a collection of values, beliefs, ethics, lived experiences and a person’s engagement with their environment, influences and enters into a person’s teaching practice (e.g.Interview with L3 & Interview with S1). While S1 thinks that this is mainly possible when talking about “organic topics” (Interview with S1), L3 argues that it is “unavoidable” (Interview with L3) to include one’s self in the teaching because “as a teacher you share who you are” (Interview with L3).

In conclusion, identity and culture have a connection to and influence all other categories.

For a full list of all quotes relating to the connection to identity and culture, please click here.

To get to the overview over all categories and further explanations, please click here.

The methods used and the classes themselves are praised by students, lecturers and tutors alike.

L2 and S2 describe the learning process itself as “easier”. According to L2, this is achieved by her as a tutor who provides her personal context as a background for the content (Interview with L2). In S2’s opinion, learning is easier due to the relationship she has with her Aboriginal tutors which allows her to easily ask questions (Interview with S2). In addition, she mentions audiovisual material, which makes the content “more real life” (Interview with S2), as another facilitator in comprehending the information.

All three students have the feeling that they learn more in the tutorial (e.g. Interview with S3) and through the research they do for their assignments than in the lecture (e.g. Interview with S2). They describe the lecture as containing too much information and being too dense (Interview with S1 & Interview with S2). According to S3, however, “the lecture is a good place to get a knowledge base and understanding” (Interview with S3) in preparation for the tutorial. S3 thinks she is learning more and getting a better insight in general in her Aboriginal Studies class compared to other classes due to the stories the teachers tell (Interview with S3).

With the help of a number of methods, the content is also made more memorable: “Since it’s more conversational () the conversations are more memorable”, explains S1 (Interview with S1). S2’s idea goes in the same direction as it attributes the high memorability to the relationship between students and tutors (Interview with S2). In L3’s opinion, on the other hand, excellent storytelling skills make information the easiest to remember (Interview with L3).

Another aspect which is addressed by some participants is the active engagement the students have with the content. According to L3, actively engaging and connecting with information is easiest, “[i]f you can place it back into your own world” (Interview with L3). In addition, personal experience draws an audience into the topic, he believes (Interview with L3). The students S1 and S2, however, attribute their increased engagement with the information to the teacher-student interaction. Whereas S2 thinks that the relationship with her lecturers and tutors makes the content “more stimulating” (Interview with S2), S1 particularily points out purposefully asked questions which challenge the students and allow them to challenge the teachers (Interview with S1).

Finally, L2 emphasises that none of her “classes ran over time and […] that we always covered the topic that we were meant to cover” (Interview with L2). The only problem she sees with the flexible tutorials is that “it makes it very hard for the students to all get the same information”(Interview with L2). S1 praises the fact that courses at this university mostly consist of a combination of lecture and tutorial (Interview with S1). Although L3 citicises that the format of the course only allows a limited time for “interactive group-orientated” learning (Interview with L3), he generally believes that the Indigenous educational practices used within the Institute are good (Interview with L3) and that “the rest of the world is understanding and catching up with” them (Interview with L3).

For a full list of all quotes related to the effectiveness of the classes, please click here.

To get to the overview over all categories and further explanations, please click here.