SLIDE 1
Ho w c a n te rtia ry institutio ns b e st suppo rt indig e no us po stg ra dua te stude nts?
- Low numbers - only 5.8% of
postgraduates are Ma̅ori in NZ
- Inequities in outcomes (pass
rates and completion, grades achieved)
- Limited admission/ support
programs targeting for indigenous postgraduate students
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- Indigenous Positioning
- Rejection/critique of culture-deficit
and victim-blaming approaches
- Kaupapa Ma̅ori Theory
- Responsibility and support from
tertiary institution
- Center indigenous student experience
- Search strategy – limited to terms, databases, &
- keywords. May have missed important grey
literature
- Most of the articles descriptive
- ? Different understanding of definition of key
concepts across articles e.g. indigenous
- Generalizability to NZ may be limited due to small
number of articles/Australia focus 1. Lack of literature on this topic 2. Most literature is descriptive. Effectiveness of recommended interventions are yet to be examined. 3. Indigenous knowledge/ experiences/realities not valued. 4. Institutions are under- supporting indigenous students. 5. Recommendations include: peer learning, removal of power tensions, comprehensive indigenous transitioning/retention support, incorporating indigenous knowledge 6. Acknowledge indigenous diversity
Supe rvision: T e nsions in powe r
Supervisor/student
- Power tension should be recognized
/realigned to empower the Indigenous
- student. Both sides bring:
“their own experiences, expectations, and perspectives to supervisory activities; complex and ambiguous relationship are locations of class, gender, ethnicity and age that may contribute to ‘unequal underpinnings’ (Fitzgerald 2015). Indigenous/non-indigenous
- The power that settler scholars have in the
academy should be recognized in intercultural supervision, especially as indigenous students are a marginalized group and a supervisor: “has the potential to deny the legitimate representation and participation of Indigenous students in the production of Indigenous knowledge.” (Wisker 2014).
- Supervisors should undergo trainings for
diversity be open to learning from indigenous student.
T r ansition: Or
ie ntation
The presumption that postgraduate students do not need an orientation takes away an opportunity that could address:
- academic diagnostic testing
- peer support networks
- contacts with academic
mentors/supervisors
- assistance with available resources
Re se ar c h
Valuing indigenous knowledge and experience
- Empowered students may
contribute to diversity of knowledge, pushing the borders of
- disciplines. Without valuing,
“interpretation and communication could be lost or mismanaged into something safer, more familiar or more culturally neutralised.” (Wisker 2014).
Hoʻoleia Kaʻeo Ma̅hina 2017 UH Ma̅noa Elana Curtis TKHM Vision 2020 Re te ntion
Catering for indigenous/diverse realities
- Indigenous students carry socio-cultural roles and responsibilities from
diverse backgrounds; a range of communities and life experiences; parents, workforce, etc.
- Should go beyond traditional support of academic problems:
“understand and put in place strategies to address the individual psycho- social burdens that so many carry” (Chirgwin 2015). Social Isolation
- Small number of indigenous students; limited indigenous staff.
- It is important to create avenues for the students to network ʻtake your
mob with youʻ: “Indigenous students are ‘well aware of the critical non-Aboriginal gaze upon them’ (Trudgett 2011).
- Limited access to/uptake of Indigenous support.
Peer Learning Can Reduce Cultural Alienation
- Peer learning is part of an Aboriginal way of learning:
“We like to learn collectively and pass on and share knowledge and experiences” (Barney 2013).
- Cultural diversity should be enhanced or risk indigenous students
compromising their identity and culture to participate in tertiary institution.
Bac kgr
- und
- Search term/Inclusion Criteria: (“Ma̅ori OR Pacific OR
indigenous OR aboriginal” AND postgraduate)
- Databases: Medline Ovid (100), Education Research
Complete (40), ERIC (67), A+ Education Informant (137) = 344 articles
- reviewed Abstracts for inclusion criteria/excluded
duplicates/not available online= 24 articles remaining
- Added in Grey Literature= 3 articles
- TOTAL NUMBER ARTICLES=27