A Study of Action Learning and Aboriginal Cultural Education

Abstract

A team of education researchers from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia was commissioned to carry out a study of the Quality Teaching Indigenous Project. The schools’ action learning projects aimed at providing teachers with professional learning about Aboriginal cultural knowledge and its application for culturally appropriate pedagogical practices in the classroom. The ultimate objective of the project was improvement in student engagement and learning with an emphasis on (English) literacy and numeracy. The study was therefore designed to investigate: the extent to which teachers and their teaching practices were inclusive of Aboriginal cultural knowledge and how this changed as a result of the project; the impact these inclusive practices had on teacher and student learning, and in particular on how they enhance learning for Aboriginal students; and the effectiveness of collaboration with local Aboriginal communities in teaching and learning practices in improving learning outcomes for students.