Nahida Fahel (17434137)

DTL: Assignment 1

FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING: HOW THEY IMPACT

INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
PART A

Great expectation is placed upon the Australian schooling system to provide students with the
foundational skills, knowledge and understanding for lifelong learning to endure an unknown
future. Gigliotti’s (2012) literature supports how actions and decisions of quality teachers can
substantially improve the capabilities and outcomes of students. Quality teaching depends on
integrating the interrelating concepts of teacher professionalism, curriculum, pedagogy, and
assessment (NSW Education Standards Authority, 2017) to equitably teach and enhance
higher educational standards of achievements in diverse groups; especially the marginalised,
like Indigenous students (Roberts, 2013).

TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM

Teacher professionalism is a multifaceted structure involving one’s work attitudes and

behaviours to implement the highest teaching standards and enhance teaching quality, despite
dominant discourses (Weber, & Johnsen, 2012). Demirkasimoglu (2010) describes it as a
professional field of work that sociologically, ideologically and educationally intends to
achieve the uppermost teaching standards, which by the Australian Institute for Teaching and
School Leadership (AITSL) (2011) are the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
(APST). There are seven interrelated standards that are comprised into three teaching
domains; professional knowledge, professional practice and professional engagement, and
each one outlines the teaching expectations for equitable diverse teaching and learning
(AITSL, 2011).

Furthermore, the APST are structured to articulate teacher knowledge and performance
expectations into four career phases; graduate, proficient, highly accomplished and lead, to
direct teacher training, support and development (Kleinhenz, & Ingvarson, 2007). The APST
provide a teaching framework that elucidates the mandatory professional knowledge,
engagement and practice throughout teachers’ careers (Kleinhenz, & Ingvarson, 2007). The
standards also guide the improvement of professional learning objectives, scaffolds how
teachers can critique the success of learning and promote self-reflection and self-assessment
(AITSL, 2011). As reinforced by AITSL (2011), APST assist teachers to acknowledge their
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current and developing professional abilities, ambitions and achievements. This provided
analysis of efficient, contemporary teaching practice by the APST enables effective, high-
quality teaching for improved student learning.

CURRICULUM

The Australian curriculum plays a major role in the daily work of teachers as the comprised
set content creates structure and fixed guidelines for what teachers are expected to teach for
outstanding student education and wellbeing (Donnelly & Wiltshire, 2014). However,
Donnelly and Wiltshire (2014), reveal that it is over-crowded and constrains flexibility and
learner choice resulting in the possible de-skilling of teachers, and compromising the
flexibility and autonomy required to meet students’ learning needs. Thus, Australia shifted
from a fundamentally mandate syllabus model to Outcome-Based Education (OBE) which
embraced constructivism (Lawson & Askell-Williams, 2007). Although OBE became more
student centered making teachers facilitators that guide student learning, Donnelly and
Wiltshire (2014) claim it embodied an insufficient intellectual and political compromise.

Additionally, Keddie (2012) indicates that the Australian curriculum is westernized and
abstains of moral, spiritual and aesthetic advances in students. It creates cultural oppression
causing educational institutes to neglect rising multiculturalism, and inhibits equitably
diverse learning opportunities placing unnecessary pressure on teachers from individuals who
view them as the causing issue to students’ inadequate learning experiences and education
(Keddie, 2012).

With attempts to improve these issues and reduce the burden on teachers, the Australian
national curriculum was created but, was self-weakened by an overcrowding and disregard of
cross-cultural curriculum (Donnelly and Wiltshire, 2014). It was still compromised by
proposing subject specialist teaching, placing further stress, personal dissatisfaction and
pessimism amongst burdened teachers (Carr, McGee, Jones, McKniley, Bell, Barr &
Simpson, 2005).
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PEDAGOGY

Significant to the daily teaching process, pedagogy concerns what teachers must do to
positively influence students’ learning outcomes (Hall, 1905). It involves teacher and learner
interactive processes involving instructional strategies and techniques teachers use to allow
learning and development (Liberante, 2012). Liberante (2012) explains pedagogical models
help create active learning and identify teaching weaknesses, both in teachers or their
teaching methods like delayed use of technology for learning in classrooms.

One example includes the NSW Quality Teaching model (QTM) which was created for
teachers to use as a self-reflective tool to understand, evaluate and emphasise their teaching
practices for enhanced teaching and student learning (Gore, 2007). It comprises of three
pedagogical ‘dimensions’; Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment and
Significance which are central factors influencing classroom learning and superior teacher-
student interactions within educational settings (Gore, 2007). Directly related to pedagogy,
the dimensions allow teachers to concurrently assess students’ quality and depth of learning;
whether their learning environments support learning; how much students value and
understand when to apply newly learnt information beyond classroom contexts, and how well
they teach their students (Liberante, 2012). This occurs as Liberante (2012) explains how
each dimension and comprising elements interrelate improving student learning. For
example, when deeming what creates a Quality Learning Environment, such a setting may be
recognized as high in Intellectual Quality, favouring students to utilize substantive
communication and high-order thinking. As such, students can identify the significance of
their learning beyond the classroom context.

ASSESSMENT

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) (2017) describes assessment as the
procedure of collecting and interpreting evidence to create judgements on student learning. It
is the crucial relationship amongst learning outcomes, content, teaching and learning
activities that informs teachers and learners where their learning stands, what direction they
need to move to improve their learning and how best to get there (NESA, 2017).

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was implemented to
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monitor student development against national and international learning criteria over time
(Australian Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting Authority, 2016). However, Thompson and
Harbaugh’s (2013) research suggests that the NAPLAN has narrowed down the curriculum
creating adapted teaching methods and excessive time spent preparing students for the test
instead of long-standing retainment of information. Moreover, being a standardized, norm-
referenced assessment, Thompson and Harbaugh (2013) find the NAPLAN only provides
basic indications of students’ abilities corroborating the limited value of the assessment.
Connell (2013) further criticises the publication of NAPLAN results on the MySchool
website to unfairly signify a school’s performance intensifying further competitive pressures
on schools. This impacts funding including teacher salaries, ultimately affecting continued
teacher, even principle employment (Commonwealth of Australia, 2014).

The literature review by Carr et al. (2005) supports the above evidence explaining the ways
in which each concept interrelates to affect quality teaching and learning. The authors
associate teacher professionalism with quality teaching which has measurable influences on
students’ cognitive, behavioural and affective outcomes. Carr et al. (2005) explain that the
national curriculum sets the outcomes teachers must follow to enhance student learning and
skill development. Thus, the curriculum dictates teachers’ tasks and task arrangements which
structures the classroom and teacher-student interactions. Furthermore, the authors state that a
developed curriculum includes simultaneously fostering an assessment programme to satisfy
curriculum objectives which teachers consequently teach towards. For instance, the
NAPLAN narrows the curriculum changing teachers’ arrangements and practices to benefit
memorisation of information and basic skills, neglecting the higher skills endorsed within the
curriculum. Thus, this hinders effective pedagogy by asserting how teachers communicate
student expectations and present and manage classroom curriculum, significantly affecting
learning outcomes. Subsequently, assessments determine students’ learning outcomes which
rely heavily on quality teaching. Therefore, these concepts are an ongoing cycle that teachers
must endure daily and tackling them starts with identifying specific learning needs of
individuals or marginalised groups like Indigenous Australians (Roberts, 2013).
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PART B

There are several learning needs Indigenous students experience that cause learning
underachievement’s negatively affecting future employment, successes and thus, quality of
life (Kanu, 2011). Kanu (2011) and Ockenden (2014) established that these include cultural
sensitivity and awareness, language, social inclusion, autonomy, access, socio-economic
status (SES), engagement and motivation. The way teachers implement and supervise
teaching strategies to tackle these issues plays a significant role in using various approaches
of delivering educational material to meet elements of the QTM (see appendix 1) to endorse
equitable learning.

One major learning need for Indigenous students is cross culture education as utilizing this
strategy to teach the curriculum effectively promotes acceptance and inclusion for the
Indigenous culture (Kanu, 2011). Neglecting to teach via cross culture education causes
social health issues developed from social isolation which can lead to depression and thus,
mental health issues (Kanu, 2011). Hence, Ockenden (2014) informs that teachers play a
significant role in organizing pedagogical practices to achieve encouraging classroom
participation, behavioural management and increased learning in Indigenous students. Some
valuable strategies revealed by Santoro, Reid, Crawford and Simpson (2011) involves
collaborating with students, teachers and community members; applying real life models, and
inclusivity in classroom tasks. Not only do Indigenous students feel positive relationships and
interactions with others, these practices help teachers achieve complete learning and ability
by allowing culturally appropriate planning of learning goals and activities (Santoro et al.,
2011).

Employing Indigenous educators or community members to assist Indigenous students’

learning is one pedagogical strategy that can assist in preventing and closing the educational
language barrier gaps, enhancing Indigenous students’ academic abilities (Santoro et al.,
2011). Similarly, when discussing the prevalence of health issues in a PDHPE classroom, the
real life factual knowledge of incidental health issues the Indigenous experience throughout
age can be discussed by an Indigenous teacher or community member increasing students’
understanding and connection to their learning (Santoro et al., 2011). Hence, altering
teaching methods and adjusting lesson plans as such achieves the standard 1.3 from APST
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about teachers knowing how students of diverse cultural, religious, linguistic and
socioeconomic backgrounds learn (AITSL, 2011) to meet the learning needs of marginalised
groups. This can impede early school drop outs further preventing an increase of Indigenous
students undergoing tertiary schooling and possibly increasing socioeconomic difficulties
(Purdie, & Buckley, 2010).

Furthermore, self-worth and disengagement are additional learning needs Indigenous students
face due to the westernization of the Australian curriculum (McLoughlin, & Oliver, 2000).
Durey (2010) explains how the westernized curriculum forms a “hidden curriculum”
promoting oppression which causes emotions of neglect and pessimistic self-worth in
Indigenous students. Subconsciously, students are being taught that they and their cultures
are not important and because this dominant discourse creates such discrimination, it
negatively impacts their mental health causing lack of sleep and hatred towards school
(Durey, 2010). This can lead to Indigenous students becoming bullies and developing
psychological problems further causing behavioural issues (Durey, 2010). Consequently,
Indigenous students are disengaged to the curriculum and are failing to receive adequate
levels of education which is detrimental to their health, numeracy, and literacy learning
(Hughes, & Hughes, 2010). This may challenge future employment opportunities, essentially
decreasing financial aid in ample health care and preventative amenities like healthy meals
and physical activity due to the lack in educational benefits (Vass, 2012).

While teachers are limited in adjusting the curriculum for enhanced learning because the
planners of the curriculum fail to consider individual cultural differences before designing the
curriculum (Egan, 1978), Ford (2013) claims teachers should change pedagogical practices to
construct equitably diverse supportive learning environments to allow Indigenous students to
achieve curricula outcomes (Kanu, 2011). For instance, incorporating the example of
Indigenous games into the planning of a practical PDHPE lesson can assure an inclusive
classroom dynamic. Using a traditional Indigenous game like ‘Yulunga’ helps a teacher
develop unified social environments by allowing Indigenous students to explore their
traditional culture through sport (Kowalaski-Roth, 2014). Yulunga can be taught throughout
all schooling stages (K-12) and be associated with curriculum principles (Kowalaski-Roth,
2014) achieving teaching standard 4 about creating and maintaining safe and supportive
learning environments (AITSL, 2011). Consequently, not only can such a strategy improve
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Indigenous students’ self-perceptions by allowing them to associate to and see value in the
curriculum, they can also attain set curricula outcomes based on their learning needs which
increases their learning (Kowalaski-Roth, 2014).

Coupled with engagement learning needs comes motivation, autonomy and access issues for
Indigenous students which McLoughlin and Oliver (2000) established affect the amount of
education and opportunities they obtain. In 2008, Indigenous students living in remote areas
produced the lowest NAPLAN test scores because of a disregard to the discourse a of hidden
curriculum that they struggled with due to differences in cultural beliefs, attitudes and
practices (Hughes, & Hughes, 2010) Therefore, to reduce the impact of these learning needs
and encourage self-determination and increased sense of control over their learning, Nakata
(2011) stated systematic changes to assessments must be made.

Accordingly, teachers can promote autonomy for Indigenous students within assessments by
incorporating choice of different topic questions to fairly fulfil various learning needs and
abilities (Nakata, 2011). McLoughlin and Oliver (2000) state such inclusive autonomy
provides students with choice to topics they understand, value or find interesting improving
engagement and self-motivation within learning. For example, in a PDHPE assessment, a
designed question can ask students to list and explain health issues experienced by
Australian’s in general or by individuals of their background and explain why they think this
may be. Such a strategy enables teachers to attain the APST 1.4 covering strategies to teach
Indigenous Australians (AITSL, 2011) by encouraging constructive social justice, preventing
greater Indigenous education gaps caused by unachieved learning needs (Nakata, 2011).

In conclusion, the success of student learning and education relies heavily on appropriately
integrating teacher professionalism, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to individuals’
learning needs like Indigenous students, to better their future.
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References

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Carr, M., McGee, C., Jones, A., McKniley. E., Bell, B. Barr, H., & Simpson, T. (2005).
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Appendix 1

Diagram 1: The interrelation of the dimensions of the Quality Teaching Model

Table 1: The dimensions and elements of the NSW model of pedagogy

(Quality Teaching Model, 2017)