Assignment 2 Researching Teaching & Learning Autumn 2017

Critical Analysis of Research

Extensive academic research is concerned with improving the academic

achievement of Indigenous students and bridging the educational gap between

Indigenous students and their non-Indigenous peers. An analysis of Keddie’s (2014)

research focuses on this educational disadvantage, and when combined with the

work of Munns, O’Rourke and Bodkin-Andrews (2013) can inform approaches to

promote Indigenous students’ engagement with education, with implications for

educational practice.

The research article by Keddie (2014) is immediately framed in the context of the

prolific disparity in the educational outcomes of Indigenous students, in comparison

to their non-Indigenous peers. Throughout the paper’s introduction, Keddie (2014)

explicitly identifies the foundations for Indigenous disengagement from education as

the result of deficit discourses and the perpetuation of colonial legacies which seek

to assimilate, rather than celebrate, Indigenous cultures (Vass, 2013; Gray &

Beresford, 2008). Therefore, having identified the gap in Indigenous students’

academic achievement as the rejection of Indigenous cultures from an Anglo-

normative education system, Keddie (2014) explores the capacity for alternative,

culturally differentiated educational institutions, to address this educational

disenfranchisement, through their incorporation of an epistemology of relationality

(Vass, 2013).

An extensive literature review, contextualises Keddie’s (2014) work and addresses

existing negative connotations and stigmatisation of alternative schools, exemplified

in the work of several educational researchers. Furthermore, it is with reference to

contemporary literature that Keddie (2014), encapsulates her definition of an

epistemological relationality, as informed by such academics as Moreton-Robertson,

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Martin and Brayboy. In this way, through the work of Moreton-Robertson, Keddie

(2014) asserts that the theory of relationality in Indigenous education, encapsulates

the cultural belief that there exist inextricable connections between the individual,

family and community, and their accompanying cultural values.

Presented as a qualitative research paper, Keddie’s (2014) study is focused on an

exploration of the incorporation of the theory of relationality in education and how this

approach to education can benefit the educational engagement of Indigenous

students. The nature of the qualitative study outlined, involves an in-depth case

study of a single K-12 alternative school, located in a low socioeconomic community

in Suburban Queensland (Keddie, 2014; Gall, Gall & Borg, 2015). The significance of

this choice of educational institution for the focus of such a case study, is to explore

the effectiveness of the aforementioned epistemology of relationality, in an

educational institution with a dominant Indigenous population (Keddie, 2014).

The validity of Keddie’s (2014) research is supported by the high level of contextual

completeness presented throughout her study (Gall et al., 2015). This provides

social, cultural and socioeconomic context for the school itself and provides an

insight into the intersectional disadvantage faced by the student population (Gall et

al., 2015; Gray & Beresford, 2008). This contextual completeness is exemplified

through the introductory anecdotes for Keddie’s (2014) four key informants. This

sample size is noticeably and problematically small, providing only a narrow glimpse

into the educational issue that is being engaged with. Further data was collected

through interviews with students and school staff, along with observation within the

school (Keddie, 2014). The inclusion of these key informants, selected by Keddie

(2014) for their extensive experience with Indigenous educational disadvantage,

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provides both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives, largely in the informants’

own words (Gall et al., 2015).

Through Keddie’s (2014) analysis of interview vignettes, which is informed by

engagement with contemporary academic research, it is established that an

epistemology of relationality is most effective in a culturally differentiated alternative

school, where Indigenous identities are dominant and consequently valued. This

perception is positioned in contrast to interviewees experiences of traditional

institutional education, which is depicted as repressive of Indigenous culture and

therefore perpetuating and reinforcing Indigenous educational disadvantage (Keddie,

2014; Yeung, Craven & Ali, 2013).

Overall Keddie’s (2014) research and analysis is thorough, however a critical reading

of her work raises questions regarding the narrow focus of her study on a single

school. This arguably undermines the replicability of her results and does not

address the applicability of her research findings for translation into practical

pedagogies at the classroom level (Gall et al., 2015). Furthermore, although it is

stated by Keddie (2014) that her sampling and interviews incorporated Indigenous

students, the verbal data presented in the form of vignettes, is solely from the four

key informants. Unfortunately, this limits the insight provided by Keddie’s (2014)

research as the student perspective of experience is eliminated and the perceived

positive outcomes of this epistemology are only reflected in adult perspectives.

In comparison, the research process outlined by Munns et al., (2013) presents an

alternate approach to investigating the practices that promote Indigenous students’

engagement in education. Their study involves a mixed methods research approach,

with a focus on Indigenous education, similar to that researched by Keddie (2014)

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(Munns et al., 2013). The literature review shown in this instance is brief, however

explicit deference to Hattie, combined with a plethora of contemporary academic

citations, and detailed references to the policy and legislation which regulates

Indigenous education, the research paper is established as firmly guided by both

existing research and educational policy alike (Munns et al., 2013).

The use of quantitative methods in the initial stages of research, including surveys

and numerical data obtained from student testing, identified four schools, distributed

evenly across rural and urban settings, whose implementation of culturally

responsive practices have resulted in measurably advanced academic outcomes of

Indigenous students (Munns et al., 2013). Importantly the schools involved in this

study, unlike the single school referred to by Keddie (2014), are NSW schools whose

Indigenous populations are in the minority (Munns et al., 2013). This immediately

increases the applicability of the research results as these schools were intentionally

selected to reveal the potential for typical state schools to meet the needs of

Indigenous students (Munns et al., 2013; Gall et al., 2015).

While Keddie’s (2014) research presented vignettes solely from the perspective of

adult educators and Elders, the four case studies of Munns et al., (2013) provide a

broader and more comprehensive depiction of effective culturally responsive

educational strategies. Furthermore, the processes of qualitative data collection and

subsequent analysis, throughout the research of Munns et al., (2013) involved a high

degree of triangulation, involving Indigenous students and both Indigenous and non-

Indigenous educators. Moreover, the cross-case analysis employed, demonstrates a

consistency of findings across institutions which was absent from Keddie’s (2014)

single case analysis (Munns et al., 2013).

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Ultimately, the research findings of Munns et al., (2013) provide what is considered

to be a rudimentary framework based on eight identified principles of what

constitutes educational alignment with Indigenous cultural values. This further

extends the applicability of this research into other school settings, with the resulting

framework providing a tangibly successful precedent, of community connections,

Indigenous perspectives and inclusive, quality teaching pedagogies (Munns et al.,

2013). Essentially the research of Munns et al., (2013) provides evidence that

mainstream education systems have the capacity to provide an equitable education

which actively promotes the achievements of Indigenous students.

These two articles are representative of the extensive field of educational research

that focuses on bridging the gap of educational disadvantage that exists between

Indigenous students and their non-Indigenous peers (Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016).

This disparity of educational outcomes is a grave concern to educators, researchers

and policy-makers alike, as they continue to strive for equity in education, at the

national, state and institutional level (Gray & Beresford, 2008). In this way, the

research papers composed by Keddie (2014) and Munns et al., (2013) are examples

of the movement to enact evidence based practice in education (Gall et al., 2015).

According to Gall et al. (2015), the significance of research within the field of

education, is to encourage a consistent level of professionalism in education, which

requires educators to draw on existing evidence-based research to inform their

teaching practices, to support the needs of all students.

The two research papers discussed embody the concerns expressed by Gray and

Beresford (2008), who question the capacity of Australian education systems to

deliver the equitable education required to improve the learning outcomes of

Indigenous students. The work of Keddie (2014) and Munns et al., (2013) provide

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direct responses to this line of enquiry, and in combination, suggest an approach to

Indigenous education that is both qualitatively and quantitively identified as

beneficial.

Throughout academic literature, there is emphasis on the requirement for

differentiation as an educational practice, and this is reflected in the Australian

Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011), which explicitly outlines the

professional expectations for teachers to differentiate their classroom practices to

cater to the needs of all students, with specific considerations for the needs of

Indigenous students (Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016; Mills et al., 2014). The central

argument throughout both texts, reflect this emphasis on differentiation within

education, based on cultural diversity and Indigeneity (Keddie, 2014; Munns et al.,

2013). However, while Keddie’s (2014) analysis is founded on notions of

differentiation at the institutional level, in the form of dedicated alternative schools,

Munns et al., (2013) draw on student and educator perspectives to demonstrate the

effectiveness of practices of differentiation at the pedagogical level.

The pedagogical practice of differentiation, which seeks to address the learning

needs of each individual student, involves the adaptation of curriculum, practices and

assessment to make learning accessible for all students (van Kraayenoord, 2007;

Mills et al., 2014). Moreover, Mills et al. (2014) argue that a pedagogy of culturally

responsive differentiation, promotes Indigenous student engagement through

recognition of the Indigenous cultural knowledge, values, traditions and worldview,

which create connections between classroom content and students’ sense of

community (Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016). This centrality of Indigenous culture in

education, is essential to provide greater voice for students in the classroom, to

eliminate barriers to engagement and to enable traditionally marginalised students to

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demonstrate their skills and achievements (Munns et al., 2013; Mills et al., 2014;

Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016).

Associated with this focus on cultural differentiation in education, is the research

evidence produced by Keddie (2014), and Munns et al., (2013) which supports the

promotion of positive cultural identities which challenge traditional colonial

discourses (Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016). As outlined by Keddie (2014), the perceived

inadequacy of conventional education systems in addressing the educational

disadvantage of Indigenous students, is the danger of superficial and simplistic

representations of Indigenous cultures. This notion is supported by Gray and

Beresford (2008) who problematise the deficit discourses of Indigeneity which

remain evident in education, and suggest that if not adequately addressed,

institutional education can effectively perpetuate Australia’s colonial legacy of

Indigenous disadvantage.

However, the case studies provided by Munns et al., (2013) ameliorate these

concerns and demonstrate how adherence to culturally responsive teaching

strategies, as outlined in policy and legislation, significantly improves Indigenous

students’ educational outcomes. The implications for this in relation to teaching

practice, are that an educational environment which explicitly incorporates

Indigenous perspectives, with recognition of the importance of cultural and

community connections, has the capacity to empower students’ Indigenous cultural

identities (Munns et al., 2013; Yeung et al., 2013; Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016). This

conclusion is supported by Yeung et al., (2013) who assert that educators must first

support and believe in the capacity of all students for success, in order for

Indigenous students to believe in themselves and their own potential. This practice is

evidenced throughout the research of Munns et al., (2013) with each school

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facilitating Indigenous students increased educational engagement through the

promotion of cultural empowerment and individual support.

In summation, evidence-based practice in education, which is informed by research

such as that of Keddie (2014) and Munns et al., (2013), can facilitate greater equity

in education for Indigenous students. This involves engagement with practices of

culturally responsive pedagogies of differentiation at the classroom level, as well as

the validation of Indigenous perspectives in education, which empower Indigenous

identities at the individual and institutional level (Keddie, 2014; Munns et al., 2013).

Therefore, the implications for teaching practice and the field of education as

previously examined, encourage an informed approach to promoting Indigenous

academic achievement in Australian schools (Boon & Lewthwaite, 2016).

References

AITSL. (2011). Australian professional standards for teachers. Retrieved from

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/apst-

resources/australian_professional_standard_for_teachers_final.pdf

Boon, H. J., & Lewthwaite, B. E. (2016). Signatures of quality teaching for

Indigenous students. Aust. Educ. Res., 43, 453-471. doi: 10.1007/s13384-

016-0209-4

Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2015). Applying educational research: How to

read, do, and use research to solve problems of practice. (7th ed.). Hoboken,

NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Gray, J. & Beresford, Q. (2008). A ‘formidable challenge’: Australia’s quest for equity

in Indigenous education. Australian Journal of Education, 52(2), 197- 223.

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Retrieved from https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/61989156?accountid=36155

Keddie, A. (2014). Indigenous representation and alternative schooling: Prioritising

an epistemology of relationality. International Journal of Inclusive Education,

18(1), 55-71. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2012.756949

Mills, M., Monk, S., Keddie, A., Renshaw, P., Christie, P., Geelan, D., & Gowlett, C.

(2014). Differentiated learning: from policy to classroom. Oxford Review of

Education, 40(3), 331-348. doi: 10.1080.03054985.2014.911725

Munns, G., O’Rourke, V., & Bodkin-Andrews, G. (2013). Seeding success: Schools

that work for Aboriginal students. The Australian Journal of Indigenous

Education, 42(1), 1-11. doi: 10.1017/jie.2013.6

van Kraayenoord, C. E. (2007). School and classroom practices in inclusive

education in Australia. Childhood Education, 83(6), 390-394. Retrieved from

https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/210389911?accountid=36155

Vass, G. (2013). ‘So what is wrong with Indigenous education?’ perspective, position

and power beyond a deficit discourse. The Australian Journal of Indigenous

Education, 41(2), 85-96. doi: 10.1017/jie.2012.25

Yeung, A. S., Craven, R. G., & Ali, J. (2013). Self-concepts and educational

outcomes of Indigenous Australian students in urban and rural school

settings. School Psychology International, 34(4), 405-427. doi:

10.1177/0143034312446890

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