Strengthening Australian Aboriginal participation in university STEM programs: A Northern Territory perspective

Strengthening Australian Aboriginal participation in university STEM programs: A Northern Territory perspective Conference Paper

Knowledge Intersections: Exploring the Research of Central Australia

• Author(s): Osborne, Samuel, Paige, Kathy, Hattam, Rob, Rigney, Lester-Irabinna, Morrison, Anne
• Published: 2017

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Abstract: The broad discipline of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) has become a global focus for education and employment. Currently, Indigenous students are less likely to engage in STEM programs and careers than in other disciplines such as education, health, social sciences and arts. In Australia, schools and tertiary institutions are investigating opportunities to increase Indigenous participation in STEM. In 2016, the XE Maths project documented a series of six case studies of diverse Australian tertiary programs focussed on increasing Indigenous participation in STEM (Paige, Hattam, Rigney, Osborne & Morrison, 2016). This paper documents Charles Darwin University’s initiatives, including the Whole of Community Engagement program, which provides pathways and enabling supports to potential university students across six very remote communities in the Northern Territory. Capacity within communities, a long-term commitment and vision, and culturally responsive approaches such as Both-ways STEM education are identified as central to increasing remote Indigenous community engagement with tertiary-level STEM.

• Urls: https://www.batchelor.edu.au/biite/wp-content/uploads/Research-Symposium-Proceedings-2017_web.pdf
• Publisher Location: Alice Springs