Michelle Pidgeon

Pushing against the Margins: Indigenous Theorizing of “Success” and Retention in Higher Education

What does it mean to be “successful” in higher education? For some in mainstream society, the value is placed on the financial status gained from a university education. Governments and university administration measure success through graduation rates. While the economic and social benefits of a university education are also important to Aboriginal people, successful negotiation of mainstream higher education also entails maintaining their cultural integrity (Tierney & Jun, 2001). Broadening notions of success and corresponding retention theories is important to move forward the agenda of Aboriginal higher education. The purpose of this article is to further the theoretical and practical discussions of educational success of Aboriginal students. Using social reproduction theory and a post-colonial framework, this article presents an argument that shows how/why conventional discourses on retention and student success often exclude Indigenous understandings and worldviews. To this end, it provides a counter-hegemonic on current discourses relating to retention and Aboriginal persistence in mainstream institutions. The article concludes with some thoughts on how to enrich the educational experiences of Aboriginal students from an Indigenous understanding of success and retention.

Australian teachers voice their perceptions of the influences of stereotypes, mindsets and school structure on teachers’ expectations of Indigenous students

Abstract Research demonstrates that teachers’ expectations of students have long-term effects on students’ educational, occupational, health and well-being outcomes. In this Australian-based study, teachers were invited to explore the questions Do teachers have different expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students? Why/why not? The findings provide insight into how teachers perceive the expectations of other teachers in relation to Indigenous learners and highlight the underlying assumptions of those perceptions. Teachers also provide valuable insight into what they feel is needed to address these issues. Recommendations are made to enhance pre-service teacher education and professional development to better support those working with Indigenous learners.

Moving between theory and practice within an Indigenous research paradigm

There has been a paradigm shift amongst Indigenous peoples and researchers about how research with Indigenous peoples is conceived, implemented, and articulated. The result has been referred to as the Indigenous research paradigm (Wilson, 2003) and has taken the shape of Indigenous research methodologies and processes. The purpose of this article is to discuss the tenets of the Indigenous research paradigm in relation to its practical application within two research projects conducted in higher education settings in British Columbia, Canada. In sharing how these principles are lived during the research process, it discusses how each project embodied Indigenous research processes by being respectful, relevant, responsible, and reciprocal.