ITAS in a virtual environment – quality and efficacy in Indigenous tertiary student support
Susan Beetson, Annie Tyhuis, Susan Willsteed, Juliana McLaughlin, Sue Whatman
Conclusion
Implications for further work
Our findings at this early stage of the project confirm what has been suggested in earlier publications (Oodgeroo Unit, 2003; Morgan, 2003) about the burden of administration that is placed upon institutions that offer ITAS. New guidelines which still emphasise the reporting of statistical outcomes and financial acquittal over and above the quality of teaching and learning outcomes have translated into onerous trails of paperwork, the labour for which is not properly reimbursed by DEST, and results in serious impediments to Oodgeroo Unit employees’ abilities to meet their other career obligations. Clearly, the ongoing consequences for staff who continue to offer ITAS under these conditions deserve further critique and would further illuminate impediments to the quality of teaching and learning in ITAS in the future.
The definition of “success” of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at university, including those who do not access ITAS (accounting for 80% of QUT Indigenous students in 2007) still requires much further exploration, particularly, as Herbert (2005) suggested, from a student perspective. Morgan (2003, p. 10) noted a possible reason that students may not use ITAS as “some may see it as an admission of failure to avail themselves of it”. The purpose of ITAS may not be generally well understood by all stakeholders, and this beginning study has clearly uncovered correlations between the restrictive nature of the funding guidelines and the nature of the teaching and learning relationship that is possible between tutors and students. More investigation is required into this issue.
With continual changes to the guidelines and funding criteria, staff members who administer the program need to create enduring systems of administration and quality assurance. This comprises two, interrelated aspects. First, a critical curriculum design to ITAS, based upon dynamic involvement of all stakeholders (tutors, students, academic advisors and professional staff) beyond the minimum requirements for work programs. Second, a data management system that not only captures the minimum quantitative and qualitative data requirements for reporting to DEST, but can actually inform the kinds of changes that we have indicated may be required from this study. The system design must capture and contain quality data and additional knowledge that can be used internally to inform the practice of all stakeholders. For example, tutors indicated a need for greater understanding of cultural awareness – the ITAS system could provide this knowledge in a dynamic forum with instant access, without waiting for a “once a year” cultural awareness training session. DEST rules prevent tutors from being paid to attend more than one session, yet this implies cultural awareness is a knowledge set that can be completely acquired and understood in two hours. The consequences of restrictions such as these can be countered with strategic development of ITAS management systems.
The QUT Oodgeroo Unit has progressed this argument throughout 2007 with the development of a prototype ITAS management system that operates in a virtual environment. All stakeholders are envisaged to enter this virtual environment to access, participate, report, teach and learn through ITAS in the imminent future. The user requirements, needs analysis and design phases of this research project are beyond the scope of this paper and will be published subsequent to this.