ITAS in a virtual environment – quality and efficacy in Indigenous tertiary student support
Susan Beetson, Annie Tyhuis, Susan Willsteed, Juliana McLaughlin, Sue Whatman
Discussion
Problematising Issues with ITAS tuition
Several key issues were raised from responses to the surveys. These include the inflexibility of DEST requirements, student – tutor relationships and the resources to support learning experiences.
Inflexibility of DEST requirements
The schedule of tuition is strictly guided by DEST guidelines. Inflexibility of ITAS tuition can overshadow the quality of learning. As noted previously, one tutor observes that ITAS can be used as “crunch time”, students would desperately seek tutor input into assessment tasks instead of perceiving ITAS tutorials as a two way form of academic input over the entire semester. This involves in-depth discussions between tutor and student on the content matter.
One major problem with time management: The simple formula of two-hours-per-unit-per-week adds significant time obligations to what can already be a very time-poor week for a student. It has been my experience that, for most, this amount of time can pose a stress capable of negating the original intent to provide assistance. Rather than attempt to provide tutoring in all of the units for a full-time load, it would seem to be more beneficial to cover the most problematic units but to leave at least one unit for the student to complete themselves. This reduces the time commitment of face-to-face meetings, and also enables the student to assess for themselves the benefit of tutorial assistance, thereby returning a degree of determination to the student. The fundamentals of scholarship afforded overall by tutorial contact are sufficient assistance to the student for constructing a personal frame or method of learning. Insisting on a one-size-fits-all formula risks extra stress and can detract from the agency of the student in their own advancement (ITAS tutor # 7).
Such reflections and observations by a tutor with years of experience raise several issues for consideration and correlate with concerns already presented of past ITAS students. First, it reveals the complexities of the restrictions set by external agencies that may not necessarily appreciate the individual needs of students and tutors. Second, ITAS is a supplementary program, thus adds pressure to full-time students to keep their commitments to attend scheduled classes and then additional time to attend ITAS. Most students are also allocating hours for ITAS while balancing these with part-time work. It can be argued then that such commitments can make an impact on attendance at ITAS tutorial sessions, an issue which continues to dominate many ITAS sessions with “no show” as final outcome. Indeed, within the current arrangements, and as noted by the tutor and students above, insisting on a one-size-fits-all formula (maximum of two hours per week per subject) can likely reduce the prioritisation by students of meeting ITAS commitments and to take ownership of their own learning.
Student / Tutor Relationships
Employment of ITAS is always on a part-time basis. While the Oodgeroo Unit has been quite fortunate to engage experienced tutors in a variety of disciplines, the turn-over of staff is high on an annual basis. Much time is expended on recruiting appropriate tutors. Students commented on the mis-match of tutors, particularly when tutors did not have the appropriate qualifications or background in the field of study. For example, Past ITAS Student B noted “Sometimes (my tutor) had no idea of the content”. Another issue concerned the over-commitment by tutors, having too many other commitments in addition to ITAS tutorial responsibilities, and thus, less flexibility in time and place of ITAS tuition to meet the learning needs of the student. For example, students noted that the least helpful attribute of his or her tutor was:
Time management, both working full-time and having commitments outside of work and study. (ITAS Student #19).
Don’t like it when we have to fit into their timetable, they should fit into ours (ITAS student # 3).
More importantly, students also noted the insensitivities displayed by some tutors with regard to not allowing students to take ownership of their study. “Successful outcomes” as expected by DEST are complicated by problematic power relationships that occur between tutors and students over how to pass assessment items. This student articulated a negative attribute of tutors as being:
When the tutor tries to make changes to your assignment so that it sounds like their work. (ITAS Student #3)
Tutors, on the other hand, found their involvement with ITAS contributed to improving their knowledge base, clarifying understanding within their own field of expertise, and enhanced their pedagogies. Contributing to students’ successful completion was both professionally and personally rewarding. Tutors also commented on how their participation in ITAS increased their employment prospects.
A substantial number of tutors commented on how much they valued the relationships they had formed with students. They described a sense of achievement in seeing students develop both personally and academically. This engagement enhanced their sense of social justice, their recognition of and contribution to Indigenous equality through education.
As a justice and human rights theorist I have particularly enjoyed exploring aspects of the relationship between white and [I]ndigenous Australia(ns) with my students. I have come to know that I understand a lot less about [I]ndigenous perspectives than I had once thought. I enjoy the one-on-one teaching much more than I do class teaching and I thoroughly enjoy the teaching and learning relationships I’ve been able to develop with students (ITAS tutor # 3).
Additionally, tutors reported that the insights they gained from participating in ITAS tuition arrangements contributed positively to their pedagogical practice outside of the ITAS relationship:
I have found it personally beneficial to clarify my own understanding and knowledge within my field of education by interacting [with] and assisting Indigenous students. Through this work I can continue to reflect on my own practice, beliefs and knowledge while also assisting others in a meaningful and worthwhile way (ITAS Tutor #2).
Individual tutoring in a unit that I have tutored to groups for a quite a while, has enabled me to see what topics and areas in the unit require greater focus and attention. I am more able to see things from a student’s perspective which improves my teaching in general. It has also been personally rewarding to see students grow in their skills and understanding through ITAS tutoring (ITAS Tutor # 5).
Tutors noted that working in the ITAS program gave them the opportunity to become more culturally aware and have a greater understanding of Indigenous perspectives through their professional relationships with students.
Working WITH Aboriginal people is far more educational than trying to learn about issues through the veil of ignorance that is provided by the media. I thank the management for adding expansively to my understanding of both Indigenous culture and also culture as a general concept, and for the insights into understanding both difference and sameness (ITAS Tutor #7)
Participation in the ITAS program also contributed significantly to the tutors’ sense of professional accomplishment when they were privy to the “success” of students either through good results, or gaining employment upon graduation:
The aspect of ITAS that I’ve found professionally rewarding is the opportunity to support students to achieve life and study goals. Each student is different in their abilities and commitment to study and it is a unique experience to be able to work with individuals (ITAS Tutor # 12).
Extremely satisfying to feel that my work with Indigenous students can result in more Indigenous people attaining positions of power and influence e.g. as teachers (ITAS Tutor #13).
The most satisfying professional aspects include the graduation of my students as RN’s (I have a 100% graduation rate), these students become my close friends and colleges and I find this extremely rewarding. With regards to my academic status, I have found that my knowledge base has continually increased as I have to retain and teach information regularly (ITAS Tutor # 14).
Understanding Student “Success”
The significance of findings such as these for this project is the broader definitions of “success” used by various tutors and students. Achieving a good grade was only one of a variety of indicators of “success” – seeing changes to students’ life skills, achieving study goals, (regardless of grade), attaining positions of power and influence, or desirable employment upon graduation were all specified in the tutor survey results, as indicated above. Herbert (2005, p. 14) found similar student understandings of success, in that the development of life skills may be seen as more important than their grade point average (GPA). She noted that DEST perceptions of success, however, were aligned with academic outcomes and course completions, reflecting strong linkages to Federal Government economic policy (2005, p. 14). Paradoxically though, DEST does not require education providers to compile graduate destinations against ITAS provision, and the administrative procedures inherent in the program do not systematically capture these potential indicators of success.
Another “successful” outcome of ITAS not currently measured is the contribution to the cultural awareness of the tutoring staff and the consequences of their improved knowledge base in other teaching and learning settings. We mentioned earlier in the background to the research that QUT has embarked on a series of projects embedding Indigenous perspectives, which has contributed to a growing awareness of the benefit to all Australians, not only Indigenous Australians, of Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous perspectives (Phillips, 2005). ITAS is yet another pathway for respect for Indigenous knowledge and perspectives to increase and be recognised in academia. This correlates with Herbert’s (2005, p. 10-11) findings that students regard such a two-way, ‘enabling’ exchange as not only a way of becoming empowered themselves, but also as a way of enhancing the reconciliation process within universities. This outcome is as important to students as their own empowerment, because of the potential for societal change (p. 11).