We need to be Innovative and Consistent in Meeting the Needs of Indigenous Australian Students in Enabling Programs Ross Skinner, Bronwyn McFarlane, Bronwyn Fredericks, Pamela Croft, Sandra Creamer and Julie Mann 4 th Enabling Symposium CQUniversity, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia 25 June 2014

The Tertiary Entry Program (TEP) was created in 2000 as a face-to- face on campus enabling / bridging program offered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Central Queensland

Tertiary Entry Program (TEP) * Established to prepare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students for successful participation in a university undergraduate or postgraduate degree program. * Sought to introduce students to university culture, computing skills, academic essays, reports and seminars. The program also offers electives in creative writing, politics, science and philosophy of science. (TEP, overview, page 1).

TEP was reviewed in 2011 The Review revealed: * Correctional centre access issues. * No trend data of articulation from TEP to undergraduate programs. * Disproportionate number of non-Indigenous staff to Indigenous staff teaching the TEP program. * Difficulty for rural and remote students. * Minimal computer access. * Minimal Indigenous content. (Nulloo Yumbah, 2010).

The Recommendations: 1. Focus more on completions than extending flexibility to Indigenous students. 2. Reduce the number of courses available and concentrate support energies to a reduced range of offerings. 3. Continue to draw on courses and resources developed elsewhere to which teaching and support approaches can be joined to strengthen TEP. 4. Adopt practices which encourage Indigenous students to assume responsibility for their own learning and time. (King, 2011, TEP Review Report 2011)

Additional Recommendations: 1. Engage with Indigenous communities who have a stake in Enabling program/s (communities across Australia). 2. Pathways planning for articulation from TAFE/ VET Certificate level programs into CQUniversity Enabling Programs. 3. Entry test be incorporated into an individual pathway planning process. 4. Engage a Program Manager/ Program Coordinator. 5. TEP should not be incorporated into a single Enabling program. (King, 2011, TEP Review Report 2011).

Other considerations: 1. Learning and Teaching alignment to be consistent for the benefit of Indigenous student outcomes. 2. Community engagement and alignment for Indigenous outcomes and CQUniversity outcomes. 3. Improve participation – enrolment, retention and pathways to undergraduate programs. 4. Invest in recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff for lecturing into enabling program/s and other programs. 5. Continue to develop infrastructure and systems. (TEP Review, 2011)

Consultation TEP Workshop & Broader Consultation, December 2012 – December 2013 STEPS, CQUni, Government, Community, School, Training Organisations and TAFE /VET reps and past students.

The Redevelopment of TEP In order to develop a pathway to University for Indigenous students, we are working towards: Embedding Indigenous content to reflect an inclusive curriculum. Embedding information literacy knowledge & skills. Developing entry & assessment processes to help identify the ‘best’ pathway for all Indigenous students to access CQUniversity. Increasing understandings in the broader Indigenous community of TEP & STEPS (another enabling program) and their unique and complementary offerings. Improving the online delivery and constantly exploring how we can be more innovative with the technology. We seek to adapt and implement new forms of learning and teaching within an Indigenous cultural domain online.

While we do offer the program online, TEP also offers 2 residential schools each term and is seeking to develop its capacity to offer these in varying locations throughout Australia. This will be dependent on student numbers and be able to be supported through CQUniversity’s multiple campus and study hub model. The residential schools compliment the online program.

TEP courses available in 2014 * EDED40351 Culture and Learning * EDHE40005 Independent Learning * COMM40054 Introduction to Creative Writing * EDCU40029 Numeracy Concepts & Applications * EDHE40006 Academic Communication * INDG40007 Indigenous Australians & Politics * LAWS40047 Introduction to Law in Australia Students requiring science, advanced mathematics and computing courses are cross-enrolled in STEPS courses (mainstream enabling program).

TEP courses available in 2015 * EDED40351 Culture and Learning * EDHE40005 Independent Learning * COMM40054 Introduction to Creative Writing * EDCU40029 Numeracy Concepts & Applications * LAWS40047 Introduction to Law in Australia * Indigenous Australians and Health * Indigenous Australians and Education * Indigenous Australians: Business and Economy * Indigenous Australians: The Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Students requiring science, advanced mathematics and computing courses are cross-enrolled in STEPS courses (mainstream enabling program).

Future Plans for TEP Align all learning outcomes with graduate attributes as per AQF & CQUniversity Access Program Attributes. Explore TAFE / VET Pathways. Continue to Redevelop the program to reflect broader Indigenous community & University needs in preparing students for undergraduate programs. Continue to work on flexible and online delivery for specific cohorts of Indigenous students. TEP students supported as per all Indigenous students and non- Indigenous students at CQUniversity. TEP aligned with all Indigenous engagement activities at CQUniversity. ‘Engagement inside and outside of the university’.

Engaging inside and outside CQUniversity and across regions

TEP Graduations

Seeing TEP students go on to graduate with undergraduate degrees and go on to work or further study or live in a range of regions or...…

Questions ? Ross Skinner and Bron McFarlane Office of Indigenous Engagement and