This document discusses the discourse around educational disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in remote areas. It argues that this discourse frames indigeneity as the disadvantage, reinforces existing power dynamics, and is based on assumptions from Western education systems. Alternative indicators of educational advantage are proposed that incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander philosophies and values and better suit remote communities. The document advocates developing a new discourse focused on educational success in these contexts.

1. Red dirt thinking
on educational
disadvantage
John Guenther
Sam Osborne
Melodie Bat

2. Red Dirt Thinking
• Thinking grounded in the context of remote Australia
• Thinking which reflects the vast openness of possibilities
• The utopian of the ‘blue sky’ versus the pragmatic reality of the ‘red dirt’
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3. The discourse of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander educational disadvantage
• Disparity
• Gap to be closed
• Deficit difference
• Remoteness
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4. Risks of the disadvantage discourse
• Indigeneity is the disadvantage
• Who defines advantage and on what basis?
• ‘Exceptionalism’ on the basis of race
• Reinforces existing power dynamics and reproduces
itself
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5. The data used to support the discourse
• Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage (Steering
Committee for the Review of Government Service
Provision, 2011a)
• Lower school attendance and enrolment rates;
• Poorer teacher quality (though no data are offered on this one);
• A lack of Indigenous Cultural Studies in school curricula (again no
data to support this);
• Low levels of Year 9 attainment;
• Low levels of Year 10 attainment; and
• Difficulties in the transition from school to work.
Proportion of 20-64 year olds with non-school
qualifications at Certificate III or higher
Remote* 2002 2008
Aboriginal and Torres 14.4% 18.4%
Strait Islander
Non-Indigenous 38.6% 45.5%
The gap widens 5

6. The data used to support the discourse
• NAPLAN
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Non-Indigenous
Islander
(Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2011, pp. 18-19)
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7. Measuring Australia’s Progress
• Diversity within an Australia with homogenous aspirations and outcomes
expectations
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8. Assumptions behind the discourse and data
• Philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of
Australia’s education system: From Aristotle, Plato and
Socrates through to Rousseau, Dewey and Coleman
• The discourse of education and individualism (see Carr, 2010)
• Discourse of education and social theories (see Dewey, 1938,
Friere, 1970, Coleman, 1990)
• The development discourse and education (see Leadbeater,
2012)
• The knowledge and skills discourse (Siegel, 2010)
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9. A frame of reference for educational advantage in
Australia
Psychology of education Economics of education
Knowledge system, Paid work
Identity Productive systems
reasoning and logic
Critical thinking
Individual Self-actualisation
knowledge and Choice Wealth creation
skills Self-expression
Education and
schooling
Personal agency
Civic participation and control
Socialisation Civic
engagement
Democracy
Power and control Belief systems Norms and values
Belonging to the
nation
Philosophy of education Sociology of education
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10. Indicators of advantage
• Transitions to employment (high achievement is
rewarded with better paid work);
• Further and higher education transitions (high
achievement in literacy and numeracy unlocks the
world of critical thinking);
• Occupational destination and status (increased status
yields greater individual wealth);
• Career choice (the broader the range of choices the
greater the apparent personal agency); and
• Progress and aspiration (a better education leads to
societal and national progress).
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11. Conversely, indicators of disadvantage:
• Higher levels of unemployment;
• Low achievement in English language literacy and
numeracy
• Low levels of wealth;
• Higher levels of welfare dependence;
• Social marginalisation; and
• Disengagement from the democratic process.
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12. Towards a new discourse of success in remote learning
• What would happen for example if we underpinned our new system with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander philosophies?
• What would happen if we incorporated into our system a new set of norms
and values, identities and knowledge systems?
• What would happen if we built into our new curriculum, a set of values
that reflected internationally recognised expectations of equality,
responsibility, participation, cooperation, dignity, freedom, security, peace,
protection (conservation), respect, dialogue, integrity, diversity, tolerance,
justice, solidarity (de Leo, 2012 Appendix 18)?
• Would the strong focus on individual learning be replaced by a
cooperative approach?
• Would civic participation be replaced by something completely different?
• Would the education system start with the premise of schooling or some
other teaching and learning structure?
• What would happen if the outcomes of education were reshaped to better
suit the needs of people living in remote communities?
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13. Data and assumptions
• Data tell us that remote schools are failing and in some cases the ‘gap’
is widening.
• But data is built on assumptions
• The assumptions reveal that the presence of system elements and
outcomes related to work, wealth, critical thinking, personal agency
and control as well as democracy and belonging to the nation, frame
the indicators and therefore the rhetoric of educational advantage.
• The absence of these system elements and outcomes is therefore
reflected in the discourse of disadvantage.
• The question we have is: What would an advantageous education look like
in remote Australia?
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14. Contact
John Guenther
john.guenther@flinders.edu.au
0412 125 661
Melodie Bat
melodie.bat@cdu.edu.au
0427 226 561
Sam Osborne
sam.osborne@nintione.com.au
0408 719 939
Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation
http://www.crc-rep.com
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