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Making the most of research: How boarding can benefit from meaningful
research opportunities
Tessa Benveniste BMedSc, BPsySc (hons) PhD candidate Appleton Ins6tute (CQUniversity Adelaide) Coopera6ve Research Centre for Remote Economic Par6cipa6on
Supervisors: Drew Dawson, John Guenther, Sophia Rainbird
Outline of talk
1) Research as an evolving practice!!!2) Existing Research in Boarding!!!3) Current research in boarding!
!!! !!
4) Applying research to practice!!
Its not necessarily what you think… !
Research has evolved from the traditional ‘observer’ and ‘observed’ model!
• Taking a step back and reflecting!
Research can be about…!
• Getting a fresh perspective/ new set of eyes !
Research can be about…!
• Moving forward or adapting to change!
Research can be about…!
• Getting creative!!
Research can be about…!
Use Research to your advantage…!
Critical (honest!) reflection and understanding other options!
Shift from ideological to evidence based policy !
Inquiry !Asking yourself questions!Uncovering what’s hidden!
Problems to solve!Clarify what we need answers to!
Furthering knowledge!
Providing evidence!Argument for funding !
Support for current procedures !
!
Critical reflection!What works best!
What could be improved!Goals/ motivations!
!
!
Research!
Therefore research can be…!
What research exists in boarding? !
• Academic literature!
• Limited !!• Scattered!
• International/ historical!• Transitions/ adolescence !• Attachment theories !
• Often outdated!• One recent large-scale study;!
Martin, A. J., Papworth, B., Ginns, P., & Arief D.Liem, G. (2014). Boarding School, Academic Motivation and Engagement, and Psychological Well-Being: A Large-Scale Investigation. American Educational Research Journal, 1-43. doi: 10.3102/0002831214532164!
!
What research exists in boarding? !
• Some recent PhD research !• Completed !
• Mander, D. J. (2012). The transition experience to boarding school for male Aboriginal secondary school students from regional and remote communities across Western Australia.!
!• Hadwen, K. M. (2015). Leaving home: Investigating
transitioning challenges faced by boarding students and their families. !
• Forthcoming!• Tessa Benveniste (me)!
• Marnie O’Brian (Melbourne based) !
• Richard Stewart (AFL Cape York House)!
Despite the limited amount of research… !
• Boarding schools are increasingly featuring in policy and media discussions about Indigenous education!
• Wilson’s review of NT Indigenous Education has led to recommendations leading to 10 year strategic plan, which states; !
“Families in very remote communities will be prepared to send their children to board in regional centres for high school, as the government cannot offer the same standard of secondary schooling in remote communities”!
!
Why particular focus on Indigenous education?!
0!
5!
10!
15!
20!
25!
30!
35!
40!
45!
50!
Major Cities! Regional ! Remote!
Percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Youth (0-24 years) by Remoteness!
Remoteness structure of Australia!
Factors to consider about Australian Boarding!
!• Size/ remoteness of Australia !
• Boarding facilities spread across the country!• Students can be thousands of kms from home!• Varied cultural backgrounds!
• Funding !• Cost of travel !• Scope/ timeline!!
• Varied models of accommodation!• Private boarding schools!• Residential programs!• Family group homes!• Hostels!
Many perspectives to consider!
Student!
Family!
Community!
School!
Residence!
Current research
My PhD – an example of boarding research !
• Doctoral research study!• 3 years full time!• Funded by CQU and CRC!• Working with community researcher!
• Developed from extensive consultation !• Boarding providers!• Remote community members!• Families of boarders!
• Remote APY lands/ Central Australian region!• Wiltja program!• PYEC, SA department of education!
The Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands!
Aims and Objectives !
1. To explore the expectations, experiences and driving forces behind boarding for remote Aboriginal families!
!2. To explore staff expectations, experiences and driving forces of
the residential program!!3. To understand the experiences of past boarding students in their
lives after boarding!
Why Board?!How
boarding works!
Outcomes of boarding!
Beyond Boarding Project timeline !
Year 1: Set up Project, explored boarding options, got to know area, began volunteering with two boarding programs!
Year 2: Developed and refined project, gained ethics approval, began learning Pitjantjatjara, volunteered regularly at Wiltja residence, visits to APY lands!
Year 3: Data collection (interviews), analysis, write up, dissemination of results (thesis, academic publications, report back to community and Wiltja)!
How could research assist current practice? !
• Define success!• Support Program !• Post-boarding? !
• Re-affirm!• Hierarchy !
• Refine!• Justify !
• Students!• Staff!• Families!
Wellbeing! Policy/ procedure!
!Outcomes!
!Goals!
‘The bigger picture’: Some thoughts to leave you with…
• How does boarding affect students in the long-term? !
• Have some policies/ models worked better than others? !
• What do children need the most? !
• What do families need? !
• What happens if things don’t work out? What other options are/ should be available? !
• Where are they from? Do they want to return to community or move away? Does this change what skills they need? !
Disclaimer !The work reported in this presentation was supported by funding from the Australian Government Cooperative Research Centres Program through the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the CRC REP or Ninti One Limited or its participants. Errors or omissions remain with the author!
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