Indigenous Education: Pathways to success

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release: Friday 5 August 2011

Teachers, policymakers and researchers will gather in Darwin next week to review research about creating and sustaining positive educational outcomes for Indigenous students and debate how lessons learned from this research can be put into practice.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) annual conference opens on Sunday.

ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters says the theme of Research Conference 2011 was chosen to highlight that Indigenous education is an area of high priority in Australia.

“The purpose of this conference is to learn from research about the most effective ways to close the gap in educational outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students,” Professor Masters said.

“This is a significant challenge, not just for education, but for all of Australia. This conference brings together experts in Indigenous cultures, education, early childhood, health and government policy, with the aim of working together to support Indigenous learning,” he said.

The conference features four keynote addresses and 15 concurrent sessions. Speakers include:

• ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters
• Charles Sturt University’s Foundation Chair of Indigenous Studies, Professor Jeannie Herbert
• Dean of Aboriginal Education and Director of the Wilto Yerlo Centre at Adelaide University, Professor Lester-Irabinna Rigney
• Menzies School of Health Research director, Professor Jonathon Carapetis, and
• COAG Reform Council Senior Adviser, Kate Connors.

Presenters will highlight the conditions, contexts, curriculum, pedagogy and practices that establish pathways to success for Indigenous students.

The ACER Research Conference 2011, on the theme Indigenous education: Pathways to success, takes place in Darwin from 7 to 9 August.

Further information is available from http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2011/  

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