When Higher Education Is Possible but Not Desirable: Widening Participation and the Aspirations of Australian Indigenous School Students
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| Title: | When Higher Education Is Possible but Not Desirable: Widening Participation and the Aspirations of Australian Indigenous School Students |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Gore, Jennifer, Patfield, Sally, Holmes, Kathryn, Smith, Maxwell, Lloyd, Adam, Gruppetta, Maree, Weaver, Natasha, Fray, Leanne |
| Source: | Australian Journal of Education. Aug 2017 61(2):164-183. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2017 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Elementary Education Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Higher Education, College Attendance, Academic Aspiration, Occupational Aspiration, High Achievement, Academic Achievement, Self Efficacy, School Location, Rural Urban Differences, Gender Differences, Socioeconomic Status, Student Characteristics, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Public Schools, Indigenous Populations, Longitudinal Studies, National Competency Tests, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Australia |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0004944117710841 |
| ISSN: | 0004-9441 |
| Abstract: | Indigenous students remain vastly under-represented within higher education in Australia. While aspirations have been a key focus of the widening participation agenda, the aspirations of Indigenous students have largely been overlooked. Drawing on survey data collected as part of a mixed methods longitudinal study conducted with students in Years 3 to 12 (n = 6492) from New South Wales government schools, this study investigated the occupational and educational aspirations of 432 Indigenous school students. While we found that Indigenous and non-Indigenous students held similar occupational aspirations, Indigenous students were much less likely to aspire to attend university. Most starkly, high-achieving Indigenous students were significantly less likely to aspire to university than their high-achieving non-Indigenous peers. Given this evidence, we argue that both the possibility and desirability of higher education must be addressed if the widening participation agenda is to meet equity targets for Indigenous students. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2021 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1282329 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Indigenous students remain vastly under-represented within higher education in Australia. While aspirations have been a key focus of the widening participation agenda, the aspirations of Indigenous students have largely been overlooked. Drawing on survey data collected as part of a mixed methods longitudinal study conducted with students in Years 3 to 12 (n = 6492) from New South Wales government schools, this study investigated the occupational and educational aspirations of 432 Indigenous school students. While we found that Indigenous and non-Indigenous students held similar occupational aspirations, Indigenous students were much less likely to aspire to attend university. Most starkly, high-achieving Indigenous students were significantly less likely to aspire to university than their high-achieving non-Indigenous peers. Given this evidence, we argue that both the possibility and desirability of higher education must be addressed if the widening participation agenda is to meet equity targets for Indigenous students. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0004-9441 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0004944117710841 |
