How Effective is Tutorial Assistance for Aboriginal Students?
Abstract
AbstractThis report is a limited evaluation of the Tutorial Assistance program within the Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme.
Achievement of Aboriginal secondary students receiving tuition was analysed according to several criteria, including sex and the type of school attended. The major findings were:
Tutored Aboriginal students had significantly higher achievement than untutored students, in both English and Mathematics.
Aboriginal students in boarding schools had significantly higher achievement than those in state schools, regardless of tutoring.
There were no significant differences between male and female students.
It could not be concluded that tutorial assistance caused the superior performance of tutored students. Student motivation was a highly possible intervening factor, and there are probably many others.
In addition, various solutions to the problem of underachievement by Aboriginal students were ranked according to their effectiveness as perceived by people in the tutorial program. Three solutions were judged equally preferable and viable:
Employing more Aboriginal teachers, aides and counsellors.
Providing tutorial assistance to Aboriginal students.
Sensitising non-Aboriginal teachers to the problems faced by Aboriginal students.
References
Aboriginal Community Education Centre, 1981: Community Education Counsellor Training Report. Vol 2(2), Townsville
Australian Schools Commission, 1973: Schools in Australia. Report of the Interim Committee. A.G.P.S. Canberra.
Australian Information Service, 1980: The Australian Aborigines. A.G.P.S. Canberra.
Bourke S.F. & Keeves J.P., 1977 : Australian Studies in School Performance. Vol.3. The Mastery of Literacy and Numeracy. Final Report. Cited in Watts B.H., 1981 .
Campbell D.T. & Stanley J.C., 1963 : Experimental and Quasi-experimental Designs for Research. Rand McNally, Chicago.
Dunn-Rankin P., 1981: Basic methods in the measurement of qualitative data. University of Hawaii, xerox, Honolulu.
de Lacey P., 1970: A cross-cultural study of classificatory ability in Australia. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 1(4) 1970.
de Lemos M., 1979: Aboriginal students in Victoria. A.C.E.R. Research monograph.
McElwain D. & Kearney G., 1973: Intellectual development. In Kearney G., G., Lacey P. de , & Davidson J. (Eds): The Psychology of Australian Aborigines. Wiley , Australia.
Meade P., 1979: The influence of the secondary allowance scheme on the educational experience of Sydney High School Students. Draft report, Commonwealth Education Department, Canberra.
National Aboriginal Education Committee, 1980: Rationale, Aims and Objectives in Aboriginal Education. A.G.P.S. Canberra.
Prior J.M., 1978 : Learning problems of Australian Aborigines and the implications for compensatory education. M.Ed. Dissertation, James Cook University, Townsville.
Tannock P.D. & Punch K.F., 1975 : The Educational Status of Aboriginal Children in Western Australia. Cited in Watts,B.H., 1981.
Watts B.H., 1976 : Access to Education: An Evaluation of the Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme. A.G.P.S. Canberra.
Watts B.H., 1981 : Aboriginal Futures: Review of Research and Developments and Related Policies in the Education of Aborigines. ERDC Report No.33. A.G.P.S. Canberra.
