Abstract
Abstract In the context of a stark discrepancy in the educational outcomes of Aboriginal Australians compared to non-Aboriginal Australians, this article aims to contribute the voices of rural Aboriginal high school students to the discourse. This article utilises an appreciative enquiry approach to analyse the opinions and aspirations of 12 Aboriginal high school students in a South Australian regional centre. Drawing on student perspectives from semi-structured interviews, this article contributes to and contextualises the growing body of literature regarding educational aspirations. It demonstrates how rurality influences a complex system of intrinsic attributes, relationship networks and contextual factors. It offers an important counterpoint to discourses surrounding academic disadvantage and highlights the lived experience of rural Aboriginal Australians.
Highlights
The disparity between health and educational outcomes for Aboriginal1 and non-Aboriginal Australians remains a current issue
This paper is important as it highlights the complex interplay of internal and external factors to the Aboriginal student secondary school completion experience and demonstrates the changing landscape of Aboriginal students in the literature
This study demonstrates the impact of rurality on the narrow aspiration window that is the reality for some Aboriginal students
Summary
The disparity between health and educational outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians remains a current issue. The Halsey review (2017) noted a decreasing completion of year 12 and pursuit of further tertiary education with increasing remoteness. This study aims to investigate aspiration and motivation of Aboriginal students living in a rural township. According to Gale et al (2010) two key barriers to higher education for all students are low academic achievement and low motivation and aspiration. Much of the available literature on Aboriginal Australian student aspiration and motivation is from research conducted in remote areas. The concept of a ‘narrow aspiration window’ externalises educational disadvantage rather than assuming a ‘lack within’ students (Harwood et al, 2015). This study will examine how rurality influences intrinsic attributes, relationship networks and contextual factors to narrow the aspiration window of Aboriginal students
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