Factors contributing to educational outcomes for First Nations students from remote communities : A systematic review

• Published in: Australian educational researcher Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 319 - 340
• Main Authors: Guenther, John, Lowe, Kevin, Burgess, Catherine, Vass, Greg, Moodie, Nikki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2019; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aboriginal education; Aboriginal students; Access to education; Achievement Gap; Content analysis; Database Management Systems; Distance Education; Education; Education policy; Educational Attainment; Educational Objectives; Educational Policy; Educational Policy and Politics; Educational Practices; Educational Psychology; Educational Research; Evidence; Evidence based practice; Failure; Foreign Countries; Geographic isolation; Indigenous Populations; Instructional Effectiveness; Libraries; Methods; Mixed Methods Research; Native peoples; Native students; Outcomes of Education; Parent Participation; Policy formation; Preschool Children; Primary secondary education; Problem solving; Qualitative research; Research design; Rural Education; Schools; Students; Success factors; Systematic review; Systematic reviews; Teaching and Teacher Education; Teaching effectiveness; Teaching Methods; Torres Strait Islander education; Torres Strait Islander students; Underachievement; Australia; Torres Strait; Educational outcomes; Success factors; Systematic review; First Nations; Remote education
• ISSN: 0311-6999; 2210-5328
• DOI: 10.1007/s13384-019-00308-4

Education for Australian First Nations students living in remote communities has long been seen as an intractable problem. Ten years of concerted effort under Closing the Gap and related policy initiatives has done little to change outcomes beyond small, incremental improvements. Programs and strategies promising much have come and gone, and most have died a quiet death. This apparent failure leaves the context of remote education ripe for the picking. If we can demonstrate what works and why, it may provide an answer to the problem. This systematic review aims to uncover what research reveals about what does make a difference to outcomes for students. The review found 45 papers that provide considerable evidence to show what is and is not effective. The review also found several issues that have little or no evidence and which could be the subject of more research. [Author abstract]