DIVERSITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND LEARNING Assignment 1: Difference and

Intercultural Understandings on Teaching and Learning

This essay will critically analyse the social justice issue and related discourses that race,

ethnicity and class might impact upon a students’ educational aspirations and life chances in

regards to Indigenous Australian Students. Throughout this essay the theme of education will

be assessed in relation to this population group and Australia. A key statistic that underpins

educational aspirations and life chances is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016)

which states “In 2014–15, just over one in five (21%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people aged 15 years and over were enrolled in formal study, including 15% who were

studying full-time. Females (23%) were more likely than males (19%) to be studying, and

people in non-remote areas were twice as likely as those in remote areas to be studying. This

statistic demonstrates that educational aspirations are negatively impacted within this

population group and thus needs to be investigated. Through the use of sociological theory

frameworks such as critical theory and Marxism, this essay will investigate inequalities that

exist within this population group with a focus on race, ethnicity and class and how they

influence education whilst making recommendations for future educational teaching

practices.

In regards to educational aspirations, an individual’s social class can either positively or

negatively influence the way an individual perceives the importance of education. In relation

to literature, (Bornstein& Bradley, 2014) Suggests that Socio economic status (SES) plays a

crucial role in child development and how the environment around the individual shapes

them into the person they become, this can be seen through the comparison of high

socioeconomic status vs low socioeconomic status people in which this literature states that

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“individuals with a high SES allows an individual to fully realise their adaptive capacities and

behavioural tendencies whilst protecting individuals from the ravages of incompetence while

low SES people are constrained from realising maximum adaptive functioning”. To further

explore this perception, literature by (Rubin, Denson, Kilpatrick, Matthews, Stehlik &

Zyngier, 2014) states that “low-SES students are less likely to obtain good grades, complete

their degrees, and feel socially integrated while in university”. From analysing the literature

associated with education and class it’s clear that educational aspirations are influenced by an

individual’s socioeconomic status. To further illustrate this topic area literature by (Gore,

Holmes, Smith, Southgate& Albright, 2015) shows the difference in career aspirations

between both high and low SES population groups. Ultimately this research found that high

SES people were certain in the career that they wanted and reported that they wanted higher

levels of jobs that were prestigious and low SES people reported that they wanted a job that

made them happy rather than prestigious job that earned more money than other jobs. This

literature further shows the difference in class and educational aspirations.

The next theme that will be explored through literature is race. Literature by (Yanow, 2015)

states that “The definition of race is complex and multifaceted be described as a socially

constructed concept that groups people within a specific category (e.g. White, black)”. In

relation to educational aspirations and race, this theme will be analysed through the

population groups of indigenous and non-indigenous people. This can be analysed through

research by (Bodkin-Andrews, Denson & Bansel, 2013) which investigated Academic

disengagement between indigenous and non-indigenous students. In relation to non-

indigenous students, this study found that both groups of students disengaged when

experiencing racial discrimination and lower levels of cultural respect. Specifically

Indigenous student identified that negative outcomes were due to discrimination which

related to self-sabotaging behaviour, but this behaviour changed when the Indigenous

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students perceived higher levels of cultural respect from others. This research also suggested

that indigenous students are at a greater risk of racism. From this research, it’s possible that

educational aspirations may be negatively influenced due to racial/ discriminatory

behaviours. To overcome this ideology, literature by (Banks, 2015) suggests that teachers

who provide a classroom free of prejudice and stereotypical misconceptions can improve

connections between culture and classrooms and how students perceive education. From

analysing the literature, race and educational aspirations work interdependently and can have

both positive and negative outcomes

Similar to race, ethnicity is a broad and complex term that has no definitive definition.

Ethnicity can be explained through literature by (Tonkin, McDonald & Chapman, 2016) as

the classification and cognition of who we are. In relation to ethnicity and education,

literature (Booth & Dunn, 2013) suggests that ethnicity along with other factors as

socioeconomic status and culture influences both educational achievement and educational

aspirations. The authors of this literature reiterate that a student’s parents play a key role into

influencing their overall educational achievement and their aspirations later on in life. In

relation to indigenous youth and educational aspirations, research by (Homel & Ryan, 2014)

investigated the relationship between student back grounds, educational aspirations and

educational outcomes. Ultimately the results revealed that the relationship between student

background and educational aspirations did not seem particularly important regardless of

indigenous backgrounds or socioeconomic status. These results also showed that educational

aspirations correlated to academic performance meaning that those who were below average

or average with their peers were less likely to achieve educational aspirations then those who

were above average. While there is conflicting views surrounding educational aspirations and

ethnicity, the literature given shows that educational aspirations depend on the individual.

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The first sociological theory that will be analysed in regards to this social justice issue is

critical theory. Critical Theory can be described as trying to explain the assumptions and

values upon which various forms of literacy rest upon (Tyson, 2014). A key framework that

can be used to analyse this topic is critical pedagogy. Critical pedagogy can be described as

comprehending the past through the present in order to legitimate and secure a particular

view of the future (Giroux & McLaren, 2014). The authors of this text state that “students can

learn to interrogate the historical, semiotic and relational dynamics involved in the production

of various regimes of representations and their respective politics” and essentially demystify

the process in which relations of power are identified within this framework. In relation to the

issue discussed, this framework can empower indigenous people in achieving educational

aspirations and improve their life chances. By understanding their culture through their life in

a present tense can help mould an individual to aspire to give themselves the best possible

chances in life while improving their dimensions of wellbeing. In relation to education. This

framework can act as a driving force to shape students into building a society free of

imbalances while critiquing the past through the present while building for the future.

In relation to sociological theories, the next theory that will analyse this topic is Marxism. In

literature by (Lichtheim, 2015) Marxism can be referred to as a theory and ideology of

revolution and a socialist movement during the struggle of democracy. This theory relates to

the intersections of race, ethnicity and class. This can be exemplified through literature

(Melendez, Rodriguez & Figueroa, 2013) similar to indigenous Australians, this literature

incorporated findings from famous Marxist Rodolfo D. Torres and focuses upon the Hispanic

population group in the United States. In this literature the authors investigated rates of

educational attainment (e.g. completing school, dropping out of school) and Occupation

disparities. This research found that social class influenced education as the price of

schooling determined whether or not students completed or dropped out of school, this then

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led to the disparities of pay between this minority group and the rest of America. By

analysing this research, this information can be transferred from a global sense and integrated

when assessing indigenous Australians and their educational and life chances. Similar to the

Hispanic people, indigenous people have lower levels of completing school then non

indigenous people and have lower levels of employment then non indigenous people. This

framework of Marxism shows that intersections of race and class do impact upon educational

aspirations and life chances.

From analysing the literature given it’s clear that teachers hold the key to empower students

in various ways. The most important way of doing so is through intercultural understanding.

The (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2017) defines intercultural

understanding as “Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the

diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local

and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an

interconnected world”. As teachers, this concept is crucial in creating a harmonious

environment that promotes personal and social wellbeing through professionalism and

abiding to ethical guidelines. This can be explored though literature by (Walton, Priest &

Paradies, 2013) which investigates intercultural understanding in schools. This study found

that teachers presenting cultural awareness and knowledge is not enough to change attitudes

among people about different cultures, in order to improve teachers’ professional and

personal intercultural capabilities it was suggested that school based interventions could

effectively develop students’ intercultural attitudes and skills. Ultimately a teacher has the

power to provide the necessary tools to improve a student’s personal and social capabilities

which will give them the best possible chance in life. By ensuring intercultural

understanding, teachers can adhere to ethical guidelines while promoting students personal,

social and intellectual dimesons of wellbeing.

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In relation to government policies/ documents and strategies involving indigenous students,

(The Department of Education and Training, 2017) have made Indigenous schooling a focus

point in helping indigenous students achieving better results in life by getting children to

school and helping them find jobs. In relation to the policies associated with this document,

The department of education and training state “that states and territories required to meet

attendance targets for Indigenous students, systems being required to report how the funding

provided through loadings will support outcomes for Indigenous students and systems and

schools should set recruitment targets for Indigenous teachers”. By implementing this policy,

this documentation looks at implementing a strategy focuses on the intersections of race and

ethnicity of indigenous students and aims to improve their educational aspirations and life

chances through funding and quality educational outcomes. In relation to class, (The

Australian Government Guide to the Educational Act, 2015) has implemented a strategy to

improve educational outcomes from people from a low SES back ground. Essentially this

strategy identifies students from the lowest socioeconomic quartile and provides the

appropriate funding in order to help improve educational outcomes. This strategy aims to

give students the best possible chance at life while improving educational outcomes. Through

implementing both of these government document polices and strategies, the intersections of

race, ethnicity and class are assessed and analysed, in doing so students are given a higher

chance of attaining educational aspirations and improving life chances.

In conclusion this essay shows that Educational aspirations and life chances can be

influenced by an individual’s race, ethnicity and class. In reference to literature the biggest

negative influence on educational aspirations and life chances was an individual’s class, this

had the ability to determine an individual’s educational attainment and also had the ability to

influence students to drop out rates. In relation to this discourse, sociological theories such as

Marxism and critical theory provided frameworks which addressed this discourse. Literature

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associated with critical theory showed that integrating culture into school work while

displaying respect to individual’s positively impacted student’s participation levels during

education and literature associated with Marxism showed the negative effects in which social

class had on minority groups and how this effected student’s educational aspirations. This

showed that students were sometime led to dropping out of school due to their class which

negatively impacted their educational aspirations while also negatively impacting their life

chances. This essay had a clear focus on indigenous students and related these frameworks

back to this population group. In regards to this population groups, government

documents/policies and strategies identified clear ways in order to improve academic

performance and attendance rates for both indigenous students and students from a low

socioeconomic background.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Social Survey, 2014-15. Retrieved 14 March 2017, from

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4714.0~2014-

15~Main%20Features~Education~5

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2017). Intercultural

Understanding - Introduction - The Australian Curriculum v8.3. (2017). Retrieved 17

March 2017, from

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/intercultural-

understanding/introduction/introduction

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Australian Government. (2015).2.1.2.3. Low SES student loading | Guide to the Australian

Education Act 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2017, from

https://aeaguide.education.gov.au/content/b2123-low-ses-student-loading

Australian Government Department of Education and Training. (2017). Indigenous Schooling

Retrieved 17 March 2017, from https://www.education.gov.au/indigenous-schooling

Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural Diversity and Education. United Kingdom: Routledge.

Bodkin‐Andrews, G. H., Denson, N., & Bansel, P. (2013). Teacher Racism, Academic Self‐

Concept, and Multiculturation: Investigating Adaptive and Maladaptive Relations with

Academic Disengagement and Self‐Sabotage for Indigenous and Non‐Indigenous

Australian Students. Australian Psychologist, 48(3), 226-237.

Bornstein, M. H., & Bradley, R. H. (Eds.). (2014). Socioeconomic Status, Parenting, and

Child Development. New York, USA: Routledge.

Booth, A., & Dunn, J. F. (2013). Family-school links: How do they affect educational

outcomes? New York, USA: Routledge.

Giroux, H. A., & McLaren, P. (2014). Between Borders: Pedagogy and the politics of

cultural studies. New York, USA: Routledge.

Gore, J., Holmes, K., Smith, M., Southgate, E., & Albright, J. (2015). Socioeconomic Status

and the Career Aspirations of Australian School Students: Testing Enduring

Assumptions. The Australian Educational Researcher, 42(2), 155-177.

Homel, J., & Ryan, C. (2014). Educational Outcomes: the impact of aspirations and the role

of student background characteristics. Adelaide: National Centre for Vocational

Education Research.

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Lichtheim, G. (2015). Marxism (RLE Marxism): An Historical and Critical Study. New York,

USA: Routledge.

Melendez, E., Rodriguez, C., & Figueroa, J. B. (Eds.). (2013). Hispanics in the Labor Force:

Issues and Policies. New York, USA: Springer Science & Business Media.

Rubin, M., Denson, N., Kilpatrick, S., Matthews, K. E., Stehlik, T., & Zyngier, D. (2014). “I

Am Working-Class” Subjective Self-Definition as a Missing Measure of Social Class

and Socioeconomic Status in Higher Education Research. Educational Researcher,

0013189X14528373.

Tonkin, E., McDonald, M., & Chapman, M. K. (Eds.). (2016). History and Ethnicity (Vol.

27). New York, USA: Routledge.

Tyson, L. (2014). Critical Theory Today: A user-friendly guide. New York, USA: Routledge.

Walton, J., Priest, N., & Paradies, Y. (2013). Identifying and Developing Effective

Approaches to Foster Intercultural Understanding in Schools. Intercultural Education,

24(3), 181-194.

Yanow, D. (2015). Constructing" Race" and" Ethnicity" in America: Category-making in

Public Policy and Administration. New York, USA: Routledge.