Visiting scholar shares strategies for retaining Indigenous students

Senior lecturer and convenor of the Indigenous Law program at Griffith University Phillip Falk shared strategies on improving retention rates for Indigenous students during a visit to USQ on Wednesday, 14 November 2007.

A two-time Carrick Award recipient, Mr Falk spoke to USQ staff about embedding Indigenous perspectives in university curriculum and helping the university community understand Indigenous issues.

'I was invited by Rhonda Hagan of the LTSU to give USQ staff training on Indigenous inclusive curricula,' Mr Falk said.

'Rhonda asked if I would run a workshop because USQ has a new faculty of Law, to explain what we've done at Griffith.'

In his role as Convenor of the Indigenous Law Program at Griffith, Mr Falk has taken a whole-school approach to embedding Indigenous knowledge in the Law curriculum.

'I've developed a model for changing the schools to be more inclusive of Indigenous perspectives.

'I talk to Law staff about including Indigenous issues in their teaching and help them to teach from an Indigenous perspective.

'At Griffith, the School of Law works closely with staff on curriculum development; teaching and learning; research; staff development and training; and Indigenous student support.

'Each of these areas overlaps; you do staff training to help staff develop the curriculum and we help staff understand the Indigenous perspective which helps with combating racism in classrooms.'

In 2006 Mr Falk received a Carrick Citation for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning' for his work in integrating Indigenous knowledge into the Law curriculum. In the Carrick Australia Awards for University Teaching, he received the ‘Neville Bonner Award for Teaching Excellence in Indigenous Education'.

Mr Falk said students have responded well to the Indigenous Law Program.

'We've had students go on to become Young Australian of the Year and Young Queensland Lawyer of the Year.'

The program has also led to strong rates of attraction and retention of Indigenous students, particularly in the School of Law.

'Griffith has the largest number of Indigenous Law students of any university. We have very good retention rates: about 85 per cent for the last four or five years.

'We have better retention for Indigenous students than the university has for other students.

'Other universities are trying to change Aboriginal students to fit into the mainstream. I'm changing the mainstream to fit in Indigenous students.

'We try to be more diverse and include all perspectives to ensure the curriculum is more reflective of our community.'

Media Contact: Jane Urquhart USQ Media +61 7 4631 2559