Start Date
3-8-2014 2:30 PM
End Date
3-8-2014 4:15 PM
Abstract
Concurrent Session
Recommended Citation
Buckskin, P., Thomas, G., & Ma Rhea, Z. (2014, August 03). Negotiating Competing Education Values: Equality, equity, quality and Indigenous rights [Paper presentation]. 2014 - Quality and Equity: What does research tell us?. https://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2014/3august/3
COinS
Aug 3rd, 2:30 PM
Aug 3rd, 4:15 PM
Negotiating Competing Education Values: Equality, equity, quality and Indigenous rights
Concurrent Session
Comments
This panel will examine the ideals of educational equality, educational equity and Indigenous sui generis rights using the Australian higher education system as the working example. The ideals of educational equality and educational equity are laden with inherent contradictions when considering power relations and the rights and needs of traditionally marginalised peoples across the world under conditions of globalisation and postcoloniality. Within the neo-liberal economic reform agenda globally, there has been significant focus on raising the general standard of higher education through productivity and accountability measures. These measures have exposed the failure of states to recognise the aspirations and meet the higher education needs of Indigenous and other minority populations. This paper examines the arguments for both educational equality and educational equity in consideration of newer international legal mechanisms that are recognising the unextinguished rights of Indigenous peoples after colonisation. Through undertaking an analysis of the concept of, and theories underpinning, both educational equality and equity using Australian higher education as the example, panellists will bring a wealth of evidence-based work to the argument for the need for a fundamental reformulation of the engagement of the higher education system with Indigenous people through a remobilised concept of commensurability enshrined in a concept of ‘both ways’ educational choice for Indigenous students.