PULLMAN CAIRNS INTERNATIONAL
17 Abbott Street, Cairns, QLD 4870 | 31 March & 1 April 2021

QELi and the Queensland Department of Education are delighted to invite educators to the Indigenous Education Conference 2021

Abstract submission deadline: 14 September 2020

State Schools – Indigenous Education is calling for abstracts for presentations at the
2021 Indigenous Education Conference.

Abstract Information

Presenters will have the opportunity to contribute to system improvement by sharing detailed evidence of promising and effective practices within one of the three priority areas of the State Schools Indigenous Education Strategic Plan Every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Succeeding (the strategy); Connection to culture, High expectations, and Meaningful pathways.  

Submissions will be evaluated against the department’s Standards of Evidence in addition to their alignment to the strategy and evidence of collaboration that exists within the initiative/effective practice.   

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to present a 50-minute interactive workshop to up to 100 delegates, including school principals, teachers, school staff and regional officers.

Abstract submission deadline: 14 September 2020

For conference or abstract queries, email: indigenous@qed.qld.gov.au

Why submit an abstract?

The opportunity to present a concurrent session to peers not only gives colleagues ideas and practices for their unique school context, but provides both audience members and presenters with important professional development: influencing system-level innovation and improvement.

All Queenslanders have a role to play in ensuring that every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student experiences success, and by showcasing successful practices and contributing to the collective wealth of proven approaches – this strategy could be achieved much sooner.

Building on the successes of Indigenous Education in Queensland over recent years this is your opportunity to share your insights on how we create a system in which every student is understood, engaged and successful at school, going on to live a life of choice, not a life of chance.

While the Indigenous Education Conference abstract process and requirements are different to that of the Department of Education’s annual Showcase Awards submission, it is anticipated that those who submit an abstract will be able to use contents of their abstract submissions for a Showcase application (Showcase Award for Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education) if they choose. Further information on the Showcase Awards category criteria and submission process will be available late February on the Showcase Awards website.

And, finally, presenters will have conference fees waived, including the cost of the networking dinner, for a maximum of two presenters per session.

Abstract Categories

Connection to culture

Culture and community play an important role in shaping young people’s lives. Through localised curriculum development and partnerships with local communities, we will continue to acknowledge and respect the histories, values, languages and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and place them at the centre of our work.

Topics may include initiatives that enhance student learning and achievement through;

• Integrating the cross-curriculum priority (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures) into classrooms across the whole curriculum, through improved cultural capability of our educators,
• Providing traditional language programs and increasing awareness of contemporary languages, valuing the traditions and cultural identity of our students, including approaches to better understanding community languages and dialects and building on students’ language strengths,
• Connecting with parents and the community to co-design whole of school strategies and ensure students’ wellbeing and cultural identity is nurtured, and localised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives are embedded within the curriculum, including community participation in the school/classroom to build cultural understandings of teachers and students and to provide accurate and authentic learning contexts, or
• Innovative approaches to increasing the confidence of educators to respectfully and authentically embed cultural perspectives in learning.

High expectations

The foundations of a successful learning journey are built through support, encouragement, parent and community partnerships, and quality teaching. By lifting expectations of curriculum delivery and student achievement, we will engage students in opportunities that see them thrive at school and excel academically in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Topics may include initiatives that enhance student learning and achievement through:

• Developing responsive case management systems, with an understanding of trauma informed practice, in partnership with parents, caregivers and community stakeholders to ensure students attend, engage with and thrive at school,
• Enhancing teaching practice in effective delivery of the curriculum and in assessing students’ learning against the achievement standards in English,
• Schoolwide approaches to building the capability of our educators to identify students for whom English is an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) and teaching Standard Australian English explicitly, actively and meaningfully, including teaching and monitoring strategies that meet the language learning needs of EAL/D students and enable them to successfully access the curriculum,
• Implementing innovative and proven strategies with a focus on positive learning behaviours and engagement that reduce the number of students receiving multiple school disciplinary absences, or
• Lifting learning outcomes and extending high-achieving students through excellence programs.

Meaningful pathways

Confident and empowered students reach their full potential and contribute to a more prosperous Queensland through further education pathways and learning opportunities aligned to their aspirations. By building resilience, nurturing creativity and instilling a culture of lifelong learning, we will inspire students to successfully navigate the future of work and achieve their aspirations.

Topics may include initiatives that enhance student learning and achievement through:

• Proven approaches that support students across multiple junctures in their schooling journey, including the transition into the senior phase of learning with a focus on increasing the student retention rate from Years 10 to 12,
• Implementing innovative partnership models that strengthen the quality of support for early school leavers and school completers to access learning and employment pathways,
• Supporting successful transitions to boarding, further learning and employment through better monitoring of students and line of sight, or
• Build the critical and creative thinking skills of high achieving students to prepare them for tertiary education, and encourage students to identify STEM as a preferred pathway.